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62d Congress | HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES | ^^^^'™ 

Sd Session J \ No. 1252 



MESSAGE 

OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE 

UNITED STATES 

TRANSMITTING 

THE REPORTS OF THE 

COMMISSION ON ECONOMY 

AND EFFICIENCY 



COMMUNICATED TO THE 
TWO HOUSES OF CONGRESS 
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1913 




JANUARY 8, 1913. — Referred to the Committee on Appropriations 
and ordered to be printed, with illustrations 



WASHINGTON 
1913 



L--- 



3d Session 



I HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES { ^o ^2^5? 



MESSAGE 

OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE 

UNITED STATES 

TRANSMITTING "T^T^ 

, THE REPORTS OF THE 

A >> "commission on economy 

AND EFFICIENCY 



COMMUNICATED TO THE 
TWO HOUSES OF CONGRESS 
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1913 




JANUARY 8, 1913. — Referred to the Committee on Appropriations 
and ordered to be printed, with illustrations 



WASHINGTON 
1913 







D. OF D. 

AU 25 1913 



\ 



t^ 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



Page. 

Message of the President 1 

Letter of the Secretary of War 7 

Report to the President on the work of the commission 13 . 

Inquiries and work of the commission relating to the budget 15^ 

Inquiries and work of the commission relating to organization 15 

Inquiries and work of the commission in relation to personnel 17 

Inquiries and work of the commission relating to functions and activities 

of the Government 19 

Inquiries and work of the commission in relation to accounting and re- 
porting : 19^ 

Inquiries and reports of the commission relating to office practice and 

equipment 25 

Inquiries and reports of the commission relating to Government housing 30 

Inquiries and reports of the commission relating to the subject of standardi- 
zation 31 

Inquiries and reports of the commission into individual services, groups of 

services, and related work ■ . . 33 

Inquiries and work of the commission relating to navigation services.. 33 

Inquiries and work of the commission relating to health service 34 

Inquiries and work of the commission relating to statistical service 35 

Inquiries and work of the commission relating to cartographic and sur- 
vey services 35 

Inquiries and work of the commission relating to central accounting ^ 

and auditing services 35"^ 

Conclusion 36 

Business methods of the ofl&ce of The Adjutant General 39 

Summary of recommendations 41 

Summary of savings 43 

Savings in salary cost shown by divisions of the office 44 

Reduction in appropriations 45 

Amounts appropriated, expended, and recommended for salaries, 

together with proposed reduction in appropriation for salaries 46 

Section I. — Introductpry 47 

Scope of investigation 47 

General criticisms of existing organization, methods, and classes of 

work 47 

Organization. 47 

General description of methods 49 

Personnel records , 49 

Correspondence records , 49 

Conclusions with respect to handling and filing correspondence 50 

Method of conducting telegraph business 55 

Methods of preparation and distribution of circulars descriptive of 

deserters 55 

Furnishing information from old military records 56 

Cooperation of employees 56 

III 



IV TABLF OF CONTENTS. 

Business methods of the office of The Adjutant General — Continued. 

Section I. — Continued. Page. 

Classes of work incidental to main functions 56 

Index to general orders, 1861 to 1880 57 

Keport on organization and casualties of Union and Confederate Armies. 57 

Office quarters 57 

Eeduction in force 58 

Cooperation with War Department 58 

Section II. — Functions and organization of The Adjutant General's Office. 59 

General 59 

Work connected with present military personnel and operations 59 

Work connected with records of former organizations 60 

Organization 62 

Functions and work of particular divisions 62 

Administrative Division 63 

Publication branch 63 

Orders Division 63 

Distribution Division 63 

Mail and Record Division 63 

Correspondence and Examining Division 63 

Miscellaneous Division •. 63 

Enlisted Men's Division 64 

Recruiting Division 64 

Rolls Division 64 

Division of Appointments, Commissions, and Personnel 64 

Military Academy Division 64 

Returns Division 65 

Medical Division 65 

Regimental Records Division 65 

Archives Division 65 

Tenth Street branch 65 

Seventeenth Street branch 65 

Section III. — Criticisms and constructive recommendations Tvith respect 

to the general business system of the office 66 

1. Handicaps due to organization 66 

Administration Division '. . 68 

Mail and Record Division 69 

Correspondence Division , 69 

EnHsted Men's DiAdsion 70 

Officers' Division 73 

Regimental Records Division 75 

Archives Division 78 

Carding Division 80 

2. Defects in methods 81 

A. Defects in methods of handling and filing correspondence 81 

(1) Folded fifing 83 

(2) Briefing 85 

(3) Subject correspondence files 85 

(4) Personnel correspondence files 89 

(5) Recording 90 

(6) Indexing statement of service cases 96 

(7) Press copying "- 98 

(8) Record drafts of outgoing communications 100 

(9) Use of forms for correspondence 102 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. V 

Business methods of the office of The Adjutant General — Continued. 

Section III— Continued. Page. 

2. Defects in methods — Continued. 

(10) Employment of symbols for interdivisional correspond- 

ence 105 

(11) Use of the dictation machine 107 

B. Five-minute mail-messenger service 108 

C. Defects as shown by comparison of present with proposed 

methods of handling and filing correspondence — illus- 
trated by means of selected cases, outlines, and charts. . . Ill 

Case I. Discharge from Army of private 118 

Case II. Opening and closing auxiliary recruiting stations . 131 

D. Unnecessary cost of preparation and dispatch of telegrams and 

cablegrams 135 

Telegrams 135 

Cablegrams 143 

E. High cost of preparation and distribution of circulars descrip- 

tive of deserters 147 

F. High cost of furnishing information from old military records. . 147 

G. Defects in methods of administrative control 150 

3. Unnecessary work performed 158 

4. Unsuitable condition and location of office quarters 159 

Location 160 

Administrative and Current Work Divisions 160 

Archives Division 161 

Ford's Theater Building and annex 166 

Building at 610 Seventeenth Street 1 169 

Building at 1712 G Street 169 

Section IV. — Criticisms and constructive recommendations with respect 

to the work of each division of the office 170 

Administration Division 170 

Publication branch 175 

Distribution Division 190 

Orders Division 190 

Mail and Record Division 193 

Miscellaneous Division 202 

Correspondence and Examining Division 207 

Enlisted Men's Division 211 

Recruiting Division 216 

Rolls Division 222 

Appointment, Commission, and Personnel Divi-^iou 235 

Military Academy Division 241 

Returns Division 245 

Medical Division 257 

Regimental Records Division 267 

Archives Division 277 

Tenth Street branch 282 

Seventeenth Street branch 317 

Appendixes 327 

I. A detailed description of the general functions and vrork of The 

Adjutant General's Office 327 

II. Descriptive statements of the location, work, methods, and 

organization of each division of the office 337 

A. Administration Division 337 

B. Publication branch 348 



VI TABLE OP CONTENTS. 

Business methods of the office of The Adjutant General — Continued. Page. 
Appendixes — Continued. 

II. Descriptive statements of the location, work, methods, and 
organization of each division of the office — Continued. 

C. Distribution Division 353 

D. Orders Division 354 

E. Mail and Record Division 357 

F. Miscellaneous Division 377 

G. Correspondence and Examining Division 382 

H. Enlisted Men's Division 396 

I. Recruiting Division 398 

J. Rolls Division 405 

K. Appointment, Commission, and Personnel Division 418 

L. Military Academy Division 422 

M. Returns Division 426 

N. Medical Division 433 

O. Regimental Records Division 438 

P. Archives Division : 450 

Q. Tenth Street branch 459 

R. Seventeenth Street branch 472 

III. A brief on the legal aspect of the carbon copy as compared with the 

press copy 476 

"^ Office of the Chief of Engineers (Mail and Record Division) 481 

I. Introduction, location, and general description of functions 483 

Description of the functions of each division and section 484 

Mail and Record Division 484 

Military section 484 

River and harbor section 485 

Miscellaneous civil section 486 

Accounts and contracts section 486 

Maps, files, and drafting section 486 

II. Description of the location, work, and methods of the Mail and Record 

Division 489 

Incoming correspondence 489 

Stamping and numbering 489 

Recording 490 

Forwarding original papers 490 

Indexing 490 

Outgoing correspondence 490 

Dispatching 490 

Recording 490 

Indexing 491 

Files 491 

Filing space 491 

Distribution 492 

Record card 492 

Index or cross reference 492 

Permanent documents ^ . 493 

Bulky packages 493 

Temporary or "held-up " documents 493 

Suspension 493 

Personnel 493 

Clerical cost 493 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. VII 

Office of the Chief of Engineers (Mail and Record Division) — Continued. page. 
III. Critical comment and constructive recommendations pertaining to 

the Mail and Record Division 494 

Summary of recommendations 494 

Administration 495 

Office stamp 495 

Self-indexing and flat filing 496 

Unimportant and routine correspondence 496 

Record card 496 

Index card 497 

Perforated carbon copy 498 

Press copy 498 

Mailing list 498 

Useless papers 499 

Binding records 499 

Rearrangement of files 500 

"Held-up" files .500 

Suspension files 500 

Crowded conditions 500 

Light 501 

Care of rooms 501 

Messenger boy 501 

Conclusions 502 

Bureau of Insular Affairs 503 

I. Introductory 505 

(a) Summary of recommendations, conclusions, and estimated 

savings 505 

(b) General statement of functions of bureau 506 

(c) General statement of organization and personnel 507 

II. Critical and constructive suggestions pertaining to the present organ- 
ization 508 

(a) General 508 

(b) Suggested readjustment of salaries 513 

(c) Suggested abolition of Statistical Division 514 

Scope of statistics compiled by the Philippine Government. 514 
Scope of semiannual summaries of foreign commerce of the 

Philippine Islands 517 

III. Critical and constructive suggestions pertaining to methods and pro- 

cedure 521 

(a) Handling and filing correspondence (Record Division) 521 

(b) General administrative and correspondence work (Correspond- 

ence and Administrative Division) 529 

(c) Compilation and miscellaneous detail work (Miscellaneous 

Division) 530 

(d) Distribution of supplies (Miscellaneous Division) 534 

(e) Storage of Cuban, Philippine, insurgent, and other records. . . 535 

(f ) Compilation of financial statistics 537 

Suggested changes 540 

IV. Appendix. Detailed descriptive statement of present organization 

and methods 543 



VIII TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

Page. 

Office of the Surgeon General 565 

I. Introduction (and recommendations of the commission) 567 

II. Descriptive reports 568 

1. Location, work, methods, organization, and salary expense of 

the Record, Correspondence, and Examining Divisions. . . 568 

2. Location, work, methods, organization, and salary expense of 

the Supply Division 574 

3. Location, work, methods, organization, and salary expense of 

the Sanitary Division 578 

4. Location, work, methods, organization, and salary expense of 

the Personnel Division 582 

5. Location, work, methods, organization, and salary expense of 

the Museum Library Division 587 

III. Critical comment and constructive suggestions 589 

Handling and filing of correspondence in Record Section 589 

Making longhand drafts of outgoing communications and the use 

of form letters 591 

Editing of mail 591 

Recording requisitions on record cards in the Supply Division. . . 591 

Press coyping of letters and the use of form letters 592 

Consolidation of the two sections of the Supply Division 592 

Compilation of statistics ;.. 593 

Maintenance of personnel records of officers of the Medical De- 
partment 594 

Monthly returns of officers' personnel to the Adjutant General... . 595 

Enlisted Men's Section 595 

Organization of divisions affected by recommendations 596 

Office of the Signal Corps 599 

I. Introduction 601 

II . Descriptive statements 601 

1. Location, work, methods, organization, and salary expense 

of the Administrative Division 601 

2. Location, work, methods, organization, and salary expense 

of the Electrical and Telegraph Division 605 

3. Location, work, methods, organization, and salary expense 

of the Disbursing Division 610 

III. Critical comment and constructive recommendations 614 

Office of the Chief of Ordnance , 623 

I. Introduction, with summary of recommendations of the commission. . 625 
II. Description of the location, work, methods, organization, and salary 

expense of the Mail and Record Division v 625 

III. Critical comments and constructive recommendations of the commis- 
sion 629 

Department of Justice 631 

I. Introduction 633 

1. Conclusions and recommendations, with summary of estimated 

savings 633 

2. General statement of scope of the inquiry 634 

3. Organization of the department in general 635 

4. Central organization for handling and filing correspondence 635 

5. Summary of reported cost by bureaus and divisions 636 

6. Basis of present report 637 



TABLE or CONTENTS. JX 

Pago. 
Department of Justice — Continued. 

II. Critical comment and constructive suggestions as to jjresent methods of 

handling and filing correspondence 637 

1. Critical comment and recommendations pertaining to depart- 

ment as a whole 637 

(a) Location of files 637 

(b) Proposed system of filing :■ 642 

(c) Receiving, opening, and assigning ■ 647 

(d) Indexing and recording 649 

(e) Distribution of correspondence 653 

(f) Press-copying correspondence 653 

(g) Dispatching correspondence 653 

(h) Filing correspondence 654 

(i) Departmental docket of cases 654 

(j) Summary of savings, Division of Mail and Files 655 

2, Critical comment and recommendations on the practices in the 

several bureaus and divisions 656 

(a) Superintendent of Prisons 656 

(b) Office of appointment clerk 661 

(c) Office of the pardon attorney 662 

(d) Bureau of Investigation 665 

(e) Division of Accounts 666 

(f) Public Lands Division 667 

(g) Office of disbursing clerk 668 

(h) Office of Solicitor for the Department of Commerce and 

Labor 669 

(i) Office of the Solicitor for the Department of the Treasury 671 

(j) Bureau defending suits in Court of Claims 672 

Appendix 677 

Methods of keeping e'fficiency records of employees in the National Bank Re- 
demption Agency of the Department of the Treasury 755 

Introductory note 757 

Provisions of present method. . .'. 761 

Criticism of present system 763 

Work performed is measure of efficiency 763 

Purpose of keeping efficiency record 764 

Only one positive element of efficiency ' 764 

Negative elements of efficiency 765 

Unfairness of considering all elements of efficiency as credits. 765 

Disastrous results of limiting ratings on ability 766 

"Industry "' should not be rated 767 

Office discipline not to be confused with measurement of efficiency 768 

When negative elements of efficiency should be rated 769 

Penalties for tardiness suitable 769 

Penalties for failure in attendance too severe 770 

Penalties for errors suitable, with one exception 773 

Present system not fair and impartial 773 

How present methods should be changed 773 

Exact value of each clerk's services can be rated in terms of money 774 

Standard on which rating in terms of money is based 774 

Standard for a day's work 774 

Standard for wage for each class of employment 776 

Standard for recognition for special skill 777 



X TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

Methods of keeping efficiency records of employees in tlie National Bank 

Redemption Agency of the Department of the Treasury — Continued. Page. 

Standard for penalties for errors 777 

Standard for penalties for tardiness 777 

Standard for penalties for illness 777 

Table A. — Showing method of calculating the value (in dollars) of counting 

or sorting one note per day per year 781 

Table B. — Showing method of calculating the value (in dollars) of making 

one strap per day per year 781 

Table C. — Showing method of calculating the value (in dollars) of one error 

in the various classes of work 782 

The readjustment of coefficients , 786 

Need of readjustment of salaries shown by new ratings 786 

Distribution of work 788 

Cost of keeping record 788 

Acknowledgment 789 

Appendixes 789 

Report on the electric lighting of Federal buildings of the Department of the 

Treasury 799 

Introduction 802 

Report on Federal building, Chicago ,111 807 

United States post office, customhouse, and courthouse, Cleveland, Ohio 859 

United States post office and customhouse, Cincinnati, Ohio 874 

United States post office and courthouse, Knoxville, Tenn 888 

United States post office and customhouse, Chattanooga, Tenn 892 

United States customhouse and post office, Birmingham, Ala 897 

United States customhouse and post office, Macon, Ga 903 

On the establishment of an independent public-health service 909 

The recovery of fiber stock of canceled paper money 917 



MESSAGE. 



To the Senate and Hovse of Representatives : 

I submit for the information of Congress the report of the com- 
mission appointed by me to carry on the work authorized under act 
of appropriation of June 25, 1910, which made available $100,000 — 

To enable the President, by tbe employment of accountants and experts 

* * * to more effectively inquire into the methods of transacting the public 
business * * * with a view of inaugurating new or changing old methods 

* * * so as to attain greater efficiency and economy therein, and to ascertain 
and recommend to Congress what changes in law may be necessary to carry 
into effect such results of his inquiry as can not be carried into effect by 
Executive action alone. 

Pursuant to tliis authority a preliminary investigation was insti- 
tuted under the Secretary to the President with a view to determining 
what ground should be covered and what staif and organization 
would be required. This preliminary inquiry was carried on until 
March, 1911, when, at mj^ request, the term of the appropriation was 
extended to June 30, 1912, and $75,000 was added. 

Of this $175,000 made available for the first two years the amount 
expended for the preliminary inquiry was $12,252.14, leaving 
$162,747.86 available for the 15 months remaining after March 8, 
1911, when the commission was organized. By special message of 
January 17, 1912, I requested that $250,000 be made available for the 
current fiscal year. . Only $75,000, however, was appropriated, and 
to this was attached a restriction to the effect that not more than 
three salaries could be paid in excess of $4,000 per annum, thereby 
forcing a complete reorganization of the commission. At the same 
time the Congress by special resolution requested a report from the 
commission with recommendations on the organization and w-ork of 
the Patent Office — this to be submitted to Congress not later than 
December 10, or a little over three months after the resolution was 
passed. -Although $10,000 additional was appropriated for this pur- 
pose, it was impossible within the time to organize a special staff 
which could do such a highly technical piece of work. A further 
limitation to constructive work has been' found in the short period 

1 

72734 "—IT. Doc. 1 2.52, 62-3 1 



2 MESSAGE OF THE PKESIDENT. 

for which funds have been made available. Many of the problems 
©f administration which should be gone into require months of con- 
stant attention. The commission has not felt free to undertake work 
which could not be reported on before the expiration of the appro- 
priation, and the appropriation for the current fiscal year was not 
passed until August 24, the authority expiring June 30 following. 
I mention these facts to indicate some of the handicaps under which 
the commission has labored in prosecuting one of the most difficult, 
far-reaching, technical inquiries that has ever been undertaken, and 
one from which economies have already been realized many times 
greater than the cost. 

Im planning the work to be done by the commission the first con- 
trolling fact was that there was no basis in information for judgment 
as to what changes should be made or what would be the effect of any 
recommended change, no matter how simple it might at first appear. 
As was stated in my message of January 17, 1912, on the subject : 

— TMs vast orgauizatiou has never beeu studied in detail as one piece of 
administrative meclianism. Never have the foundations been laid for a thor- 
ough consideration of the relations of all of its parts. No comprehensive effort 
ifiias been made to list its multifarious activities or to group them in such a way 
as tO' present a clear picture of what the Government is doing. Never has a 
complete description been given of the agencies through which these activities 
are performed. At no time has the attempt been made to study all of these 
activities and agencies with a view to the assignment of each activity to the 
agency best fitted for its performance, to the avoidance of duplication of plant 
and work, to the integration of all administrative agencies of the Government, 
so far, as may be practicable, into a unified organization for the most effective 
and economical dispatch of public business. ; 

The only safe course, therefore, was first to obtain accurate knowl- 
edge of the vast administrative mechanism of the Government ; get 
a clear notion of what the officers and agents of the Government were 
doing in all of its departments, bureaus, and subdivisions; find out 
how each part of the service was organized for performing its activi- 
ties, what methods are being employed, what results are being ob- 
tained, where there are duplications of work and plant, wherein the 
organization and methods are ill adapted or ill adjusted. 

In each case, as first drafts of descriptive reports have been com- 
pleted by the commission, they first have been submitted to the 
services whose organization and work are involved, so that this part 
of the work has been a joint product of all services. This has been 
done for the double purpose of having a statement of fact that is 
beyond controversy, and to lay the foundation for the consideration 
of the critical comments and constructive suggestions that have fol- 
lowed. 



MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT. 3 

To the present time 85 reports have been submitted which carry 
recommendations. Fifteen of these reports, most of which recom- 
mend constructive legislation, have already been sent to Congress, viz : 

1. Outlines of organization of the Government. Submitted January 17, 1912 
(published as H. Doc. 458). 

2. The centralization of the distribution of Government publications. Sub- 
mitted February 5, 1912 (published in S. Doc. 293). 

3. The use of window envelopes in the Government service. Submitted 
February 5, 1912 (published in S. Doc. 293). 

4. The use of the photographic process for copying printed and written docu- 
ments, maps, drawings, etc. Submitted February 5, 1912 (published in S. 
Doc. 293). 

5. Methods of appointment. Submitted April 4, 1912 (published in H. 
Doc. 670). 

6. The consolidation of the Bureau of Lighthouses of the Department of 
Commerce and Labor and the Life-Saving Service of the Department of the 
Treasury. Submitted April 4, 1912 (published in H. Doc. 670). 

7. The Revenue-Cutter Service of the Department of the Treasury. Sub- 
mitted April 4, 1912 (published in H. Doc. 670). 

8. The accounting offices of the Treasury, with recommendations for the 
consolidation of the six auditors' offices into one. Submitted April 4, 1912 
(published in H. Doc. 670). 

9. The Returns Office of the Department of the Interior. Submitted April 4, 
1912 (published in H. Doc. 670). 

10. Travel expenditures. Submitted April 4, 1912 (published in H. Doc. 670). 

11. Memorandum of conclusions concerning the principles which should govern 
the handling and filing of correspondence. Submitted April 4, 1912 (published 
in H. Doc. 670). 

12. Supplementary report on the centralization of the distribution of Gov- 
ernment publications. Submitted April 4, 1912 (published in H. Doc. 670). 

13. The use of outlines of organization of the Government. Submitted April 
4, 1912 (published in H. Doc. 670). 

14. Report on retirement of superannuated employees. Submitted May 6, 
1912 (published as H. Doc. 732). 

15. Report on "The Need for a National Budget." Submitted June 27, 1912 
(published as H. Doc. 854). 

The reports of the commission already submitted which call for 
Executive action relate to a variety of subjects. Included in these 
reports are recommendations: For the modification of orders and 
practices related to the administration of the civil-service laws; the 
installation of a uniform system of accounting and reporting; forms 
and instructions for the preparation and submission of a budget; 
the use of window envelopes; the introduction of labor-saving office 
devices ; more economical Government housing ; better lighting, heat- 
ing, ventilation, and sanitation; the better utilization of waste; the 
more economical disposition of obsolete and condemned stores and 
other property; the discontinuance of the jurat in the preparation 
of claims for reimbursement; the promulgation of rules governing 
travel expenditures. 



4 MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT. 

With respect to many of these, affirmative action has been taken, 
but in nearly every case it is necessary to proceed slowly with the 
making of changes, which have already been ordered, as it neces- 
sarily requires months to make any change which broadly affects the 
service without causing so much confusion as to seriously interfere 
with the transaction of Government business. 

On December 9 I transmitted the report of the commission, with 
its recommendations, on the organization and work of the Patent 
Office. This rejDort is printed as House Document No. 1110. I am 
transmitting herewith. 11 other reports, the recommendations con- 
tained in which have my approval, as follows : 

1. Business metliods of the office of The Adjutant General of tlie War 
Department. 

2. The handling and filing of correspondence in the Mail and Record Division 
of the office of the Chief of Engineers. 

3. The handling and filing of correspondence and the doing of statistical 
work in the Bureau of Insular Affairs. 

4. The handling and filing of correspondence in the office of the Surgeon 
General. 

5. The handling and filing of correspondence in the office of the Signal Corps. 

6. The handling and filing of correspondence in the office of the Chief of 
Ordnance. 

7. The handling and filing of correspondence in the Mail and Record Division 
of the Department of Justice. 

8. Methods of keeping efficiency records of employees in the National Bank 
Redemption Agencj^ of the Department of the Treasury. 

9. Report on the electric lighting of Federal buildings of the Department of 
the Treasury. 

10. On the establishment of an independent public health service. 

11. The recovery of fiber stock of canceled paper money. 

The first six of these reports have been the result of intensive 
study of methods employed in the offices of the AYar Department at 
Washington, which point to detail reductions in cost which may 
affect the appropriations for 1914. These, together with the recom- 
mendations of the Secretarj^ of War, are sent for your information. 
In the opinion of the commission, an estimated saving of over 
$400,000 a 3^ear can ultimatelj^ be made by favorable action on the 
changes in methods which are recommended in the six offices of the 
War Department alone. 

One report above listed relates to the question of personnel. This 
is important both in its relation to efficiency of organization and 
economy of work. -A number of other reports, containing recom- 
mendations for changes in the details of methods which, in the 
opinion of the commission, will produce marked savings in annual 
cost of transacting the business of the offices investigated are in the 
hands of the services interested. These will be sent for the informa- 
tion of the Congress as soon as action has been taken or other con- 
clusion has been reached. 



MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT. 5 

Q 

The report on electric lighting of pnblic buildings is significant 
of the inattention to administrative details in a subdivision of the 
service which is charged with the operation and maintenance of sev- 
eral hundred Government buildings. Until this inquiry was begun 
no attempt had been made in this office to find out what was even 
the gross expenditures for operation as distinct from maintenance, 
or capital outlays, either for each building or for the whole service, 
and there were no means provided for knowing the heating, lighting, 
cleaning, or other costs as subdivisions of operation. The head of 
the office was presumably interested in construction ; the primary 
responsibilit}^ of the department was for the care and custody of 
funds; the result was that no attention was given to the develop- 
ment of the information essential to the central direction and control 
over operative services. And it may be said that the condition found 
in this office is typical of the condition found in many of the opera- 
tive services. The report covers only a partial inquiry into lighting 
efficiency. 

The report submitted relative to the recovery of fiber stock of can- 
celed paper money proposes that the method of macerating this stock 
which has been in use for about 40 years be discontinued and that 
more modern methods be adopted. Under modern methods of treat- 
ing this jDaper stock it is deinked and defibered with but a small loss 
of pulp, and such stock when recovered can be used in the manufac- 
ture of new money paper, at a saving, as compared with the present 
method of macerating and sale, of about $100,000 per annum. 

While during the time and with the staff available it has not been 
possible to make final detailed reports on more than a few of the hun- 
dreds of offices at Washington, and in only one office outside of Wash- 
ington has work of this character been undertaken, the reports which 
are submitted will serve to illustrate the character of results which 
may follow an extensive investigation of office technique and pro- 
cedure. It is further to be noted that the offices which have been re- 
ported on are those which have been frequently under scrutiny. From 
what is known of the offices outside of Washington it is thought that 
it is in this field that the largest opportunities for economy will be 
found — partly due to the fact that these offices have not been brought 
under scrutin}^, and partly due to the fact that a large number of them 
are dominated by political appointees. 
^ As illustrating the relative importance of services outside of Wash- 
ington, it is of interest to note that the cost of clerk hire at the New 
York post office alone is more than that incurred in the Departments 
of War, Navy, State. Justice, and Commerce and Labor at Washing- 
ton; that in the customhouse at New York the cost of clerk hire is 
greater than in any one department at Washington. 



6 MESSAGE OP THE PRESIDENT. 

In my opinion the technique and procedure of every branch and 
office of the Government should be submitted to the same painstaking 
examination as has been given to those on which reports have been 
made. To do this, however, ample funds must be provided. As 
stated in previous messages to Congress on the subject, there is no 
greater service that can be rendered to the country than that of the 
continuance of the work of the commission until some form of or- 
ganization is provided for continuously doing this kind of work under 
the Executive. I have asked, therefore, that $250,000 be provided for 
the continuation of the investigation which has been so well begun, 
and that these funds be made available March 4. In my opinion this 
is not a matter in which the Congress should assume that public 
money will be unwisely spent. At a total cost of about $230,000 dur- 
ing the 21 months covered by the work of the commission, facts have 
been developed and recommendations have been made that, if fol- 
lowed up, will result in savings of millions of dollars each year. 
This has been done under the handicap of inadequate funds and un- 
certainty of continuation, which interfered with the making of plans 
which could not be completely executed within a few months. It 
would be very much to the advantage of the administration if the 
President were authorized to spend whatever amount he may deem to 
be necessary within the next two years, the only condition attached 
being that he render an account of expenditures, 

Wm. H. Taft. 

The White House, January 8, 1913. 



LETTER OF SECRETARY OF WAR. 



War Department, 

Washington^ December 18, 1912, 
The President. 

Sir: Some months ago I requested the President's Commission on 
Economy and Efficiency to investigate the business methods of The 
Adjutant General's Office in reference to the question of the cost of 
handling and filing correspondence in that office. Subsequently I 
extended the scope of the investigation to include the general man- 
agement of the office, and later it was extended to the Surgeon Gen- 
eral's Office, the Office of the Chief of Engineers, the Office of the 
Chief Signal Officer, the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, and the 
Bureau of Insular Affairs. 

Reports on these offices have now been submitted to me by the 
commission, together with recommendations for changes and improve- 
ments in their business methods and estimates of the amount of the 
savings which would thus be accomplished annually in the manage- 
ment of each office. I have examined them and have the honor to 
transmit them herewith to you. 

As will be disclosed by these reports, the work of the commission 
has been extremely thorough, and their investigation can not fail to 
be of immense benefit to the administration of those bureaus of the 
War Department. Their recommendations include not only the 
substitution of new and superior systems of administration for 
methods that are less economical and effective, but their investiga- 
tion has in some instances disclosed wasteful and improvident de- 
tails. Their investigation into The Adjutant General's Office in par- 
ticular reveals that the methods of handling a large part of the 
correspondence of that office are antiquated and extremely compli- 
cated, and they estimate that under simpler and more modern 
methods a saving of over $300,000, or over 38 per cent, of its appro- 
priations for employees' salaries can be ultimately saved to the 
Government. The commission recognizes that the work is done 
promptly and accuratelj'', but finds that the cost is unnecessarily 
high, if not extravagantW so, and that great economies are possibJ* 
without any loss of efficiency. 



« LETTEK OF SECEETAEY OF WAK. 

With the essential recommendations I am in hearty concurrence, 
and I am glad to say that most of the chiefs of the respective bureaus 
also concur as to these essentials. Some of the proposed reforms 
have already been introduced in some of the bureaus, and the expe- 
rience thus achieved has been and will be most helpful in making 
the introduction general, A portion of the recommendations I am 
establishing at once by order. As to the remainder, I have appointed 
a committee, taking representatives from the War Department and 
also from the commission, who will study further the question of 
applying the remainder of the recommendations as to which there 
is some difference of opinion in some of the bureaus. 

After considering the reports which the various bureau chiefs 
concerned have made upon the recommendations of the Economy 
Commission, and conferring personally with these bureau chiefs, I 
feel satisfied that large economies can be effected in the War De- 
partment within the next two years. On the other hand, it must be 
remembered that the prompt and satisfactory manner in which these 
bureaus, as a general rule, handle their business must at all hazard 
be maintained, and it ma}^ well be that the total savings, estimated 
by the commission may be fixed at too high a figure. I am quite 
clear that such savings can not be accomplished in the first year 
during which the proposed reforms are instituted. The experience 
of the Corps of Engineers in making similar reforms in their field 
offices has indicated that the extra effort of instituting the changes 
postponed the realization of the full amount of the economies until 
the second year. 

I also believe that in making any such drastic changes as are con- 
templated in these reports, involving entirely new methods and a 
large ultimate reduction of the clerical force, a portion of the sav- 
ings accomplished should be devoted toward increasing the salaries 
of the remaining clerks upon whom the accomplishment of the reform 
devolves. In no other way can the morale and esprit de corps neces- 
sary to realize the full benefit of the change be inspired in the per- 
sonnel of the office. 

Finally, I do not believe that it will be necessary to accomplish 
the necessary reduction by arbitrarily dismissing any of the present 
force. The losses in the personnel of the War Department through 
deaths, resignations, discharges, and transfers amount to nearly 
iO per cent of the force annually, and during the past year there has 
been accomplished a reduction of the entire classified force of 5 per 
cent. I believe that the same policy of taking advantage of this 
natural reduction could and should be carried out in the future in 
accomplishing the changes recommended by the commission. 



LETTER OE SECRETAEY OF WAR. U 

In this connection, however, I desire to call especial attention to 
<he provision of law which prevents details from The Adjutant 
General's Office to other offices or bureaus of the War Department. 
That provision of law serves no useful purpose of administration. 
It simply serves to make The Adjutant General's Office a favored 
bureau whose employees at times of idleness can not be called upon 
lor service in other bureaus where assistance may be greatly needed. 
I have previously recommended its repeal to Congress, and the same 
recommendation is now made by the Commission on Economy and 
Efficienc3\ Its repeal would greatly facilitate the reorganization of 
the War Department along the lines proposed, and would help to 
minimize the inevitable stress and difficulties of instituting these 
s-alutary changes. 

Very respectfully, 

Henky L. Stimsox, 

Secretory of War. 

(Inclosures.) 



REPORTS OF THE COMMISSION ON 
ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY 



TO ACCOMPANY MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT 
JANUARY 8, 1913 



11 



REPORT TO THE PRESIDENT ON THE WORK OF THE COMMISSION 
ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 



December 18, 1912. 
The President : In compliance with your request, the Commission 
on Economy and Efficiency has the honor to submit the following 
report of progress: This work was begun in September, 1910, as a 
preliminary inquiry by the President's direction, pursuant to an act 
of appropriation which made available $100,000 for the then current 
fiscal year — 

To enable the President by the employment of accountants and experts from 
official and private life to inquire more effectively into the methods of transact- 
ing public business * * * with a view to inaugurating new or changing 
old methods * * * so as to attain greater efficiency and economy therein, 
and to ascertain and recommend to Congress what changes in law may be neces- 
sary to carry into effect such results of his inquiry as can not be carried into 
effect by Executive action alone. * * * 

The pur]30se of this preliminary inquiry was to determine what 
ground should be covered and what staff and organization would be 
required. One of the first conclusions reached was that it would be 
unwise to attempt to prosecute an investigation of such far-reaching 
importance, and which would involve the consideration of so many 
questions of technical detail, unless adequate funds were made avail- 
able for at least a year longer than was provided in the original act. 
Bequest was therefore made for an extension of authority until June 
30, 1912, and for $75,000 additional, which requests were granted 
March 4, 1911. Another conclusion reached was that it would be in 
every way desirable to organize the expert staff provided for as a 
commission. The reasons for this were two : 

1. That the need for personal contact was so great and the field 
was so broad that no one person could develop the cooperation neces- 
sary to do more than make local changes. 

2. That it would be impossible to get the services of persons who 
were expert on matters of Government administration, finance, ac- 
counting, and law at a compensation which could be met by the small 
appropriation without giving to them a status which might carry 
with it an honorarium. 

The request of the President for an extension of authority and 
for additional funds having been granted, on March 8 the Presi- 

13 



14 REPOKTS or COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

dent organized the Commission on Economy and Efficiency — of six 
members — the understanding being that three members would be 
taken from the service and three from the outside. 

In this relation it may be said that the cost of the preliminary 
investigation prior to March 1, 1911, as set forth in the report here- 
tofore submitted, was $12,254.86. This left available $87,745.14 of 
the original appropriation, which, together with the $75,000 addi- 
tional, gave to the President $162,745.14 to carry on the inquiry from 
March 1, 1911, to June 30, 1912. The commission at once proceeded 
to organize its staff on a basis which would enable it to continuously 
prosecute the work throughout the period covered by the authoriza- 
tion. On getting together the staff it was thought that as many as 
practicable should be obtained from within the service by transfer. 
The purpose in this, as in selecting the members of the commission, 
was to make the information and experience gained of continuing 
benefit to the service after the commission's work had been ended. 
The expenditures during the period of March 1 to June 30, 1911, 
were $34,477.90, within which amount were included the costs inci- 
dent to the furnishing of adequate quarters — office space during the 
preliminary investigation having been provided in the White House. 
The amount available for the work of the commission during the 
fiscal year ended June 30, 1912, was $128,267.24. For the next fiscal 
year $75,000 was appropriated, with an added appropriation of 
$10,000 by special resolution for making a report with recommenda- 
tions on the organization and work of the Patent Office. 

A description of the details of the work done and the conclusions 
which were reached as a result of the preliminary inquiry will be 
found in the report to the President on that subject (printed as 
Circular No. 29). A description of the work of the commission 
during the period from March 8 to October 30, 1911, is fully de- 
scribed in a report submitted by the commission covering that period 
(printed as Circular No. 30). 

As is set forth in a memorandum submitted to the Committee on 
Appropriations on May 18, 1912, the inquiries which have been con- 
ducted by the commission and the reports which have been made are 
of two general classes, viz : 

1. Eeports on general inquiries made by the commission. 

2. Reports on individual services, groups of services, and related 
work. 

The general inquiries and reports referred to relate to the follow- 
ing subjects, viz : 

1. The budget. 

2. Organization. 

3. Personnel. 

4. Functions and activities of the Government. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 15 

5. Accounting and reporting. 

6. Office practice and equipment. 

7. Government housing. 

8. Standardization. 

The inquiries into and reports on individual services, groups of 
services, and related work have to do with : 

1. Commerce and navigation services, 

2. Health services. 

3. Statistical services. 

4. Cartographic and survey services. 

5. Central auditing and accounting services, records, and files. 
In the preparation of the list of subjects of inquiry and report 

shown below, the above classification has been followed, and within 
each class a further grouping will be found in order to show (a) 
what subjects have been reported on and sent to Congress, (b) what 
reports have been made and not sent to Congress, and (c) those sub- 
jects of inquiry which are in current work. 

Inquiries and Work of the Commission Relating to the Budget. 

The inquiries of the commission which relate to the present methods 
of preparing and submitting estimates, and to the present form and 
conditions attached to appropriations, in so far as these relate to 
economy and efficiency of administration, are the following : 

Reported on and sent to Congress: 

1. Final report of the commission on " The Need for a National Budget." 

Submitted to the President on June 19, 1912, and approved and sent to 
Congress by a special message of the President on June 27; pub- 
lished and printed as House Document No. 854, Sixty-second 
Congress, second session. 
Sulmitted, hut not sent to Congress: 

2. Interim report (1911). 

Containing a statement of work in progress pertaining to estimates 
and appropriations. 

3. Annual report of the commission, October 30, 1911. 

Containing a statement of worlj in progress on the budget report 
up to date. 

4. Work in progress. 

Preparation of analyses and summaries of data incident to the prepa- 
ration of a budget for the fiscal year 1914, the results of which 
are being currently considered by the President. 

Inquiries and Work of the Commission Relating to Organization. 

As was set forth in the report of the commission of October 30, 
1911, the inquiry as to how the Government is organized for doing 
business was one of the first undertakings. To the end that exact 
information with respect to the organization of each service might 
be made available, each department and establishment was asked to 
cooperate with the commission in the preparation of detail outlines 



16 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

and charts of organization. In this relation the following reports 
have been made : 

Reports sent to Congress: 

1. The outlines of organization. 

Transmitted witli message of January 17, 1912, and publislied as 
House Document No. 458. Tliis report has been followed by 
Executive order requiring that each bureau and office keep an up- 
to-date record, which will show by organization units each em- 
ployee, where he is at work and what he is doing, so as to enable 
Congress, the President, or administrative officers to obtain this 
information- at any time desired, whether for purposes of making 
estimates or for purposes of considering any current question of 
organization. This record will also save to the Government the 
cost of taking the biennial census to obtain the data for the blue 
book and other directories and lists of employees which are regu- 
larly published at public expense. 

2. The use of outlines of organization. 

Transmitted with message of April 4, contained in House Docu- 
ment No. 670. 

3. History, organization, and activities of the Revenue-Cutter Service. 

Transmitted with message of April 4, contained in House Docu- 
ment No. 670. 

4. History, organization, and activities of the Life-Saving Service. 

Transmitted with message of April 4, contained in House Docu- 
ment No. 670. 

5. History, organization, and activities of the Bureau of Lighthouses. 

Transmitted with message of April 4, contained in House Docu- 
ment No. 670. 
Reports suhtnitted, hut not sent to Congress: 

6. Charts showing outlines of organization of the Department of the Navy. 

This was published as commission Circular No. 17 for distribution to 
the several departments and offices and for use in collaboration 
with department representatives in the preparation of charts of 
other services. 

7. Reports on details of organization showing classes of personnel. 

These reports were prepared by each department and establishment 
as of July 1, 1912, one copy of each report being made to the Civil 
Service Commission and another copy being sent to the President. 
These have been prepared under general supervision of the com- 
mission. 
S. Report on organization of the executive branch of the Government, 
with critical and constructive recommendations of the commission. 
All of the foregoing reports of the commission on the subject of 
organization have been descriptive in character ; one of the pur- 
poses of having these descriptive reports prepared was to provide 
exact information with respect to the adjustment or ill-adjustment 
of organization to work. Exact information having thus been pro- 
vided, the commission has in course o.i preparation a critical report 
with constructive recommendations, which will shortly be available 
for the consideration of the President and Congress. 
9. History, organization, and activities of the Bureau of Navigation of 
the Department of Commerce and Labor. 
10. History, organization, and activities of the Steamboat-Inspection 
Service of the Department of Commerce and Labor. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 17 

11. History, organization, and activities of the Coast and Geodetic Sur- 

vey of the Department of the Interior. 

12. History, organization, and activities of the Hydrographic Office of 

the Department of the Navy. 

13. History, organization, and activities of the Lake Survey of the 

Department of War. 

14. History, organization, and activities of the Geological Survey of the 

Department of the Interior, 
lo. History, organization, and activities of the Surveying Branch, Gen- 
eral Land Office of the Department of the Interior. 

16. History, organization, and activities of the Bureau of Manufactures 

of the Department of Commerce and Labor. 

17. History, organization, and activities of the Bureau of Statistics of 

the Department of Commerce and Labor. 

18. History, organization, and activities of the Bureau of Trade Rela- 

tions of tlie Department of State. 

19. History, organization, and activities of the Bureau of Public Health 

and Marine-Hospital Service of the Department of the Treasury. 

20. History, organization, and activities of the Census Bureau of the 

Department of Commei-ce and Labor (included in accounting report 
described belovi^). 

Inquiries and Work of the Commission in Relation to Personnel, 
The reports which have been submitted on organization have car- 
ried the analysis of each organization unit down to the point of 
showing the number of each class and under each class the salary 
grades of all of the personnel in the service. This has made available 
information which will be highly valuable in considering all ques- 
tions pertaining to the classification and compensation of officers and 
employees of the Government. Such information, however, was not 
completely available until the reports of the departments and estab- 
lishments above listed had been completed. The first work of the 
commission having to do with the subject of personnel, therefore, 
went into questions of law, retirement, etc. The work and reports 
of the commission relating to this general subject are the following: 

Reports sent to Congress: 

1. Methods of appointment. 

Transmitted with the message of April 4, 1912, and included in House 
Document No. 670. In this it is recommended that all employees 
of the Government who are now appointed with the advice and 
consent of the Senate, except those who have to do with the deter- 
mination of policy, such as Secretaries, be placed in the classified 
service. If this is done it is thought that there would be a direct 
saving in salaries (which do not represent compensation for work 
performed for the Government) amounting to several million dol- 
lars, besides a very much larger indirect saving which would 
follow the taking of the important branches of the service out of 
local politics; It is also thought that such a step would also very 
materially increase the efficiency of the personnel throughout every 
department, bureau, and office of the Government. 

72734°— H. Doc. 1252,62-3 2 



18 REPOETS.OF COMMISSION OX ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

2. Retiremeut allowances. 

Transmitted with tlie message of May 6, 1912; printed as House 
Document No. 732. This report also transmits a form of bill which 
sets forth a detail plan for the retirement of aged employees in 
the service. 
Reports wldch liave not been sent to Congress: 

3. The effect of the apportionment clause of the civil-service act. 

For the purpose of determining what had been the effect of the oper- 
ation of the apportionment clause of the civil-service act, a detail 
inquiry was made. The result of this inquiry led to the conclu- 
sion that the construction which had been placed on the clause had 
operated adversely to the merit system. A statement of facts, 
together with critical constructive recommendations, has been 
submitted to the Civil Service Commission. 

4. BfBciency records.^ 

Report prepared by a special committee appointed by the Secretary 
of the Treasury, with which the commission was asked to co- 
operate. This committee made a detail investigation of the opera- 
tion of the efficiency records which have been used in the National 
Bank Redemption Agency of the Department of the Treasury. The 
result of this investigation was not only to report adversely on the 
records which theretofore existed, but has led to conclusions which, 
in the opinion of the commission, will be of far-reaching importance. 
This work was begun before the law was passed imposing on the 
Civil Service Commission the duty of installing efficiency records 
in the several departments and establishments. The results have 
been made available to that commission and on the request of the 
Civil Service Commission this commission is now cooperating with 
them in' making the plans and taking the initial steps necessary to 
the installation of a complete system of individual elficiency records 
in every office in the service. 

5. Report on the clerical personnel of the Department of Justice. 

In the Department of Justice the whole question of the clerical per- 
sonnel was gone into by a special committee with which the Com- 
mission on Economy and Efficiency and the Civil Service Commis- 
misslon were asked to cooperate. The report which was prepared 
has laid the foundation for a definite consideration of the question 
of classification and salary grades in that service. 

6. Report recommending the preparation of summaries showing the pres- 

ent classification of the personnel of the Government. 
In submitting the outlines of organization as required by the Execu- 
tive order, set forth under each unit of the personnel by classes 
and salary grades, the commission's report to the President recom- 
mending the preparation of summaries of personnel in such manner 
has laid the foundation for the consideration of the whole subject 
of the reclassification of the service. This report with recommenda- 
tions was acted upon favorably, request being sent out by the 
President for the summaries recommended not later than Febru- 
ary 1, 1913. The information thus developed will lay the founda- 
tion for the first scientific consideration of a reclassification of per- 
sonnel so as to make the salaries uniform throughout the service 
for similar kinds of work. 

1 Sent to Congress by the President after this annual report of the commission was pre- 
pared, and is submitted herewith. 



business methods of office of the adjutant general. 19 

Inquiries and Work of the Commission Relating to Functions 
AND Activities or the Government. 

Before any conclusions may be reached in respect to organization 
provided or methods and procedure which are used, it is necessary to 
know what work or activities are carried on or which are required of 
each subdivision of the service. To this end the preliminary inquiries 
were sent out by the Secretary to the President before the inquiry 
was organized. Since that time this work has been continuously 
carried on. 

Reports submitted and sent to Congress. 

1. Analysis of expenditures by classes of work. 

While no special report has been sent to Congress on this subject, a 
considerable part of the report of the commission on " The need for 
a national budget " deals with the subject. The analyses of ex- 
penditures for the years 1910 and 1911 and the appropriations for 
1912 and the estimates for 1913 having been analyzed in such a 
way as to show the amount expended, appropriated, or estimated in 
relation to each subject of work. This was also summarized in 
such manner as to show the activities performed by each organiza- 
tion unit and the number of organization units performing similar 
work. 
Reports submitted, hut not sent to Congress. 

2. Digest of powers, duties, and limitations of offices and officers. 

This report was prepared as a digest of laws, on the request of the 
President, by the Department of Justice, for the information of the 
commission and of departmental committees cooperating in the 
economy and efficiency work. 

3. Description of the functions and activities of each office, with special 

reference to statutes and executive orders authorizing the same. 
These reports were prepared under the direction of the several de- 
partment committees and the Commission on Economy and Effi- 
ciency, which were cooperating with the commission at the request 
of the President. 

Inquiries and Work or the Commission in Relation to Account- 
ing AND Reporting. 

The handicap under which the President and his Cabinet and Con- 
gress has labored, due to lack of systematic consideration of account- 
ing and reporting methods, is set forth in a special message of the 
President March 3, 1911, a brief excerpt from which is as follows: 

The chief difficulty in securing economy and reform is the lack of accurate 
information as to what the money of the Government is now spent for. Take 
the combined statement of the receipts and disbursements of the Government 
for the fiscal year ended .June 30, 1910 — a report required by law and the only 
one purporting to give an analytical separation of the expenditures of the Gov- 
,ernment. This shows that the expenditures for salaries for the year 1910 were 
one hundred and thirty-two millions out of nine hundred and fifty millions. As 
a matter of fact, the expenditures for personal services during that year were 



2Q REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY, 

more nearly four liundrecl millions, as we have just learned by the inquiry now 
in progress under the authority given me by the last Congress. 

Without going into greater detail, the conditions under which legislators and 
administrators, both past and present, have been working may be summarized 
as follows : There have been no adequate means provided whereby either the 
President or his advisers may act with intelligence on current business before 
them ; there has been no means for getting prompt, accurate, and correct infor- 
mation as to results obtained ; estimates of departmental needs have not been 
the subject of thorough analysis and review before submission ; budgets of re- 
ceipts and disbursements have been prepared and presented for the considera- 
tion of Congress in an unscientific and unsystematic manner ; appropriation bills 
have been without uniformity or common principle governing them : ' there have 
been practically no accounts showing what the Government owns and only a 
partial representation of what it owes ; appropriations have been overencum- 
bered without the facts being known ; officers of Government have had no regu- 
lar or systematic method of having brought to their attention the cost of gov- 
ernmental administration, operation, and maintenance, and therefore could not 
judge as to the economy or waste; there has been inadequate means whereby 
those who served with fidelity and efficiency might make a record of accom- 
plishment and be distinguished from those who were inefficient and wasteful; 
functions and establishments have been duplicated, even multiplied, causing 
conflict and unnecessai-y expense; lack of full information has made intelligent 
direction impossible and cooperation between different branches of the service 
difficult. 

It has been assumed by the commission that the methods of ac- 
counting used by the Government should be such as to provide for 
complete, accurate, and prompt information about each subject of 
administrative concern and in whatever classification this informa- 
tion be desired; it has been further assumed that the accounting 
methods should be such that this data may be collected, recorded, 
and made available to officers at the lowest possible cost. Any 
method of accounting and reporting which falls short of this stand- 
ard should not be regarded as fulfilling the administrative purpose 
for which records are kept and reports are prepared. These are also 
the assumptions which have been in mind in the preparation of this 
memorandum of constructive suggestions. 

Reduced to simplest terms, it is suggested that all of the records, 
whether pertaining to receipts, disbursements, expenses, liabilities, 
resources, appropriations, or funds, should be reduced to the follow- 
ing four classes : 

1. Files of documents. — Containing the original evidence of each transaction 
or authenticated copies, schedules, or abstracts thereof. 

2. Chronological register of documents or of schedules or abstracts of docu- 
ments. — One register or subdivision of a register to be used for each class of 
documents recorded. 

3. Ledgers of detail and subsidiary account. — One ledger for each general 
class of accounts, to be kept for the purpose of producing the most detail in- 
formation which is to be regularly reported. 

4. General ledgers. — Or records of summary and controlling accounts by 
means of which the most summary reports would be produced as well as the 
accuracy of detail ledgers and reports would be proved. 



business methods of office of the adjutant general. 2l 

Inquiries and Work of the Commission in Relation to Account- 
ing AND Reporting. 

For the purpose of carrying on the descriptive work relating to 
accounting and reporting, the commission has had the assistance of 
not only the special committees appointed at the request of the Presi- 
dent in each department and establishment, but also of a joint com- 
mittee made up of representatives of all departments. The subjects 
of inquiry and of reports submitted on these related subjects are the 
following : 

Reports submitted, hut not sent to Congress. 

1. Constructive recommendations with respect to the forms of expendi- 

ture documents to be used in the several departments. 
This report was the result of the work of the joint committee on 
expenditure documents and of the many conferences with depart- 
ment representatives beginning in October, 1910. On May 6, 1911, 
the commission transmitted this report with a suggested pro forma 
draft of order to be issued by the Department of the Treasury. 
On May 20 an order was promulgated by the Comptroller of the 
Treasury as Circular No. 35. 

2. Constructive recommendations with respect to the principles which 

should govern expenditure accounting and reporting. 
The recommendations were the result of the work of the joint com- 
mittee on accounting and reporting and of many conferences with 
representatives of departments beginning in November, 1910. The 
report to the President carried with it a suggested pro forma 
draft of an order to be issued by the Comptroller of the Treasury 
under authority given by section 5 of the Dockery Act. On May 
20, 1911, an order was promulgated as Treasury Circular No. 34. 

3. Outlines and- definitions of classes of expenditures. 

This was the result of cooperation of committee work and coopera- 
tion with a large number of representatives of technical branches 
of the service beginning in October, 1910. The report carried with 
it a recommendation for the issuing of an order by the Department 
of the Treasury. On June 20, an order was issued on the subject 
as Treasury Circular No. 36. 

4. Accounting forms submitted by the Department of the Treasury. 

This was a memorandum expressing the opinion of the cohaitnission 
on accounting forms submitted by the Department of the Treasury 
to the President under order issued by the President, June 8, 
requiring that all departments before submitting accounting forms 
for the approval of the Comptroller of the Treasury, pursuant to 
Circulars Nos. 34 and 35, should first transmit them to the White 
House. 

5. Accounting forms submitted by the Department of Commerce and 

Labor. 
Memorandum expressing the opinion of the commission on account- 
ing forms submitted by the Department of Commerce and Labor 
under the order described above. 



22 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION OX ECOXOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

6. Accounting forms submitted by the Department of Agriculture. 

Memorandum expressing the opinion of the commission under the 
order described above. Following this a complete set of forms 
was approved and an installation has been made in the Depart- 
ment of Agriculture which gives to that department more complete 
information about its business than is at present found in any 
other department since the new installation was begun on July 1. 
1912, and four monthly balance sheets have been taken off. While 
the amount of information produced is very much larger than here- 
tofore, the work requirements will ultimately be reduced. 

7. Accounting forms submitted by the Department of the Navy. 

Memorandum expressing the opinion of the commission under the 
order described above. 

8. Special report at the request of the President on the subject of the or- 

ganization and methods of the Bureau of Supplies and Accounts, 
Department of the Navy. 
This report was prepared on order of the President and by request 
of the Secretary of the Navy. First an interim report was sub- 
mitted, which was followed by a very detailed descriptive, critical, 
and constructive report, which has been used as a basis for coop- 
eration in the preparation of forms for use during the current fis- 
cal year. The forms submitted having been adopted, installation 
has been made covering all appropriation accounts, cash accounts, 
contracts, approved requisitions, and other encumbrances on funds. 
There remains to be developed a systematic handling of the analy- 
sis of expenditure's of stores and property accounts in the central 
ofiice at Washington. 

9. Accounting methods and procedure of the Bureau of the Census, De- 

partment of Commerce knd Labor. 
This is a detailed descriptive, critical, and constructive report con- 
taining specific recommendations with respect to the business of 
accounting and reporting of the bureau. Drafts of forms of ac- 
counts have also been prepared and are ready for detailed con- 
sideration by oflicers of the bureau and department. 

10. Detailed description of accounting methods and procedure employed 

in each of the bureaus and offices in which accounts are kept in the 
Department of Commerce and Labor. These have been submitted 
and checked as to their accuracy. At the request of the Secretary 
the commission has undertaken to cooperate in constructive work. 

11. Detailed description of the accounting methods and procedure em- 

ployed in each of the bureaus and oflBces of the Department of the 
Interior. These have been submitted and checked as to their ac- 
curacy. At the request of the Secretary the commission is cooper- 
ating with representatives of this department in constructive work. 

12. Detailed description of the accounting methods and procedure em- 

ployed in each of the bureaus and offices in which accounts are kepi 
in the Department of Justice. These have been submitted and 
checked. 

13. Detailed description of the accounting methods and procedure em- 

ployed in each of the bureaus and offices in which accounts are kept 
in the Department of State. These have been submitted and 
checked and in cooperation a complete new installation has been 
made in the central office at Washington. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 23 

Forms subiiiitfed ty the ComittroUcr of the Treasury for the opinion of the 
commission: 

14. Fifty-six reports have beeu submitted to tlie Comptroller of tlie 

Treasury and otlaer departmental officers from time to time, con- 
taining opinions of the commission on the detail forms transmitted 
under the requirements of circulars 34, 35, and 36. 
14a. Report to the Secretory of the Navy on the handling of stores under 
the law providing for the making of requisitions under a general 
account of advances, and the purchase of stores chargeable against 
appropriations only when issued. 
The report was submitted February 12, 1912. The report, with 
recommendations, was referred to the Attorney General for decision 
on certain legal aspects. Upon return of this opinion, it was re- 
ferred by the department to bureau heads for consideration and 
report as to the action to be taken by the Secretary to better adapt 
the procedure of the department to the needs of the service. 

15. Circulars issued by the commission as a basis for cooperation between 

department representatives, 
(o) Circular No. 6. — Description of expenditure documents and pro- 
' cedure for the purchase of supplies, materials, equipment, and 

services other than personal and for the distribution of sup- 
plies and material from stores — submitted by the joint commit- 
tee on expenditure documents^issued February 27, 1911, by 
direction of Mr. Norton, Secretary to the President. 
(6) Circular No. 13. — Description of accounting forms suggested as 
a means of obtaining the information needed about appropria- 
tions and funds, stores, expenses, capital outlays, etc. — pre- 
pared with special reference to the conclusions reached by the 
departmental representatives pertaining to expenditure ac- 
counts, and submitted as a basis for discussion by the joint 
committee on accounting and reporting — issued from the White 
House May 18, 1911. 
(c) Circular No. 14. — Proposed business and accounting procedure 
of the United States Indian Service, Department of the Inte- 
rior — submitted through the committee on economy and effi- 
ciency of the Department of the Interior, and published by 
the commission for the information of representatives of other 
departments and offices cooperating in the preparation of 
forms and procedures. 
{d) Circular No. 18.— Suggestions as to schedules of documents and 
as to registers of documents and schedules — for use in de- 
veloping a uniform system of controlling accounts and sum- 
mary reports, 
(e) Circular No. 20. — Suggested forms for reporting assets and lia- 
bilities, revenues and ex^ienses, funds and appropriations, to- 
gether with definition of governmental accounting and report-, 
ing terms. 
Work in progress. 

16. Detailed report descriptive of the accounting and reporting methods 
and procedure in each department and establishment of the 
Government not above noted. 
To the present time this detailed descriptive work has been com- 
pleted in the Departments of the Interior, Navy, Justice, State, 
and Commerce and Labor. In the Department of War all the 
material has been gathered, but the report not rendered, and 



24 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

several of the bureaus of the Treasviry Department have been 
covered. Following the descriptive reports which are first sub- 
mitted as statement of fact without comment, the method of 
the commission is to submit a critical statement; this is fol- 
lowed by constructive recommendations ; after conference defi- 
nite forms and procedures are prepared with a view to bringing 
uniformity into accounting and reporting practices, and at the 
same time making complete, accurate, and prompt statements of 
fact available to officers about the business in hand, as well as 
to Congress at the end of the fiscal year. It is expected that the 
reports on these departments will be completed soon. 

17. Digest of laws pertaining to accounting and reporting in each branch 

of the service. 
It has been found that there are SO or 90 statutes requiring dif- 
ferent accounts and reports containing financial data, many of 
which are conflicting in requirements and none of which pro- 
ceeds from any broad consideration of the needs of the service. 

18. Digest of forms of reports at present rendered by each department 

and establishment under existing provisions of law. 
This will show analytically and comparatively the character of 
the information which is at present produced and published 
through reports with recommendations with respect to unifi- 
cation. 

19. General report with recommendations looking toward the establish- 

ment of uniformity of accounting and reporting practices under 
general provisions of law making it the duty of the Comptroller 
of the Treasury to prescribe the methods of keeping and render- 
ing all public accounts except the accounts of the Post Office 
Department. 
With respect to this the Comptroller has expressed his hearty 
approval and willingness to cooperate. He has also solicited 
and has received cooperation of the commission in passing on the 
forms which are submitted to him under requirements of cir 
culars Nos. 34 and 35 of the Treasury. 

20. Departmental administrative codes pertaining to accounting and re- 

porting methods and procedures. 
This would be supplementary to the more general requirements of 
the comptroller. In their preparation the aim is to bring the 
detail accounting and reporting procedures in departments in 
harmony with general and uniform requirements, and at the 
same time to enable the departments to adapt the general rules 
to the specific and detail requirements of each office. 

21. The accounting and auditing methods employed in the New York 

customs office. 
This work was begun in July, 1912, and has been continuously in 
progress since that time. The purpose of the Investigation is to 
ascertain exactly how the customs revenues are handled in the 
largest office — one in which practically all of the administrative 
problems are present. It is further to be noted that this is an 
office in which most of the constructive work has been done to 
cut out waste and increase efficiency. A large part of the de- 
scriptive work has been completed and the statements of fact 
verified by the officers in charge. No draft of report containing 
critical and constructive suggestions has as yet been prepared 
and submitted. 



business methods op office of the adjutant geneeal. 25 

Inquiries and Reports of the Commission Relating to Office 
Practice and Equipment. 

While the general inquiries pertaining to organizations and work 
were necessary to an intelligent consideration of details, the ultimate 
purpose of the investigation has been to recommend changes in busi- 
ness methods and technique that would result in increased efficiency 
or savings. To complete such an inquirj^ would necessarily take years. 
Recommendations of this kind could be safely made only after a 
detail inquiry into the methods employed in each office. While only 
a small part of the entire service could be covered within a year, part 
of the staff of the commission has been thus engaged from the begin- 
ning. The subjects of inquiry and report of this kind are the 
following : 

Reports sent to Congress. 

1. Use of window envelopes in the Government service. 

Transmitted witli the message of February 5, 1912. and contained in 
Senate Document No. 293. recommending the use of window en- 
velopes wherever they are adapted to the service and escimating 
an economy in such use of not less than $250,000 a year. 

Window envelopes are now used quite generally and their use is 
being extended gradually to every class of correspondence and 
circular worl? to which it is applicable. 

2. Use of photographic process for copying printed and written docu- 

ments, maps, drawings, etc. 

Transmitted with the message of February 5, 1912, and included in 
Senate Document No. 293, recommending the use of photographic 
processes for copying wherever such process may be employed to 
advantage, showing that in offices where they have been intro- 
duced on the recommendation of the commission there had been 
an actual saving reported in clerical time amounting to over 75 
per cent and estimating a large saving if employed for work in 
the various offices where photographic copying may be done to 
the same or better advantage than handwork. 

The use of the photographic process for making copies is now quite 
common in the departmental service at Washington. 

3. The centralization of distribution of Government publications. 

Transmitted with the message of February 5, 1912, and contained in 
Senate Document No. 293, also supplementary report contained 
in House Document No. 670, recommending the centralization in 
the Government Printing Office of the distribution of all public 
documents, estimating an annual Saving in the distribution of 
documents of departments alone amounting to not less than 
$242,000 a year. 

The recommendations contained in this report, so far as legislation 
was needed, were enacted into law by a clause in the appropriation 
act of August 23, 1912, requiring Government publications to be 
wrapped, addressed, and mailed from the Government Printing 
Office. 



26 EEPOETS OF COMMISSIOiSr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

4. Memorandum of conclusions regarding handling and filing of corre- 

spondence. 
Transmitted with message of April 4, 1912, and contained in House 
Document No. 670. setting forth the conclusions which have been 
reached with respect to the uniformity of practice in the handling 
and filing of correspondence and the progress made in the estab- 
lishment of such practice, estimating a saving of not less than 
$850,000 if applied within the District of Columbia alone, and of 
$1,500,000 annually if applied to the service as a whole. The 
report and estimate was based on reports made by the depart- 
ments themselves in answer to interrogatories contained in cir- 
cular No. 5. Since that time a number of offices have been the 
subject of original investigation and detailed recommendations. 
It now seems probable that the first estimate of possible saving 
was too small. The results of these detailed inquiries are shown 
below. In this relation may be noted that in six otfices of the 
Department of War it is thought that about one-fourth of the 
original estimate for the entire Government may be realized. 
Reports submitted, hut not sent to Congress. 

5. Preliminary report on the handling and filing of correspondence In 

The Adjutant General's Office. 
Subjnitted to the Secretary of War on :March 12, 1912, for his infor- 
mation, showing in detail "what processes in work could be elimi- 
nated without decreasing the efiiciency of the office, in so far as 
this could be stated from the examination in progress. This to 
be considered by the Secretary in relation to the estimates then 
before Congress. 

6. Reports on the office conditions and methods in the War Department. 

Six reports have been submitted to the Secretary of War and later 
approved by him ; the action of the Secretary being to appoint 
two boards — one to put the recommendations contained in this 
and other reports having to do with the handling and filing of 
correspondence listed below into effect as speedily as possible, the 
other to consider and act on the other recommendations contained 
in the same reports on the office conditions and methods of the 
War Department. 
(fl) Report on the handling and filing of correspondence in the 
Mail and Record Division of the Office of Chief of Engi- 
neers, Department of War.^ 
When the recommendations contained in this report are put 
into effect it is estimated that it will result in a decrease 
in annual expense amounting to $18,320, and at the same 
time increase the eflSciency of the service, the present cost 
of which is $34,600. 
(6) Report on the handling and filing of correspondence and the 
preparing of statistics in the Bureau of Insular Affairs, 
Department of War.^ 
When the recommendations contained in this report have 
been complied with, it is estimated that the pay roll in the 
office, which is now $91,840. can be reduced to $62,790, 
making a saving in the annual expense of $29,050, or more 
than 30 per cent. 

1 Sent to Congress by the President after this annual report of the commission was pre- 
pared, and is submitted herewith. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 27 

(c) Report on tlie handling and filing of correspondence in the 

Office of the Surgeon General, War Department/ 
In the opinion of the commission the changes recommended 
will result in an annual saving amounting to $19,150. 

(d) Report on the handling and filing of correspondence in the 

Office of the Signal Corps, War Department/ 
In the opinion of the commission the recommendations of 
this report, when put into effect, will result in an annual 
saving of $2,400 out of a total of $3,600, the present pay- 
roll cost of handling and filing of correspondence in that 
office. 

(e) Report on the handling and filing of correspondence in the 

Office of the Chief of Ordnance, War Department.^ 
In the opinion of the commission the recommendations of 
this report, when put into effect, will result in an annual 
saving of $10,000 out of a total of $20,400, the present 
pay-roll cost of handling and filing of correspondence 
in that office. 
(/) Final report on The Adjutant General's Office at Washington/ 
The report contains a detail description of the work of the 
several divisions of the office, with recommendations for 
changes in organization, in methods, and also with respect 
to classes of work to be discontinued and the consolida- 
tion of work by relocation of office quarters. The author- 
ized force of The Adjutant General's Office numbers 613, 
the aggregate salaries being $758,570. The recommenda- 
tions of the commission provide for a force of 380 em- 
ployees at a salary aggregating $480,020. The changes 
recommended will result in a decrease of 233 in the 
number of employees and a decrease in the salary roll 
of $278,550. Other recommendations having to do with 
stationery, printing, telegrams and cablegrams, etc., carry 
an estimated added saving of $45,525, making an aggre- 
gate estimated annual saving of $324,075. This, in the 
opinion of the commission, can be done without in any 
manner decreasing the efficiency of the office. The esti- 
mates for the present year contain reductions of $49,720. 
The action taken by the Secretary should enable officers 
to complete the installation within a few months. 
7. Report on office methods employed in the Bureau of Internal Revenue. 
This report was submitted to the Secretary of r,he Treasury, and 
later was taken up with the President, in conference with the 
Secretary of the Treasury, the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, 
and the Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, to 
determine what could be put into effect at once and what action 
should await the completion of the new building for printing and 
engraving. This report relates to the handling and filing of cor- 
respondence and the procedure relating to the counting of stamps 
and other work in the bureau. The report sets forth a full 
description of the present methods, with definite recommenda- 
tions which, in the opinion of the commission, if adopted, will 
effect an annual saving of $46,000. In addition to the recom- 

1 Sent to Congress by the President after this annual report of the commission was pre- 
pared, and is submitted herewith. 



28 BEPOETS OP COMMISSIOISr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

mendations on the subject of handling and filing correspondence 
thfe report recommends the discontinuance of the count of internal- 
revenue stamps in the bureau after the same have been counted 
and verified at the Bureau of Engraving and. Printing, or the 
discontinuance of one of the counts made in the latter bureau. 
The present practice is to take all revenue stamps from the 
Bureau of Engraving and Printing to the Internal Revenue 
Bureau, there again to be counted and. verified and shipped to 
officers in the field instead of having them shipped direct from 
the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, as is done with currency 
and postage stamps which are manufactured at that bureau for 
the United States Treasury and the Post Office Department. This 
involves an expense which is not thought to be necessary in 
the handling of financial paper of larger denominations, such as 
postage stamps and paper money. It is conceded that this is 
an extra count which, with the incidental expense of hauling 
and handling, costs the Government $24,280, and can be eliminated 
without any injury to the service. 

8. Memorandum regarding the handling and filing of correspondence in 

the Agriculture and Navy Departments. 
Statement to the President showing the extent to which orders 
have been issued and changes made in the departments named 
along the lines recommended by the commission. 

9. Report on the handling and filing of corresponden(^e in the Depart- 

ment of Justice.^ 
Submitted to the Attorney General on December 13, 1912. In this 
report has been set forth in detail the methods employed In the 
several offices of the department, and changes are recommended 
which, in the opinion of the commission, will improve methods 
of handling and filing correspondence and at the same time effect 
an annual saving amounting to $15,820. 

10. Handling and filing of correspondence in the Bureau of Supplies and 

Accounts of the Department of the Navy. 
The conclusions reached have been made available to the com- 
mittee of the Navy which has been appointed to go into the 
subject and make recommendations to the Secretary. Upon the 
report of this committee prompt action was taken by the Sec- 
retary resulting in completely changing the methods employed 
in that office. 

11. Recovery of fiber stock of canceled paper money.^ 

Interim report siibmitted to the President ; referred to the Secre- 
tary of the Treasury, recommending change in the method of 
-handling piilp resulting from the maceration of condemned cur- 
rency, with an estimated saving of $100,000 a year. 

12. Interim report on purchase of typewriters. 

Submitted to the President with recommendation that it be sent 
to the Secretary of the Treasury. 

13. Second interim report on the purchase of typewriters. 

Submitted to the President with suggestions that a special board 
of experts be appointed to formulate definite recommendations 
with respect to future contracts — acted on favorably by the 
President. 

* Sent to Congress by the President after this annual report of the commission was pre- 
pa.red, and is submitted herewith. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 29 

Work im, progress: 

14. The handling of waste paper. 

Final report. The waste paper in the Government departments 
and establishments amounts to many tons per year. In the 
opinion of the commission a large economy could be effected 
through a better handling of this waste. The final report in 
preparation is both descriptive and constructive. 

15. Maintenance of typewriters and adding machines. 

A broad inquiry has been instituted for the purpose of obtaining 
a full list of typewriters in use, their cost, the expense of up- 
keep, their life in use, etc. 

16. Pneumatic-tube service for conveying material from department to 

department and to the Capitol. 
While this is primarily a matter of transportation, it would mate- 
rially affect ofiice practice, and it is therefore listed under this 
general heading. Recently a request was made by a Senate com- 
mittee for a report, and in response an interim report will be 
prepared. The more detailed report has been suspended, due to 
reduction in staff corresponding to the reduction in appropria- 
tion for 1912-13. 

17. Preparation of statistical matter by machinery. 

Under this subject the commission has not only made a broad 
inquiry into the use of labor-saving devices and mechanical 
equipment employed for the preparation of statistical matter 
by private concerns and public offices other than the Govern- 
ment, but it has also conducted an experiment running over a 
period of two months in the Bureau of the Census. Work on 
this report has been suspended, due to reduction in staff. 

18. Uniform telegraph code for the Departments of State, War, and 

Navy. 
Inquiry has been begun with respect to the increased economy 
and efficiency which might be effected by the adoption of a uni- 
form telegraphic code, as suggested by the title. At the present 
time each department has a different code. Work on this report 
has been suspended, due to reduction in staff. 

19. Pay rolls and services. 

While this subject relates closely to and has been taken up as a 
part of the accounting work, there is also an important office 
practice side which has to do with the preparation of pay rolls. 
It is thought that the cost of such work may be very largely 
reduced by the installation of proper mechanical devices. Work 
on this report has been temporarily suspended, due to reduction 
in staff. 

20. Photographic processes for copying maps, etc.. Part II. 

This would be supplementary to the one which was transmitted 
to Congress by message of February 5, 1912, and contained in 
Senate Document No. 293. Work on report suspended, due to 
reduction in staff. 

21. Photographic copying process in the Patent Office. 

This is in the nature of a special consideration of the application 
of copying processes to Patent Office work. Work on report sus- 
pended, due to reduction in staff. 



30 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

22. Informal memoranclum submitted to the President for consideration 
in relation to the estimates for 1914. 
Among the suggestions thus submitted are the following: 

That Congress be asked to change the law and conditions at- 
tached to appropriations to make the funds available for 
the purchase and distribution of seeds reimbursable ; to pro- 
vide for distributing public documents at cost, etc. The 
direct saving which could be immediately availed of if this 
were done would amount to several million dollars, besides 
giving to those who desired it a much better service. In 
getting at the cost of Government publications, only the 
publication cost and the postage would be charged to the 
public, thereby making it possible to supply all demands for 
information and to cut out the useless waste of public money 
at present resulting from the distribution of documents on 
established lists. 

Inquiries and Reports of the Commission Relating to Govern- 
ment Housing. 

The problem of Government housing is not only one which involves 
a large expenditure of capital on the part of the Government in case 
it houses itself, or a large annual expense for rent, but the facility 
with which work is done is very closely related to the housing prob- 
lem. To the economic and efficient handling of work not only is it 
necessary to provide for the organization a personnel that is well 
adapted to the activities to be carried on, but also thought must be 
given to the physical location of different parts of the organization; 
the lighting, the heating, the ventilation, and the sanitary arrange- 
ments are important as conditions affecting the individual workmen. 
The subjects of inquiry and report of this character follow : 

Reports submitted, but not sent to Congress. 
Work in progress: 
1. Lighting of Government buildings.^ 

This is another feature of the Government housing problem which 
the commission has been studying. The Government is paying 
over $600,000 a year for light, on which amount it was thought at 
the time the inquiry was begun a large percentage could be saved. 
Since the inquiry was begun the principal oflSlce which has this 
matter in charge has entered actively into the work and has made 
many changes. The commission prepared and submitted to the 
President a report on electric lighting of public buildings. Because 
of the expense involved in carrying this investigation into all 
public buildings, the commission confined its work to a few build- 
ings. It is of the opinion that the subject of proper lighting of 
buildings should be given more attention than it has received in 
the past from the Treasury Department and other departments hav- 
ing control of buildings. The report does include detailed state- 
ments concerning the buildings which were examined in Chicago, 
Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Birmingham, Ma- 

^ Sent to Congress by the President after this annual report of the commission was pre- 
pared, and is submitted herewith. 



BUSINESS Methods of office of the adjutant general. 31 

con, Norfolk, aud Brooklyn. The detailed information as to the 
location of each of the lights in each of these buildings, and the 
recommendations as to changes that should be made, have been 
submitted to the Treasury Department. The commission is of the 
opinion, from the examination it has made in the buildings re- 
ferred to, that a saving of $150,000 per annum can be made when 
the subject of lighting public buildings receives proper attention. 
2. Rented buildings in the District of Columbia. 

This was undertaken as a detailed report on this one feature of the 
Government housing problem. The work, however, was suspended, 
due to reduction in staff. 

Inquiries and Reports of the Commission Relating to the Subject 

or Standardization. 

During the period of preliminary inquiry this was one of the sub- 
jects that was taken up for the purpose of determining what detail 
investigation should be undertaken. The inquiries and reports hav- 
ing to do with this subject follow ; 

Reports sent to Congress: 

1. Ti'avel expenditures. 

Transmitted to Congress with message of April 4, 1912, contained in 
House Document No. 670. In November and December, 1910, an 
analysis was made of the expenditures of the Government by 
objects, showing how much was spent for salaries and wages ; how 
much for transportation, advertising, printing, and services other 
than personal ; how much for material ; how much for supplies, 
such as stationery, fuel, forage, provisions, etc. ; how much for 
equipment, buildings, and lands. One of the purposes of this in- 
quiry was to lay the foundation for the consideration of the Gov- 
ernment's trading relations. To the end that a definite test might be 
made on one of these classes of expenditures the President ordered 
that there should be an analysis made of travel expenditures, which 
was reported to amount to approximately $12,000,000 a year. The 
report submitted by the commission was the result of this inquiry, 
and it recommends the standardization of contractual relations and 
practices relating to travel expenditures throughout the service. 
Reports submitted, but not sent to Congress. 

2. General statement of the problem of standardization. 

Contained in interim report submitted by Mr. Norton, Secretary to 
the President, January 9, 1911 ; general description of the organiza- 
tion and plan for conducting the President's inquiry into economy 
and efficiency, May 6, 1911 ; interim report and brief description of 
work in hand September 11, 1911 ; annual report of the commission 
submitted to the President October 30, 1911. 

3. Standardization of classification of expenditures by objects. 

With respect to the standardization of classification of expenditures 
by objects, the following circulars have been issued : 

(a) Circular No. 1. — Outline for the reclassification of esti- 
mates of Government expenditures on a uniform basis, issued 
October, 1910, by Mr. Norton, Secretary to the President, 

(&) Circular No. 2. — Tentative outline for the reclassifica- 
tion of estimates of Government expenditures on a uniform 



32 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

basis, with detailed classification and codification of " War 
Equipment" — guns; issued by Mr. Norton, Secretary to tbe 
President, December 2, 1910. 

(c) Circular No. 8. — Definition and classification of expendi- 
tures for services other than personal — transportation of per- 
sons — issued by Mr. Norton, Secretary to the President, March 
9, 1911. 

(d) Circular No. 9. — Definition and classification of expendi- 
tures for services other than personal — subsistence and sup- 
port of persons — submitted as a basis for the analysis of travel 
vouchers for the j-ear 1910, issued by Mr. Norton, Secretary 
to the President, March 9, 1911. 

(e) Circular No. 10. — Revised outline for the reclassification 
of objects of Government expenditures on a uniform basis. 
Submitted for the use of the several joint committees engaged 
on the subjects of standard classification, specification, cata- 
loguing, indexing, etc., issued by the commission in connection 
■with the report of the President recommending the issue of 
Treasury circular No. 36. 

(/) Circular No. 11. — Outline illustrating the use of a mod- 
ern classification of stationery, drafting, scientific, and educa- 
tional supplies, for the purpose of correlating specification 
numbers with a code for common analysis of accounts. Issued 
by the commission in relation to the uses of a code of reference 
to specifications and to price lists in catalogues in ordering 
goods and in keeping accounts. 

(g) Circular No. 12. — Catalogue and price list of supplies, in 
which is shown for illustrative purposes the classification code 
as contained in Circular No. 11, and the stock numbers as 
indicating specification of stationery supplies used by the 
Bureau of Census. 

(h) Circular No. 19. — Outlihe of classification of objects of 
Government expenditure on a uniform basis, with symbols for 
convenient reference to price lists and catalogues. Suggested 
for use in making descriptive entries in documents and records 
as a means of facilitating current work and of reducing the 
cost of analyzing accounts and of making special reports. 

This circular is the final result of the classification which is 
worked out in cooperation with the representatives of the 
various technical branches of the service, and which was used 
as a basis for the codification of the items which are contained 
in the lists of awards of the General Supply Committee for the 
fiscal years 1912 and 1913. 
4. Codification of schedules and lists of awards made by the General Sup- 
ply Committee. 
Against each of the some 9,000 items contained in the list of awards 
of the General Supply Committee is placed the classification 
numeral or index number, as shown in Circular No. 19. This was 
done for the purpose of enabling each person preparing requisi- 
tions or orders against contracts which are made by the Secretary 
of the Treasury on recommendation of the General Supply Com- 
mittee to note on their requisitions or orders the symbols indicated 
as a convenient means of classification, as well as to facilitate 
the analysis of expenditure accounts. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 33 

Wo7-k in progress. 

5. Specifications for material and supplies. 

At the present time there is no uniformity in specifications for con- 
tracts. Each branch of the service works out its own specifica- 
tions. For several months work has been in progress looking 
toward definite recommendations on this subject. The plan was 
to have the report ready hj December 1, 1912. but the work has 
been delayed on account of reduction in staff. 

6. Contracts and surety bonds. 

This is another subject on which the commission has been at work 
and in respect to which it is thought that there is very great 
need for standardization and for providing an equal or better 
security for the Government at less cost. When the work was 
begun it was contemplated that the report would be completed 
before December 1, 1&12, but the necessary reduction in staff has 
prevented it. 

7. Contract forms. 

Some work has been done in an effort to establish uniform clauses 
for all contracts, in order that the language best adapted to the 
purpose, under decisions of courts, may be used. The work has 
not been completed, for the same reason as stated above. 

8. Centralization of purchasing. 

A study is being made of the purchasing methods of all branches of 
the service in order to bring together the experience of the Govern- 
ment on the subject of purchasing. It was expected that this 
report would be completed before December 1, 1912. but it has 
been delayed for the reasons stated above. 

Inquiries and Reports of the Commission into Individu.^l Serv- 
ices, Groups of Services, and Related Work. 

Above are listed the subjects of work and reports which have to do 
with inquiries that bear on broad questions such as organization, 
personnel, etc., or which relate to methods that are common. In ad- 
dition to these there have been several inquiries having to do with 
individual services, groups of services, and related work. These 
are listed below under the several heads which have already been 
noted : 

Inquiries and Work of the Commission Relating to Navigation 

Services. 

In order that the various services of the Government which have 
to do with marine commerce might be considered in relation, several 
reports have been prepared on this general subject, as follows: 

Reports sent to Congress. 

1. Consolidation of the Lighthouse and Life-Saving Services. 

Transmitted with message of April 4, 1912, published as House 
Document No. 670. At present the Lighthouse Service is in the 
Department of Commerce and Labor and the Life-Saving Service 
72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 3 



34 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

in the Department of the Treasury. In the opinion of the 
commission, the consolidation recommended will not only largely 
increase the efficiency of the two services, but will reduce the 
cost of operation at least $100,000 a year. 

2. The transfer of the duties of the Revenue-Cutter Service to the De- 

partment of Commerce and Labor and the Navy. 
Transmitted with the message of April 4, 1912, contained in House 
Document No. 670. In this it is shown that practically all of the 
work of the Revenue-Cutter Service relates to the protection of 
persons and property at sea and the enforcement of the naviga- 
tion regulations. In the opinion of the commission this can be 
more efficiently done if the work is coordinated with the Light- 
house Service, the Life-Saving Service, and other activities which 
are directed toward the same end. It is estimated that a saving 
would be made of $1,000,000 a year and at the same time the 
efficiency would be increased. 
Reports suhmitted, J)ut not sent to Congress. 

3. Report on the consolidation of the Bureau of Navigation and the 

Steamboat-Inspection Service, Department of Commerce and 
Labor, and reorganization of the field services.' 
The recommendation of the commission which is being considered 
is to the effect that the work of the two bureaus in the Depart- 
ment of Commerce and Labor be consolidated and coordinated, 
and that the work of local inspection be administered under cus- 
toms officers, the customs officers being required to report what- 
ever information is desired by the Department of Commerce and 
Labor and to be subject to inspection so far as relates to the 
regulation of navigation. 

4. Bureau of Manufactures and Bureau of Statistics of the Department 

of Commerce and Labor, and the Bureau of Trade Relations of 
the Department of State. 

Inquiries and Woek of the Commission Eelating to Health 

Service. 

To the end that all of the work of the Government which has to 
do with the promotion of public health might be seen in perspective 
and considered as related groups, inquiry has bp^'i mnde and reports 
:^«''bmitted on this subject as follows: 

Reports su'bmitted, hut not sent to Congress. 

1. The establishment of an independent health service.^ 

Recommending that the Public Health and Marine- Hospital Service 
of the Treasury Department, the divisions having to do with the 
protection of public health in the Bureau of Chemistry of the 
Department of Agriculture, the Division of Vital Statistics of the 
Bureau of Census in the Department of Commerce and Labor, 
and such other services as have to do purely with public-health 
* work, be transferred to an independent health service at the 

head of which would be a director responsible to the President 
and that the President be given the power to transfer from time 
to time, as he may deem desirable, other divisions of the service 

1 Sent to Congress by the President after this annual report of the commission was pre- 
pared, and is submitted herewith. 



BUSIIsrESS METHODS OF OFFICE OP THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 35- 

whicli have to do primarily with the promotion and protection of 
public health after the manner in which the Department of Com- 
merce and Labor was created under act of Congress. 
Work, in progress. 

2. The recommendations of the commission on the subject of the estab- 
lishment of a health service for the Government will be found in 
the report on the organization of the executive branch above de- 
scribed under the general title organization. 

Inquiries and Work or the Commission Eelating to Statistical 

Service. 

The question of the organization for the handling of the statistical 
service of the Government has been inquired into by the commission 
at some length. The reports on this subject are as follows : 

Reports submitted, but not sent to Congress. 

1. Eeport on the work of the Census Bureau. 

This has been partly done. The report rendei'ed rekites jn-imarily 
to the general business problem of the bureau, but does not toke up 
the technique of statistical work. 

2. The conclusions of the commission in relation to the statistical service 

will be found in the report on the organization of the executive 
branch of the Government above described under organization. 

Inquiries and Work of the Commission Relating to Cartographic 
AND Survey Services. 

The cartographic and survey work is being done at the present 
time in a large number of places. It is thought desirable to have 
definite recommendations made on the subject. The reports made 
and the work done have been as follows : 

Reports submitted, but not sent to Congress. 

1. Report on the controversy between the Hydrographic Office of the 

Department of the Navy and the Weather Bureau in the Depart- 
ment of Agriculture. 
Recommending that the duplication of work in the publication of 
charts of the ocean be discontinued, with an nnnual estimated 
saving of .$10,000 per annum. 
Work in progress. 

2. The recommend;! tious of the commission having to do with the subject 

of surveys conducted by the Government will be found in the report 
oa the organization of the executive branch above described under 
the head of crg-anization. 

Inquiries and Work of the Commission Relating to Central 
Accounting and Auditing Services. 

At the present time the only central accounting and auditing serv- 
ice which is provided by the Government is in the Department of 



36 REPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

the Treasury. This, however, is wholly inadequate for administra- 
tive purposes. The reports and inquiries of the commission follow : 

Reports sejit to Congress. 

1. Consolidatiou of tlie six auditors' offices iuto one office. 

Transmitted with message of April 4, 1912. and included in House 
Document No. 670. In the opinion of the commission the consoli- 
datiou would not only increase efficiency by enabling practices to 
be standardized and made uniform, but it would enable the officer 
in charge to exercise more effective control at a reduced cost of 
not less than $100,000 per annum. 

2. Abolition of the Returns Office of the Department of the Interior. 

Transmitted with the message of April 4, 1912, and included in 
House Document No. 670. In the opinion of the commission this 
office can be abolished without in any manner impairing the 
service; that the result would be a direct saving of $25,000 a 
year and an indirect saving of a much larger amount represented 
by the time of officers and clerks who are required to do unneces- 
■' sary work, but which does not appear as a part of the cost of 

organization of the Returns Office. 
Work in progress. 

3. Description of the auditing methods and procedure under the several 

accounting officers of the Department of the Treasury. 

4. Detailed description with recommendations with respect to the central 

accounting and reporting for the Government. 

5. The conclusions of the commission in relation to the organization 

and functions of the office which maj^ be adequate to supply the 
needs of the President and his Cabinet, as well as Congress, with 
information about what the Government is doing by providing for an 
efficient method of administrative direction and control, is dis- 
cussed in the report of the commission on the organization of the 
executive branch of the Government above described. 

Conclusion. 

The completion of the descriptive and critical work upon which 
the commission has been engaged depends upon the funds which are 
available and the staff which may be employed. The constructive 
work, however, should be looked upon as without end. The work 
of adaptation of organization, methods, and technique should be 
carried on continuously by some a.gencj. 

The inquiries of the commission into business methods so far have 
been confined almost exclusively to offices in the executive depart- 
ments and establishments at the seat of government. The policy of 
the commission has been, first, to take up each office or process de- 
scriptively for the purpose of obtaining a statement of facts which 
would not be controverted. After such a statement has been verified 
by the officer in charge of the work, the critical reports and construc- 
tive recommendations with such official action as is thought to be 
desirable follow. Thus in many offices constructive work has been 
going on, but there are still many others, the methods of which have 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 37 

not been inquired into. At best it will require some time before the 
Washington work can be completed. 

To the present time the conditions under which this inquiry has 
been conducted and the meagerness of funds available have not made 
it possible to take up the more important work for which the com- 
mission was created. Reference is made to the methods of doing 
lousiness in all of the field services outside of Washington. The 
scope of the investigation is so broad and the undertakings of the 
Government are so widely scattered, complex, and highly technical 
in character that it was deemed expedient to begin at Washington. 
The commission is convinced, however, that the largest results will 
be obtained only after the investigation, under the direction of the 
President, is carried into the field. The fact that the services at 
Washington have been under the constant scrutiny of Congress as 
well as of executive heads, the fact that field forces are widely scat- 
tered and in many instances without close supervision, the fact that 
many of these services are under political appointees, which gives 
to them a certain independence and freedom from discipline, the 
fact that many of the field stations have been created as the result 
of local pressure, the fact that other agencies have been created as a 
result of lack of coordination and cooperation between departments, 
together with the further fact that in so far as information has been 
obtained about these services in investigations that have been made, 
suggests that the largest opportunity for economy lies outside of the 
central offices. To do this larger work the commission has never 
been adequately provided with funds. 

While the work that has been undertaken during the past two years, 
under the direction of the President and by reason of the authority 
granted by the appropriation, has been of very great value, not only 
in results obtained through orders carrying out the recommendations 
of the commission, but also in the stimulation of officers and employ- 
ees generally in response to the efforts of the President to improve 
conditions, only a beginning has been made. On January 17, 1912, 
the President requested an appropriation of $250,000 in order that 
the work which had been begun might be carried on more effectively. 
Only $75,000, however, was provided. An opportunity is now before 
the President to do effective constructive work if adequate funds are 
made available. 

Whether the present commission is continued or other agencies are 
made use of, it is believed that in the future the President should have 
an adequate appropriation for supervising and improving the meth- 
ods of doing the Government's work in all of its branches. Only in 
this way, and so far as the President may give personal attention to 
general direction of such an inquiry, can the best results be obtained. 
The problem of central executive control is distinctly a permanent 



38 REPOETS OF COMMISSIOISr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

■one. Without some provision being made for the development of 
expertness in the exercise of central executive control, in requiring 
uniform methods, in harmonizing relations between departments, in 
giving jDrompt attention to questions of administration which involve 
relations of econoni}'^ and efficiency, the public business must con- 
tinue to be done at a very high cost. It is only through an agency 
by means of which central executive control may be effectively exer- 
cised that duplication of work and conflicts in jurisdiction can be 
avoided; it is only when information may be regularly produced 
and brought to the attention of the President through an agency that 
cooperation can be developed in the many branches of the service 
and the experience of one department can be made available to others. 

The commission is of the opinion that the President should be 
authorized to spend whatever amount he may deem to be necessary 
within the next two years in order to complete the descriptive and 
critical work wkich is absolutely necessary to the exercise of judg- 
ment in making the changes which should be made so that the busi- 
ness of the Government may be conducted efficiently and economically. 
It is also of the opinion that provision should be made for the 
building up of a permanent organization for the purpose of carrying 
on the constructive work. One of the elements of saving is time. The 
Government in its- various working relations is so large, its business 
problem is so complex, its technique is so diverse in its details, that 
the effect of placing a limitation on the efforts of the President to 
act wisely and promptly in matters of revision must in the end cost 
many times more than the cost which would be incurred if the ques- 
tion of organization and the amount of the cost incurred for bring- 
ing about such a result were left entirely to the discretion of the 
President. 

Moreover, the conditions of authority should be such as to enable 
the President to make plans for a longer period than a single year, 
if this may be found desirable. To get together a staff of experts to 
do this kind of work is a difficult matter in itself. It can not be done 
except without weeks or months of painstaking effort. If, after 
such a staff is brought together, no plan can be made which can not 
be executed within a few months, the organization must necessarily 
labor under a serious handicap — one which defeats the very purpose 
for which the grant is made. For this reason it is recommended that 
such funds as may be granted for the future be made .available to 
the President for a period of two years. 

Respectfully submitted. 

Frederick A. Cleveland, 
Walter W. Warwick, 
Merritt O. Chance, 

Commissioners. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF THE OFFICE 

OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL 

WAR DEPARTMENT 



39 



BUSINESS METHODS OF THE OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT 
GENERAL, WAR DEPARTMENT. 



Washington, November 25^ 1912. 
The Commission on Economy and Efficiency submits this report 
on "Business methods in the Office of The Adjutant General, War 
Department," with recommendations for improvements in conditions 
and methods, which are referred to in a general way in the intro- 
ductory part (Section I) of this report. A general statement of the 
functions and organization of the office is given in Section II, and 
the recommendations are fuU}^ discussed in Section III with respect 
to general conditions and effects and in Section IV with respect to 
conditions and effects in each division of the office. Appendices 
I and II contain detailed statements of present conditions and 
methods, and Appendix III a brief on the use of the carbon copy. 

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS. 

The following is a summary of the more important recommenda- 
tions : 

1. With respect to the orgaiuzation of the office, the commission recommends: 
(a) That the present Administration, Orders, and Distribution Divisions 

be consolidated as the Administration Division. 
(6) That the present Division of Appointment, Commission, and Per- 
sonnel, Returns Division, and Military Academy Division, the 
efficiency section of the Miscellaneous Division, and a part of the 
Medical Division be consolidated as a division to be known as the 
Officers' Division. 

(c) That the Enlisted Men's, Recruiting, and Rolls Divisions, the identity 

section of the Tenth Street branch, a part of the Medical Division, 
and a part of the Correspondence and Examining Division be 
consolidated under the name Enlisted Men's Division. 

(d) That the Miscellaneous and Correspondence and Examining Divi- 

sions be consolidated as a division to be known as the Corre- 
spondence Division. 

(e) That the Regimental Records Division and parts of the Medical 

Division and Tenth Street branch be consolidated into a division 
to be known as the Regimental Records Division. 

(/) That the Archives Division, and parts of the Medical Division, pub- 
lication branch, and Seventeenth Street branch, be consolidated 
into a division to be known as the Archives Division. 

(g) That the carding sections of the Tenth Street branch be organized 
into a division to be known as the Carding Division. 

41 



42 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

2. With respect to the methods of handling and filing correspondence, the com- 
mission recommends : 
(a) That the present system of folding correspondence and filing in 

document files be discontinued, and flat filing substituted. 
(6) That briefing be discontinued. 

(c) That " impersonal " correspondence be filed under a subjective 
classification, arranged as nearly as possible upon a self-indexing 
basis ; and instead of arbitrary file numbers that a logical arrange- 
ment of numbers under a decimal or analogous system be em- 
ployed. 
{d) That "personnel" correspondence be filed alphabetically without 

enumeration or index, 
(e) That the writing of record cards be discontinued. 
(/) That the indexing of correspondence requesting statements of mili- 
tary service be discontinued. 
ig) That press copying be discontinued and carbon copies be used in lieu 

thereof. 
(7i) That the present practice of preparing a first draft of each out- 
going communication on 3-J by S inch record cards, and after ap- 
proval of the draft writing a second and final draft for signature, 
be discontinued, and that hereafter the correspondence be prepared 
on sheets 8 by 101 inches, ready for signature, with sufiicient car- 
bon copies for record purposes. 
(i) That printed forms be used in the preparation of communications in 

which the same language is repeatedly employed. 
U) That the forms used in conducting correspondence within The Ad- 
jutant General's Office be revised, so as to provide for placing 
thereon the working data collected in connection with the prepara- 
tion of military service and other statements. 
(fc) That a code of symbols be used for the greater part of the corre-. 
spondence between the divisions of The Adjutant General's Of- 
fice in connection with the collection and preparation of data rela- 
tive to statements of military service. 
{I) That the phonograph be used for preparing correspondence, 
(m) That the present review made by the examining section of the Mail 
and Record Division of al] "statements of service" be discon- 
tinued. 
{n) That the name of The Adjutant General be affixed to " statements 
of service " by means of a rubber stamp. 
3. With respect to the preparation and dispatch of telegrams and cablegrams, 
the commission recommends : 
(a) That proper office regulations be adopted to prevent unnecessary 
words being inserted in telegrams; to prevent sending of several 
telegrams to an officer in a day where a consolidated telegram 
would suffice; to prevent sending telegrams at day rates which 
could be sent at night rates without interfering with the conduct 
of business; and to prevent the sending of telegrams in English 
which should be sent in cipher. 
(&) That the sending of cablegrams in English to officers having access 
to War Department codes be discontinued. 

(c) That a method of enciphering cablegrams be adopted which will per- 

mit of the consolidation of two code words as one artificial word. 

(d) That the book records of cablegrams sent and received be discon- 

tinued and that additional carbon copies of the cablegrams be sub- 
stituted for the book records. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OPEICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 43 

4. WitJi respect to circularising deserters from the Army, the commission recom- 

mends : 

That the preparation and distribution of circulars descriptive of de- 
serters be discontinued and that a printed form be adopted for use 
in giving a personal description of deserters to the small number of 
persons who are concerned. 

5. With respect to filing military records, the commission recommends : 

(a) That the files of military and medical record cards for Volunteer 
troops in the Civil War be consolidated. 

6. With respect to classes of loorh to he discontinued, the commission recom- 

mends : 

(a) That all printing work be discontinued and that The Adjutant Gen- 
eral's Office arrange for its printing to be done at the Government 
Printing Office. 

(&) That the work of binding be discontinued and arrangements made 
for this work to be done at the Government Printing Office. 

(c) That the manufacture of index cards and of mail jackets be discon- 
tinued and that arrangements be made for this work to be done 
at the Government Printing Office. 

{d) That all carpenter work be discontinued and that new equipment be 
purchased and that repairs be made by the War Department car- 
penter shop. 

(e) That preparation of a new edition of an index to General Orders 
for the period 1S61 to 1880 be discontinued. 

(/) That the question of completing the reports on the organization and 
casualties of the Union and Confederate Armies be referred to the 
Secretary of War for his decision. 

7. With respect to office quarters, the commission recommends: 

(o) That the files of old military records and the divisions having the 
custody thereof be transferred from the State, War, and Navy 
Building to a suitable file building to be rented for this purpose. 

(6) That the identity section be transferred to the State, War, and Navy 
Building. 

(c) That the files of old military records in the Tenth Street branch, 
Army Medical Museum, and Seventeenth Street branch be trans- 
ferred to the new file building. 

{d) That the space now occupied in the State, War, and Navy Building 
by old files be utilized for those offices and bureaus of the War and 
Navy Departments now located in other buildings which properly 
belong in the State, War, and Navy Building. 

(e) That the buildings now occupied by the Tenth Street branch, Seven- 
teenth Street branch, and publication branch be vacated. 

8. With respect to the detail of employees, the commission recommends: 

That the provision of law prohibiting the detail of employees of The 
Adjutant General's Office to other offices or bureaus of the War 
Department be repealed. 

SUMMARY OF SAVINGS. 

The adoption of the recommendations made by the commission will 
effect large savings in the amounts expended for The Adjutant Gen- 
eral's Office. 



44 



REPORTS OF COMMISSIOlSr OX ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 



When computed on the basis of expenditures during the latter part 
of the fiscal year 1912 and the first part of 1913, the estimated sav- 
ings are as follows: 

1. Salaries 1 $278,550 

2. Stationery 9,300 

3. Priuting (net) 13.400 

4. Telegrams and cablegrams 5,325 

5. Half tones for descriptive circulars 2, 500 

6. Photographic supplies fov circulars 15,000 

Total 1 - 324, 075 

The estimated saving in printing represents the net decrease, after 
taking into consideration the saving to be effected by reducing the 
quantity of printing and the effect of abolishing the printing section 
in The Adjutant General's Office. 

The savings in salaries effected in each division are shown in the 
following table : 

Savings in salary cost shown by divisions of the ofjice. 



Present force. I Proposed force. 



Divisions. 



Clerical force. 

Afl Tn1n ist.ra.tinn , 

Publication 

Distribution 

Orders 

Mail and Record 

Correspondence and Examining 

Miscellaneous 

Enlisted Men's 

Recruiting 

Rolls 

Appointment, Commission, and Per- 
sonnel 

Military Academy 

Returns 

Medical , 

Regimental Records 

Archives 

Tenth Street 

Seventeenth Street 

Chiefs of new divisions (not included 
above) 



Total clerical force.. 

Subclerical force. 

Administration 



Number. Salaries 



Total clerical and subclerical force. . . 



11 
16 

7 
8 
105 
46 
23 
10 
11 
52 

13 
4 
13 
23 
26 
19 
124 
4 



$19, 
22, 
10, 
10, 

136, 
65, 
29, 
14, 
15, 
65, 

19, 
5, 
17, 
33, 
36, 
27, 
153, 



400 
800 
000 
400 
000 
200 
400 
400 
800 
600 

200 
800 
000 
400 
600 
800 
000 
000 



Number. Salaries. 



686,800 
71,770 



613 758,570 



$19,900 

8,800 

10, 000 

7,600 

47, 400 

43,000 

14,600 

10,000 

9,000 

32, 800 

14,000 

1,600 

10,800 

23,400 

35,200 

24,400 

118,800 

2,200 

6,000 



Reduction. 



Number. Salaries 



25 439,500 



40,520 



480,020 



190 



43 



i$500 
14,000 



2,800 
88,600 
22,200 
14,800 
4,400 
6,800 
32,800 

5,200 
4,200 
6,200 

10,000 
1,400 
3,400 

34,200 
2,800 

16,000 



247,300 



31,250 



278, 550 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEKAL. 45 
REDUCTION IN APPROPRIATIONS. 

The amounts appropriated for The Adjutant General's Office for 
the fiscal year 1913 may be reduced by a greater amount than the 
savings shown in the preceding summary, because of the fact that 
a part of the appropriation for salaries has not been expended. The 
reductions in appropriations effected by the proposed changes may 
be summarized as follows: 

1. Legislative, executive, and judicial bill : 

(a) Salaries, War Department, Ttie Adjutant Gen- 

eral's Office — 

Amount appropriated, fiscal year 1913 , $781,950 

Amount recommended by commission 480, 020 

Estimated reduction 1 301,930 

(b) Contingent expenses of tbe War Department, for 

stationery — 

Estimated reduction ^ 9, 300 

$311, 230 

2. Sundry civil bill : 

(a) Public printing and binding for the War De- 
partment — 

Estimated reduction 13,400 

3. Army bill: 

(a) Quartermaster's Department, incidental ex- 
penses — 

(1) Estimated reduction in cost of telegrams 

and cablegrams 5, 325 

(2) Estimated reduction in cost of appre- 

hension of deserters (saving in cost 

of halftones for circulars) 2,500 

7, 825 

(fc) Medical Department — 

Estimated reduction in cost of photographic 

supplies 15, 000 

22, 82.1 

Total estimated reduction in appropriations 347, 455 

The estimated reductions in salaries are shown in detail in the 
table following. 



46 



BBPOETS OF COMMISSION" ON ECON"OMY ANTD EFFICIENCY. 



Amounts appropriated, expended, and recommended for salaries, together with 
proposed reduction in appropriation for salaries. 



Classes of employees. 


Present appro- 
priation. 


Present force. 


Proposed force. 


Reduction in 
present appro- 
priation. 




No. 


Salaries. 


No. 


Salaries. 


No. 


Salaries. 


No. 


Salaries. 


Clerical force. 
Chief clerk 


1 
10 

48 

64 

94 

232 

88 


$2,000 
20,000 
86,400 
102,400 
131,600 
278,400 
88,000 


1 
10 
48 
64 
94 
232 
66 


$2,000 
20,000 
86,400 
102,400 
131,600 
278,400 
66,000 


1 
7 
24 
47 
80 
133 
33 


$2,500 
14,000 
43,200 
75,200 
112,000 
159,600 
33,000 


3 

24 
17 
14 
99 
55 


i$500 




6,000 


Class 4 


43, 200 


Class 3 


27,200 


Class 2 


19,600 


Class 1 


118,800 


Class $1 000 


55, 000 






Total clerical force 


537 


708,800 


515 


686,800 


325 


439,500 


212 


269,300 


Subclerical force. 


10 

58 
1 
1 
1 
1 
2 
8 

18 


8,400 

41,760 

360 

1,000 

1,650 

900 

1,440 

5,760 

11,880 


10 

57 

2 
8 
17 


8,400 

41,040 

360 

1,000 

1,650 

900 

1,440 

5,760 

11,220 


8 
28 

1 


6,720 

20, 160 

360 


2 
30 


1,680 


Assistant messengers 


21,600 




1 


1,000 


Engineer and superintendent. 


1 
1 
2 
5 
9 


1,400 
900 
1,440 
3,600 
5,940 


250 










3 
9 


2,160 




5,940 




Total subclerical force. . 


100 


73, 150 


98 


71,770 


55 


40,520 


45 


32,630 


Grand total 


637 


781,950 


613 


758,570 


380 


480,020 


257 


301,930 





1 Increase. 



SECTION I. 

Introductory. 

scope of investigation. 

The commission's investigation of the business methods of the 
office of The Adjutant General was instituted upon the request of 
the Secretary of War to look into the question of the cost of handling 
and filing correspondence in that office. The scope of the investiga- 
tion was later enlarged to include the following subjects. 

1. Organization of the office. 

2. Present methods of handling and filing correspondence. 

3. The mail messenger service. 

4. Comparison of present and proposed methods of handling 
correspondence. 

5. Present methods of handling the telegTaphic business of the 
office. 

6. Methods of preparation and distribution of circulars descrip- 
tive of deserters. 

7. Methods of filing old military records and furnishing informa- 
tion therefrom. 

8.. Methods of administrative control. 

9. Classes of unnecessary work. 

10. Office quarters, including location, floor space occupied, fire 
risks, electric wiring, general sanitary conditions, plumbing, and 
lighting. 

GENERAL CRITICISMS OF EXISTING ORGANIZATION, METHODS, AND CLASSES 

OF WORK. 

In this introductory section some general criticisms are made of 
those conditions and methods which stand out saliently as bearing 
on the question of possible improvements in the conduct of the busi- 
ness of the office. 

ORGANIZATION. 

A condition which has contributed to the high cost of handling 
the business of the office is found in the elaborate divisional organi- 
zation. 

47 



48 



BEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 



There are 18 separate divisions, some of which have an operative 
force of only from 3 to 11 employees. Under the commission's 
recommendations this number of divisions will be reduced to eight. 



ADMINISTRATION 



PUBLICA- [proof reading 
TION 



OLDMILITARYRECOR 



DISTRIBUTION 



ORDERS 



MAIL ^^. RECORD 



CORRtS. 

AND 

EXAMINING 



MISCEL- 
LANEOUS 



BE- ENL15TEDMEN 



re:- officers 



RE-REtULAR-VVOUJWTEtR TROOPS 



MI5CELtANE0US 



EFnClENCY RECORDS 



MISCELLANEOUS 



ENLISTED MEN'S 



RECRUITING 



ROLLS 



APR COM %PER5. 



MILITARY ACADEMY 



RETURNS 



MEDICAL 



REGIMENTAL- RECORDS 



ARCHIVES 



TFWTM "' ENl-i57E.D MEW 

'^^1^" ' MIUTAW RECORD CftR05 



)riTA??Y RHCOPDS 



SEVENTEENTH 5T. 




ADMINISTRATION 



MAIL ^^^ RE CORD 



CORRE5PON0[NC[ 



ENLISTED MEN'S 



OEFICERS 



REGIMENTAL RECORD 



ARCHIVES 



CARDING 



The chart herewith shows the present divisional organization, with 
the sections of work within the present divisions which are trans- 
ferred to and distributed among the eight proposed divisions. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 49 
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF METHODS. 

The Adjutant General's Office is the largest bureau of the War 
Department, its official and clerical force comprising 5 military 
officers and 637 civilian employees, or approximately one-half of the 
personnel of the War Department. Its principal functions are the 
custody of records relating to all persons now serving or who have 
served in the Army, and communicating to the Army all instruc- 
tions issued by the Secretary of War through the Chief of Staff. In 
the exercise of these functions the office receives and dispatches a 
very large number of communications and reports, so that the han- 
dling of correspondence and maintenance of personnel records com- 
prise its main activities. These records (consisting of muster rolls, 
hospital records, enlistment contracts, and regimental returns), 
form the evidential foundation of the country's pension system, and 
their systematic preservation is a matter of the highest importance. 

THE PERSONNEL RECORDS. 

About a quarter of a century ago such was the confusion and delay 
in securing pensions, due to the fact that the information upon which 
to base pension claims was scattered through records of all classes, 
that the need of some systematic arrangement of military service 
records became imperative. A system of carding the information was 
devised, with the result that, instead of pensions being delayed many 
•months awaiting laborious search through musty rolls and other 
crumbling records, the requisite data are now found in a few days, 
and prompt action on pension claims may be taken. The excellent 
results obtained from condensing upon cards the information origi- 
nally entered in books is one of the praiseworthy accomplishments 
of the office Avhile under the direction and control of Maj. Gen. F. G. 
Ains worth. 

THE CORRESPONDENCE RECORDS. 

At the same time a new system of handling and filing the current 
correspondence of the office was installed. This system in brief is as 
follows : 

Substantially all letters received in the office are briefed on the 
back of the first fold, and the purport of each written on index and 
record cards, on which work nearly 50 clerks are engaged all of their 
time. 

In respect of outgoing correspondence this card recording is car- 
ried to a much greater extent. A verbatim card record is prepared 
of every communication, at an expense, of course, very much greater 
than that sustained in regard to incoming correspondence. Under 
this practice substantially all outgoing letters and indorsements are 
724.34°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 4 



50 3:iEP0RTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Avritten twice; the first copy, written on the record card, frequently 
by hand, constituting the record of outgoing correspondence, and the 
second the final draft of the letter in form for transmission to the 
addressee, 

CONCLUSIONS VN'ITH RESPECT TO HANDLING AND FILING CORRESPONDENCE. 

After careful detail inquiry the commission has been led to the 
conclusion that in the office of The Adjutant General there has been 
an insistent attachment to this elaborate method of carding and cross 
referencing the great volume of current correspondence handled by 
the office, which has stood in the way of the introduction of improved 
office practice which has been so marked in recent years in private 
corporations, and to a lesser degree in a number of the other offices 
of the Government; that the devolpment of new methods has been 
resisted at every point; that there has been a slavish adherence to 
the record-card system and to precedents established in previous 
years under conditions entirely different from those existing at the 
present time; that as a result there has been built up in this office 
one of the most elaborate and expensive plants for doing some very 
simple things that has been found anywhere in the Government serv- 
ice ; that improvements in methods which have come into general use 
have been ignored; that The Adjutant General's Office is some 25 
years behind the times. 

With a system obsolete in every detail and grossly expensive the 
office has remained in an attitude of resistance to change, and as a 
result has each year become more conspicuous by contrast with other 
offices which were being managed with economy and efficiency. The 
returns made to the commission in answer to its inquiries sent out 
to each division in which correspondence was handled and filed 
showed that the cost was very high. Subsequent detail study of the 
present system has led the commission to the conclusions above ex- 
pressed, viz, that it is the most elaborate one in the entire Govern- 
ment; that more money is spent on routine processes in connection 
with a single piece of correspondence than in any other office which 
transacts business on a scale approaching that of The Adjutant Gen- 
eral's Office. 

There is no disputing the claim made that the correspondence of 
The Adjutant General's Office is handled with dispatch and accuracy. 
This, however, is not due to the merit of the system; this desirable 
result has been obtained in spite of it. If enough men are employed 
to keep it up, an elaborate system frequently may obtain just as 
prompt and accurate results as a more economical and efficient one. 
In the office of The Adjutant General there has been no lack of 
clerks and other employees to brief, record, and index the corrc- 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 51 

spondence. Without taking into account the vast amount of sta- 
tionery and other like supplies consumed, this point may be illus- 
trated by reference to the fact that for every one clerk employed on 
this work throughout the rest of the Government, a ratio of seven 
is engaged in the office of The Adjutant General. That is, accuracy 
and promptness have been obtained by use of the present system, 
but at a cost many times greater than in other offices where accuracy 
and promptness obtain. This comparison is based on an average of 
all the other offices and includes many of those Avhich still have 
obsolete systems to cope with. Taking the average of one civil de- 
partment in which much progress has been made in the introduction 
of up-to-date office methods, the comparison appears much more un- 
favorable to The Adjutant General's Office. In fact in this depart- 
ment, where one person is employed in that amount of recording and 
indexing which is considered sufficient for a given number of incom- 
ing communications, in The Adjutant General's Office, such is the ex- 
tent to which recording and indexing have been carried and the 
elaboration of the record, that it requires a ratio of 120 persons to do 
the recording deemed necessary to cover the same number of incoming 
communications. This only goes to show that in the offices of the 
department referred to, where a careful study has been made with 
the view of eliminating unnecessary work, it has been found possible 
to do away with a very large part of the recording and indexing of 
correspondence and to obtain the same result through proper classi- 
fication and the adoption of improved methods of filing. 

The following chart shows the salary expense of the Mail and 
Record Division under the present system of handling and filing 
correspondence as compared with the expense which would be sus- 
tained upon the adoption of the commission's recommendations. 

Looking for the reasons for the very great difference in cost, not 
only of recording and filing the correspondence, but in connection 
with passing correspondence through the routine processes incident 
to the preparation of replies, it is found to have been a cardinal rule 
in the office of The Adjutant General to handle only one case at a 
time. This rule has been responsible for a great deal of waste time 
in the use of the clerical staff of the office. Although no evidence 
was found of a desire to " soldier " on the part of correspondence 
clerks and others in the office the enforcement of the one-case-at-a- 
time rule compels clerks to spend much time waiting for work to 
come into their hands. 

A further reason for high cost is found in another rule which 
requires the time of every step taken in connection with a case to be 
written down on the record card, whether by officers, clerks, or others. 
When this rule was put into force it was expected that it would show 
the operations so clearly it would be apparent where improvements 



52 



REPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 



could be made, and that in the future various steps which liacl been 
taken in the past could be cut off, and the work thus expedited. As 
stated in a report 24 years ago, this was the object of the committee 
Avhich recommended the time system. But instead of treating the 
results as a time study it was grafted on as a permanent part of the 



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system, thereby markedly increasing the cost of operation. The 
metl^od is justified by the office as a means of locating responsibility 
for errors. Whenever an error is detected in connection with any 
piece of work, the clerk to whom it appears from the record the error 
should be charged is called upon to make a written statement, giving 



BUSINESS METHODS OP OFEICE OF THE ADJUTANT C4ENERAL. 53 

"(a) the cause of the apparent error, or, if the cause it not knoAvn, 
(b) the probable cause, or (c) a theory as to the cause "; also " to sug- 
gest a remedy for, or guard against, or means of prevention of this 
kind of error." The result has been to add to an already elaborate^ 
system a maze of safeguards against almost every contingency which 
the most ingenious and imaginative mind could conceive as being 
remotely possible. 

Forms are rarely employed, although there are hundreds of in- 
stances where their introduction would effect a material saving in 
clerical work. The rule seems to be to write a carefully prepared 
letter in every case regardless of the importance of the subject matter. 

At every point the staff of the commission has been struck with 
the large amount of paper Avork in the form of reports and returns, 
which are recjuired of each military organization. In addition to 
this — and such practice imposes more work of a nonmilitary nature 
on the men in the field than anything else — are the highly technical 
and frequently captious criticisms made of reports received at the 
department. A distinction does not seem to have been made between 
minor errors, which have no adverse effect upon the general efficiency 
of the Army and its offices and which impair no rights of individuals, 
and those that are of fundamental importance. 

It is admitted that the paper work required by the system would 
break down in time of war; in fact we have been informed this is 
what happened in two or more divisions during the Spanish-Ameri- 
can War, as it was found impossible with all the help provided to 
keep up with the Avork. 

Practically all correspondence and documents which are received 
in the office are preserved indefinitely, with the result that after a 
few 3'ears a considerable portion of the matter filed has no value, 
either historical or otherwise, and only serves to encumber the files 
and retard the process of consulting papers. 

It is the folded-filing and record-card system, Avith its necessary 
accompaniments, such as briefing, preparing two drafts of each com- 
munication, and pl-ess copying, Avhich is the primary cause of the 
large expense sustained in The Adjutant General's Office for 
handling correspondence. The main improvement to be secured in 
changing the business methods of this office rests therefore in that 
subject. The adoption of the commission's recommendations for 
improved methods of handling and filing correspondence will be 
directly or indirectly responsible for at least $250,000 of the total 
prospective saving of $324,000 per annum. 

The magnitude of the saving to be secured by better methods 
brought forcibly to the attention of the commission that practical 
illustrations of modern filing systems as conducted in some of the 
largest corporations of the country Avould be of far greater benefit 



54 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

in aiding the office to arrive at a conclusion as to what system would 
be suitable to its needs than verbal discussion of the subject or ex- 
change of lengthy memoranda. It was therefore suggested to the 
Secretary of War that several representatives of the different bureaus 
of the War Department accompany a member of the staff of the 
commission to New York and other cities for the purpose of study- 
ing modern methods of handling correspondence. Agreeably to that 
suggestion the Secretary directed several officers and employees of 
the department, among them the chief of the Mail and Record 
Division of The Adjutant General's Office, to make such study. 
Their concltisions are set forth in a brief memorandum submitted to 
the Acting Secretary of War, a copy of which was sent to the com- 
mission with the following letter : 

War Depastment, ' 

WasJiington, November 19, 1912. 
The Ohaieman, The President's" Commissiox on Economy and Efficiency. 
The White House. 
Dear Sir : In response to letter from the secretarj- to couimissiou. dated the 
1st instant, suggesting that representatives of the Vv\nr Department be directed 
to malve an inspection of the methods of classifying and filing correspondence iu 
certain corporations, I now have the honoi to inclose, for your information, a 
copy of the report which has been made to me by the employees of this depart- 
ment who were designated for this duty. 

Very respectfully, Robert Shaw Oliver. 

Acting Secretary of War. 
(1 inclosure — copy of report.) 

The memorandum referred to reads as follows : 

November 15, 1912. 
The Acting Secretary of War. 

Sir: On November 6, 7, S, and 9, 1912, by your direction and authority, we 
visited Jersey City, New York, and Brooklyn, and Messrs. Carmick and Davis 
visited Boston for the purpose of observing methods followed in the handling 
and filing of correspondence in large railroad and commercial enterprises in 
those cities, with the particular view of arriving at a conclusion as to the prac- 
ticability of applying the general principles set forth in Circular No. 21 of the 
President's Commission on Economy and EflBciency to the correspondence 
methods of the War Department. Mr. Wilson E. Wilmot, of the President's 
Commission on Economy and Efficiency, accompanied us. 

One or more of the undersigned visited the following concerns: 

At Jersey City, N. J. : New York Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. 

At New York : Butterick Publishing Co. ; Manhattan Electric Supply Co. ; 
William B. Bondbright & Co. 

At Brooklyn : The Edison Electric Illuminating Co. 

At Boston : The New England Telephone & Telegraph Co. 

In every one of the above concerns the correspondence is filed flat. Cor- 
respondence in relation to individuals was found to be filed alphabetically and 
that in relation to impersonal subjects subjectively, but in some cases a sub- 
sidiary index was kept on small index cards, although no book record of incom- 
ing or outgoing correspondence was maintained. The satisfactory operation of 
these systems on a large scnle has brought us to the conclusion that the cor- 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 55 

respondence of the War Department is susceptible of being filed flat ; that such 
filing will result in material economies; that correspondence in regard to in- 
dividuals can be filed alphabetically without a subsidiary index ; and that cor- 
respondence on impersonal subjects can be logically arranged in the files, with 
the reduction of indexing to that necessary for the purpose of cross reference 
only. 

We were particularly impressed with the absence of a record card or other 
record of either incoming or outgoing correspondence, although it api>eared that 
in most of the concerns visited a record of some sort had previously been kept, 
but with logical aiTangement of communications in the files it had been found 
practicable to do away with such records. It appeared to us, therefore, from 
our studies of the systems in the ofBces visited that the recording of correspond- 
ence in the War Department can be materially reduced and in some oflices 
almost eliminated by the use of a flat filing system, with modification to meet 
the requirements of different bureaus. 
Eespectfully submitted. 

Robert E. Parkee. 

Herbert L. Davis. 

Thos. G. Caemick. 

W. D. Searle. 

F. L. Brigham. 

It seems, therefore, that the commission has received full confirma- 
tion of its position in regard to the adaptability to the business of 
The Adjutant General's Office of the principles set forth in this report 
in regard to handling and filing correspondence. It may be appro- 
priate to add here that the principles advocated are simply a repeti- 
tion or extension of the conclusions reached bj^ the commission in 
February, 1912, and set forth in Circular No. 21. 

METHOD OF CONDUCTING TELEGRAPH BUSINESS. 

Telegi-ams and cablegrams are being prepared and dispatched with 
little or no regard for cost. No attempt has been made to take 
advantage of night rates or to arrange for the consolidation into one 
message of several telegrams to be sent to a single officer in the course 
of a day's business, or to omit unnecessary words from the messages. 
In the work of coding cablegrams no advantage has been taken of 
the economical method of enciphering used in other branches of the 
War Department, which if adopted in The Adjutant General's Office 
would reduce the present cost of cablegrams 50 per cent. 

METHODS OF PREPARATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF CIRCULARS DESCRIPTIVE 

OF DESERTERS. 

The Adjutant General's Office is distributing annually throughout 
the country approximately 13,000,000 circulars containing descrip- 
tions of men deserting from the Army. The method now followed 
results in distributing a very large number of circulars which are not 
used and in fact can not be used by those receiving them. The work 



56 EEPOETS OE COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

of revising the present, mailing list and of arranging for the proper 
distribution of descriptions of deserters could be performed in a very 
short time. The adoption of proper methods for distributing these 
descriptions would not onl}'' effect a very large saving in expense, but 
would make such descriptions as are sent out more effective. 

FILING OLD MILITARY RECORDS AND FURNISHING INFORMATION THERE- 
FROM. 

At the present time the old military reiSords are filed in four dif- 
ferent buildings, and in some instances records which clearlj'^ belong 
in one file are divided into sections located in separate buildings. 
Furthermore, some of the records are arranged with only small regard 
to the principal use to be made of them. The present location and 
arrangement of the old military records are such as to make it neces- 
sary to incur a very heavy expense in furnishing information from 
them. A large part of this expense could be readih^ eliminated by the 
proj^er filing of the records. 

COOPERATION OF EMPLOYEES. 

Under the system employed, notwithstanding the reporting methods 
described, there has been practically no inducement to employees to 
stud}^ new methods or suggest improvements in the service, for the 
reason that if it appeared that these improvements would result in 
greater efficiency or economy of administration their proper share 
of the credit for recommendation would have been completely oblit- 
erated; but if the new methods proposed proved unsuccessful, the 
full burden of failure would have rested upon the proponent. 

On the other hand, in private corporations inducements are offered 
to everyone to devise improvements in the service. Frequently prizes 
are given to employees for valuable ideas and suggestions, and their 
efforts in this regard, when successful, are usually rewarded by pro- 
motion to higher positions. 

CLASSES OF WORK INCIDENTAL TO MAIN FUNCTIONS. 

The Adjutant General's Office has followed, so far as possible, the 
policy of maintaining and operating plants for the manufacture 
of goods or the furnishing of utilities which it may need in the 
conduct of its business. For example, it is maintaining a printing 
office, a bookbindery, a carpenter and blacksmith shop for the 
manufacture and repair of equipment, and a plant for generating 
electricity. 

Other offices and bureaus, with very few exceptions, have long 
since taken advantage of the superior facilities of the Government 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEKAL. 57 

Printing Office for performing all printing and binding work. 
The work performed at the Tenth Street printing establishment 
maintained by The Adjutant General's Office is crude and very ex- 
pensive. The work of the binding section could be performed much 
more quickly and at less cost at the Government Printing Office. 

The carpenter shop occupies an entire floor of the Seventeenth 
Street branch, and its work is very expensive because of the hand 
methods employed. It would be much cheaper to purchase filing 
equipment than to attempt to manufacture it on a small scale and 
by the use of obsolete methods. 

The cost of generating electricity at the Tenth Street branch is 
50 per cent greater than the cost of current purchased from the 
local company. Moreover, the current as now generated is available 
only fi'om 9 a. m. to 4.30 p. m. During other hours, gas is used for 
lighting. 

INDEX TO GENERAL ORDERS, 1860 TO 1880. 

A class of work which it is believed should be discontinued is that 
invoh'^ed in the preparation of a new edition of the index to general 
orders for the years 1860 to 1880. This work is believed to be unnec- 
essary in view of the fact that the orders for each year of this period 
are thoroughly indexed, and, moreover, a consolidated index for the 
whole period was prepared some years ago. It has been ascertained 
that the present indexes serve all important demands and there ap- 
pears to be no justification for incurring a very heav}^ expense for 
preparing from original sources an entirely new index. 

REPORT ON ORGANIZATION AND CASUALTIES OF THE UNION AND CONFED- 
ERATE ARMIES. 

One branch of The Adjutant General's Office has in ]3reparation a 
report on the organization and casualties of the Union and Confed- 
erate Armies. Thousands of dollars have been expended to date on 
this work, and it is far from completion. The work may be impor- 
tant and desirable, but no proper authority for its conduct has been 
shown b}^ The Adjutant General's Office. Work of such magnitude 
should be undertaken only upon the granting of proper authority. 

OFFICE QUARTERS. 

At the present time The Adjutant General's Office is using a large 
number of its best rooms for filing old militaiy records, which are 
consulted only for the purpose of furnishing information for a set- 
tlement of pension claims and for historical use. At the same time 
about one-fourth of the employees of the office are housed in old 
buildings, which are dangerous from the standiDoint of fire risks, in 
an insanitary condition, and wholly unsuitable for use as offices. 



58 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 
EEDUCTION IN FOKCE AND DETAIL OF EMPLOYEES TO OTHER BUREAUS. 

In arranging for the reduction in force which can be effected by 
the adoption of the commission's recommendations, it is suggested that 
those employees who can be relieved from their present duties be as- 
signed to fill such vacancies as may occur in the clerical force of The 
Adjutant General's Office or of any other office or bureau in the War 
Department, 

Under the present law the clerical force of The Adjutant General's 
Office can not be detailed to other offices or bureaus of the War De- 
partment. The commission has, however, recommended that the 
present restriction as to detailing clerks from The Adjutant General's 
Office be removed, so that any clerks who may not be needed in The 
Adjutant General's Office after the adoption of more economical 
methods can be detailed to other branches of the War Department. 

COOPERATION WITH WAR DEPARTMENT. 

It is manifest that many of the recommendations contained in this 
report can not be set forth in sufficient detail to enable those con- 
cerned to arrive at a complete understanding of the steps necessary 
to install the systems or methods recommended. The commission, 
however, will be pleased to assign members of its staff who, having 
studied the details of the recommendations made, can cooperate with 
the offices concerned in the development and installation of the new 
methods recommended. 



SECTION II. 

Function and Organization of The Adjutant General's Oefice. 

GENERAL. 

The functions and work of The Adjutant General's Department 
are prescribed in part by statute, in part by Army regulations, and in 
part by War Department general orders. The Army regulations 
describe The Adjutant General's Department as "the department of 
records, orders, and correspondence of the Army and the militia." 

The Adjutant General's Department includes the central " office " 
in Washington and such officers and men in the military organizations 
as may be detailed for duty to The Adjutant General's Department. 
This report is limited to the consideration of the " office " in 
Washington. 

As has been said, the work of this office consists principally of the 
handling and filing of correspondence, including Army reports on 
personnel and movements of troops, and of furnishing information 
from the records in its custody. The work falls into two main 
classes, (a) that connected with present military personnel and opera- 
tions, and (b) that connected with the records of former officers and 
men and of former militaiy organizations. Incidental to these two 
main classes of work, The Adjutant General's Office conducts print- 
ing, binding; and carpenter-shop work. 

WORK CONNECTED WITH PRESENT MILITARY PERSONNEL AND OPERATIONS. 

This work, as stated above, consists principallj^ of the handling of 
the correspondence, orders, and records of the Army. The work may 
be divided into the following groups : 

1. Recording, authenticating, and communicating to troops and individuals in 
ttie military service all orders, instructions, and regulations issued by the Secre- 
tary of War through the Chief of Staff. This includes printing and distributing 
approximately 17,650,000 Army orders and circulars. 

2. Preparing and distributing commissions. 

3. Compiling and issuing the Army Register and the Army List and 
Directory. 

4. Examining, recording, and consolidating the general returns of the Army, 
which include the (a) bimonthly muster rolls, (b) monthly "Army returns" of 
services of officers, (c) recruiting reports, (d) enlistment contracts, and (e> 
miscellaneous reports. 

59 



60 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

5. Arranging and preserving the reports of officers cletailed to visit encamp- 
ments of militia. 

6. Preparing the annual returns of the militia required by law to he sub- 
mitted to Congress. 

7. Managing the recruiting service. 

8. Recording and issuing orders from the War Department remitting or miti- 
gating sentences of military convicts who have been discharged from the 
military service. 

9. Maintaining the personal identification system. 

10. Furnishing information from the records concerning the personnel and 
operations of the present military establishment. 

11. Forwarding personal mail to officers and enlisted men. 

The number of communications received annually by The Ad- 
jutant General's Office in connection with the business of the present 
military organization is given in the War Department's report on 
" Handling and filing of correspondence," under date of February 15. 
1911, as follows: 

Orders issued by Army commanders 159,000 

Current Army reports and returns 189,000 

Letters from the staff departments and the Army at large 140,000 

Letters from miscellaneous sources 87,000 

Total 575, 000 

In addition to these incoming communications, 70,000 private let- 
lers for officers and enlisted men were received in the Adjutant Gen- 
eral's Office and forwarded to them. 

The number of outgoing communications was not reported in any 
detail, so it is impossible to state separately the number of communi- 
cations sent out in connection with the business of the present mili- 
tary organization, and the number sent out in connection with the 
work on the records of former military organizations. The total 
number of outgoing communications of the two classes was reported 
as " about 356,000. This number does not include approximately 
17,650,000 printed Army orders and circulars issued from this office 
annually." 

The methods followed in handling and filing correspondence are 
described in detail in Appendix I. 

WOKK CONNECTED AVITH RECORDS OF FORMER ORGANIZATIONS. 

The Adjutant General is vested with the custody of the military 
and hospital records of the volunteer armies and of the permanent 
military establishment. Upon the muster out or discharge of volun- 
teers or militia from the service of the United States, and upon the 
disbandment of any organization in the permanent military estab- 
lishment, all the records that pertain to them and that have not been 
filed in the Adjutant General's Office are transferred to and filed in 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 61 

that office. The archives of the Adjutant General's Office inchide the 
following : 

1. All militarj^ records of the Revolution:u-y War. 

2. Records of all organizatioDS, officers, and enlisted men that have l)©eu in 
the military service of the United States since the Revolutionary War. 

3. Records of the movements and operations of troops. 

5. Medical and hospital records of the Army. 

6. Identification cards. 

7. Records of the Provost Marshal General's Bureau. 

8. Records of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands. 

9. Confederate records, including those pertaining to the legislative, execu- 
tive, and judicial branches of the Confederate Government. 

The Adjutant General takes an}^ necessary steps to complete and 
correct the records in his custody. 

At the present time about 30 emploj^ees are employed in prepar- 
ing record cards shoAving the military services of the men Avho served 
in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. This work was 
begun in 1902, and it is estimated that with the present force the work 
will be completed in two or three years. Kecord cards showing the 
militar}'- service of the men in the Union Army have been prepared. 
These record cards are used for furnishing information requested in 
connection with the settlement of pension claims and other cases 
involving military histories. 

The Adjutant General's Office answers all inquiries for informa- 
tion contained in the archives in its custody, provided these inquiries 
do not require administrative action by any other bureaus of the 
A¥ar Department. The information furnished from the documents 
and records include that concerning pension, pay, bounty, and other 
business pertaining to or based upon the military or medical his- 
tories of former officers and enlisted men in both the volunteer and 
the permanent military organizations. 

The War Department's report on the handling and filing of corre- 
spondence states that about 135,000 letters requesting statements of 
military service of individuals are received annuallj^ These requests 
are received from the Pension Office, Auditor for the War Depart- 
ment, General Land Office, and other Federal departments and 
offices; from the adjutant generals of the several States, the Grand 
Army of the Republic and other associations, and from individuals. 

Another function performed by The Adjutant General's Office is 
the compilation of historical data on former military organizations. 
At present the " publication branch " is compiling record cards show- 
ing the military history of the companies and other military organi- 
zations in the Federal Army during the Civil War. It is the ex- 
ijectation that this compilation will eventually be published. The 
distribution of the voluminous report on the " Official Eecords of 
the Rebellion " is handled by The Adjutant General's Office in accord- 
ance with an act of Congress approved March 3, 1903. 



hZ REPORTS OE COMMISSION OjST ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

ORGANIZATION. 

Beside the " central office," the functions of which have been de- 
scribed, The Adjutant General's Department includes the officers and 
enlisted men in the several commands detailed to perform the work 
of The Adjutant General's Department and the recruiting stations. 
The organization described below is that of the " central office " in 
Washington only. 

The personnel in The Adjutant General's Office consists of officers 
detailed for such duty and of the civilian force authorized by Con- 
gress in appropriation acts. In addition to The Adjutant General, 
who is the head of the department, five officers are usually detailed 
to the " office " in Washington, and are designated as " adjutants 
general." For the fiscal year 1913, Congress authorized the employ- 
ment of 638 civilian employees in Th.e Adjutant General's Office, with 
a salary roll of $781,950. The appropriation act stipulated that " all 
■emplo5^ees provided for b}^ this paragraph for The Adjutant Gen- 
eral's Office of the War Department shall be exclusively engaged on 
the work of this office for the fiscal year nineteen hundred and 
twelve." 

The divisions into which The Adjutant General's Office is divided 
are as follows: 

1. Administration Division. 

2. Publication branch. 

3. Distribution Di^'ision. 

4. Orders Division. 

5. Mail and Record Division. 

6. Correspondence and Examining Division. 

7. Miscellaneous Division. 
S. Enlisted Men's Division. 
9. Eecruiting Division. 

10. Rolls Division. 

13. Appointment; Commissions, and Personnel Division. 

12. Military Academy Division. 

13. Returns Division. 

14. Medical Division. 

15. Regimental Records Division. 

16. Archives Division. 

17. Tenth Street branch. 

18. Seventeenth Street branch. 

Functions and Wokk of Particular Divisions.^ 

1 Detailed descriptive reports of the functions and work of the divisions of The Adju- 
tant General's Office are contained in Appendixes I and II. 

As related to each of the several divisions, the work of the office is 
subdivided as follows: 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. t)<3 
ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION. 

General supervision of the entire business and personnel of The 
Adjutant General's Office. 

PUBLICATION BRANCH. 

Furnishing statistical and historical information from the " Official 
Eecords of the Union and Confederate Armies," verifying the text 
of inscriptions for memorials in the various national military parks, 
preparing for publication a compilation showing the geographical 
and tactical organizations, engagements, and casualties of the Union 
and Confederate Armies, and a subject index of the General Orders 
and Circulars of the War Department from 1860 to 1911; also the 
reading of proof for various publications of the office and War 
Department. 

ORDERS DIVISION. 

Furnishing and preparing for printing and distribution all drafts 
for special and general orders and changes of orders, such drafts 
being originally prepared in other divisions of The Adjutant Gen- 
eral's Office. 

DISTRIBUTION DIVISION. 

Maintaining a file of all books, forms, circuhirs, orders and regula- 
tions of the Army and dispatching them to the organizations and 
personnel thereof. 

MAIL AND RECORD DIVISION. 

Receiving, briefing, recording, and indexing the correspondence 
of The Adjutant General's Office and custody of the correspondence 
files. 

CORRESPONDENCE AND EXAMINING DIVISION. 

Drafting and writing replies to communications requesting in- 
formation relative to the service of former officers and enlisted men 
and reviewing and copying for signature the drafts of some com- 
munications which are prepared in other divisions of the officei, 

■ MISCELLANEOUS DIVISION. 

Th,e handling of miscellaneous correspondence arising in connec- 
tion with the work of The Adjutant General's Office, the preparation 
of general orders, and the custody anxi compilation of efficiency 
reports concerning the commissioned officers of the Army. 



64 EBPOETS OF COMMISSION OIST ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

ENLISTED men's DIVISION. 

Preparation of corresjDonclence relating to the changes in status or 
.station of enlisted men, discharge of enlisted men from the Army, 
questions arising in connection with desertions, fraudulent enlist- 
ments, absences without leave, and requests of enlisted men to be 
jDlaced on retired list. 

EECRUITING DIVISION. 

Conduct of correspondence relating to the establishment and dis- 
continuance of recruiting stations, the work of recruiting officers and 
enlisted men, the distribution of recruits to military organizations, 
and the final passing upon certain applications for enlistment; also 
the custoch^, examination, and tabulation of reports showing the 
number of enlistments, at each recruiting station or depot, and 
advertising for recruits. 

ROLLS DIVISION. 

Custody of original Army reports and muster rolls, the keeping 
of registers of enlisted men, ansAvering inquiries from governmental 
sources requesting statements of military service of enlisted men, 
conduct of miscellaneous correspondence with the statf departments 
and the Army at large, and the preparing of answers to the various 
inquiries from miscellaneous sources on subjects relating to enlisted 
men. 

DIVISION OF APPOINTMENTS, COMMISSIONS, AND PERSONNEL. 

Conduct of correspondence and the preparation of orders relating 
to the commissioned personnel of the Regular and Volunteer Armies 
of the United States. Specifically it consists of conducting corre- 
spondence and preparing orders relating to nominations, appoint- 
ments, commissions, assignments to duty, personal movements, pro- 
motions, resignations, and retirements of commissioned officers. 
military education at civil institutions and the several service and 
garrison schools of the xVrmy, and miscellaneous matters arising in 
connection with the officer's service from the time of his commission 
until his separation from the service. 

MILITARY ACADEiNIY DIVISION. 

Conduct of correspondence pertaining to management of the 
United States Military Academy, and the appointment, examination. 
and admission of cadets to the academy, the maintenance of records 
showing the representation of States and congressional districts at 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 65 

the Military Academy, and the notification of Congressmen of exist- 
ing vacancies. 

RETURNS DIVISION. 

Custody of files of original returns from all organizations and 
military posts of the Regular Army, compiling the records of service 
of officers and organizations of the Regular and Volunteer Armies 
of the United States, and furnishing information from all the 
records in its custody. 

MEDICAL DIVISION. 

The custody of, and the furnishing of information from, medical 
records of the Arm}^, both Regular and Volunteer troops, and both 
officers and enlisted men from 1821 to 1910, inclusive. 

REGIMENTAL RECORDS DIVISION. 

Custody of, and furnishing information from, the index record 
cards and personal papers of volunteers in the several wars, and 
original regimental records. 

ARCHIVES DIVISION. 

Custody of, and furnishing information from, original military 
records, other than regimental records, and from records of the 
reconstruction period. Also the records of the Provost Marshal 
General's Bureau, prisoner of war records, and the Confederate 
records. 

TENTH STREET BRANCH. 

Furnishing statements of service from, and the custody of, identi- 
fication records of enlisted men of the Regular Army, and of the 
card records and personal papers of volunteer soldiers in the several 
wars. Also printing forms, blanks, envelopes, etc., for the office. 

SEVENTEENTH STREET BRANCH. 

The custody of part of the Confederate prisoner of war records 
and of duplicate military records; repairing and rebinding books 
and documents, making mail jackets, carpenter, repair, and cabinet 
work for The Adjutant General's Office. 

72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 5 



SECTION III. 

Ckitigisms and Constructive Recommendations with Respect to 
THE General Business System of the Office. 

The purpose of this section is to point out in what respect it is 
thought by the commission the Office of The Adjutant General oper- 
ates at a disadvantage, due to conditions which are adverse to oper- 
ating with greatest economy and efficiency, and to indicate what 
changes it is thought could be made to improve those conditions. To 
this end a brief statement is made of present conditions and methods 
which are thought to be unfavorable; this is followed by critical 
consideration of the results attributable to the conditions and meth- 
ods described, with constructive suggestions, the adoption of which, 
it is believed, will either improve the efficiency of the service or effect 
economies, or both. The critical comment and constructive sugges- 
tions of the commission are presented under the following general 
leads : 

1. Handicaps due to organization. 

2. Defects in methods. 

3. Unnecessary worli performed. 

4. Unsuitable condition and location of quarters. 

1. HANDICAPS DUE TO ORGANIZATION. 

The excessive number of divisions is primarily responsible for the 
large number of communications exchanged between divisions. All 
through the organization of The Adjutant General's Office it is ob- 
served that one group of divisions prepares the correspondence and 
another furnishes to the former the facts and information from the 
records which enter into that correspondence. This condition re- 
quires the first group to be continually requesting, by written state- 
ment on the record card, the information it desires, and the second 
group to communicate that information to the former by means of 
the record cards — an interchange of correspondence within the office 
which occasions a great deal of clerical work, much of it waste, due 
to the fact that the record divisions naturally furnish to the corre- 
spondence divisions information considerably in excess of that neces- 
sary to the reply in particular cases, because of the general nature in 
which the requests on the record cards for such information must be 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 67 

framed. The consolidations recommended by the commission will 
reduce the amount of this intercommunication by at least 50 per cent, 
and correspondingly reduce the quantity of matter transported by 
the five-minute mail messenger service. 

There are 18 separate divisions and "branches" in the Office of 
The Adjutant General, some of them organizations of only from 3 
to 11 employees. A considerable increase in efficiency would be 
secured by consolidation of some of the divisions whose work is 
closely connected with other divisions. The commission recommends 
the following divisional organization for the office : 

1. Administration Division, to be composed of the present Adminis- 
tration, Orders, and Distribution Divisions, and a small part of the 
publication branch. 

2. Mail and Record Division, Avhose functions will be reduced to 
the custody of the correspondence files primarily, and the incidental 
work of receiving, opening, and distributing incoming and dispatch- 
ing outgoing mail. 

3. Correspondence Division, to be formed by a consolidation of the 
l^resent Miscellaneous and Correspondence and Examining Divisions. 

4. Enlisted Men's Division, to be formed by a consolidation of the 
present Enlisted Men's, Recruiting, and Rolls Divisions, the Corre- 
spondence and Examining and Medical Divisions, and the identity 
section of the Tenth Street branch. 

5. Officers' Division, to be formed by a consolidation of the present 
Returns Division, Division of Appointment, Commission and Per- 
sonnel, and Military Academy Division, the efficiency section of the 
present Miscellaneous Division, and small parts of the Correspond- 
ence and Examining and Medical Divisions. 

6. Regimental Records Division, to consist of the present Regi- 
mental Records Division, a part of the Tenth Street branch, and a 
part of the Medical Division. 

7. Archives Division, to consist of the present Archives Division, 
a part of the Seventeenth Street branch, a part of the Medical Divi- 
sion, and a part of the publication branch. 

8. Carding Division, to be a temporary division for the completion 
of the carding of Confederate military records now being conducted 
by sections of the Tenth Street branch, the work of this division to 
be limited to the carding of these records and the division to be dis- 
continued upon the completion of that work. 

The consolidations here recommended, together with the transfer 
and elimination of work recommended in other sections of this report, 
will cause the following divisions and branches to be discontinued : 

1. Orders Division. 

2. Distribution Division. 



68 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

3. Returns Division. 

4. Military Academy Division. 

5. Recruiting Division. 

6. Rolls Division. 

7. Miscellaneous Division. 

8. Medical Division. 

9. Seventh Street branch. 

10. Publication branch. 

The considerations which have guided us in making the above rec- 
ommendations in regard to the organization of The Adjutant Gener- 
al's Office are as follows: 

1. Administration Division^ to he formed hy consolidation of Admin- 
istration^ Orders^ and Distribution Divisions, and part of 'publi- 
cation branch. 

The principal function of the Orders Division is to supervise the 
printing and issuance of orders which are prepared in other divisions 
of The Adjutant General's Office. The principal function of the 
Distribution Division is, as its name implies, to distribute the large 
number of general and special orders issued by The Adjutant Gener- 
al's Office and to keep the stock of stationery and issue the same upon 
requisition to the various divisions. There are 8 employees in the 
Orders Division and 7 in the Distribution Division. The size of these 
divisions is so small, and their functions those usually committed to 
the office of a chief clerk, that it would be desirable to have them 
taken over by the Administration Division. 

The publication branch has two employees who devote part of their 
time to proof reading. Such work logically belongs in a Publication 
Division, but in view of the fact that there is so little proof reading 
to be performed and that the other work now being conducted in the 
publication branch has been found unnecessary or to be of such char- 
acter that it could be performed to better advantage in other divisions, 
it is unnecessary to maintain a separate Publication Division. It is 
therefore desirable to transfer the proof reading to some central di- 
vision where it can be performed to as good advantage as in the old 
publication branch. It is accordingly recommended that the experi- 
enced proof reader now assigned to the publication branch and draw- 
ing a salary of $1,400 be transferred to the Administration Division. 
It is unnecessary to assign any " copy holder " to the Administration 
Division, as the holding of copy can be best performed by an employee 
temporarily assigned to that work from the division whose copy is be- 
ing read. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 69 

Upon the adoption of the recommendations for changes in the Ad- 
ministration Division, and for transfers to this division of other di- 
visions and work, the number of employees will be as follows : 

Personnel of Administration Division. 



Transferred from— 


At 
$2,500. 


At 
$2,000. 


Class 4. 


Class 3. 


Class 2. 


Class 1. 


At 
$1,000. 


Total 
employ- 
ees. 


Total 
salaries. 


Present Administration 
Division 


1 


2 


4 


3 

1 
2 


1 
1 

1 
1 






11 
6 

7 

1 


$19,900 
7,600 


Orders Division 


3 
3 


1 


Distribution Division 






1 


10,000 


Publication branch 






1,400 


















Total 


1 


2 


5 


6 


4 


6 


1 


25 


38,900 





2. Mail and Record Division. 

The functions of this division will be reduced to the custody of the 
correspondence files primarily, and the incidental work of receiving, 
opening, and distributing incoming and dispatching outgoing mail. 
The number of employees will be as follows. 

1 chief of division $2,000 

1 clerk, class 4 1, 800 

4 clerks, class 3, witli salaries aggregating 6, 400 

14 clerks, class 2, with salaries aggregating 19, 600 

13 clerks, class 1, with salaries aggregating 15, 600 

2 clerks, at $1,000 2,000 

35 clerks, with salaries aggregating 47, 400 

3. Correspondence Division., to he formed hy a consolidation of Mis- 
cellaneous and Correspondence and Examining Divisions. 

One of the main functions of the Correspondence and Examining 
Division is to engross, in typewritten form for dispatch, communica- 
tions which are originally drafted on the record cards by handwriting 
or typewriting in other divisions of the office, principally the Rolls 
and Eegimental Records Divisions. In another part of this report it 
is recommended that these communications be prepared in final form 
in the divisions where the first draft is now prepared. 

It is also recommended in another part of this report that the effi- 
ciency section of the Miscellaneous Division be transferred to the 
new Officers' Division, and that the work of handling applications 
for certificates in lieu of lost discharges and applications for the 
removal of the charge of desertion, which is now being done in the 



70 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON" ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Correspondence Division, be taken over by the new Enlisted Men's 
Division. 

These changes will leave in the Correspondence and Examining 
Division and the Miscellaneous Division the real miscellaneous cor- 
respondence of the office. With the reduced amount of work in each 
division and the like nature of the correspondence, the logical con- 
clusion is a consolidation of the two divisions under the title " Cor- 
respondence Division." 

Upon the adoption of the recommendations providing for the cre- 
ation of the new Correspondence Division, and the transfer to that 
division of the functions and work above mentioned, the number of 
employees will be as follows : 

Personnel of new Correspondence Division. 



Transferred from— 


At 
S2,000. 


Class 4. 


Class 3. 


Class 2. 


Class 1. 


At 
$1,000. 


Total 
employ- 
ees. 


Total ' 
salaries. 


Present Correspondence and Ex- 
amining Divisinn 




3 


4 
2 


2 
2 


1 
5 


1 


11 
9 
1 


$16,800 
12,000 
2,000 


Miscellaneous Division 




Chief of consolidated division... 


1 
















Total 


1 


3 


6 


4 


6 


1 


21 


30,800 





4. Enlisted Men's Division, to he formed hy a consolidation of 
Rolls, Recruiting, and Enlisted Men^s Divisions, a part of the Cor- 
respondence and Examining and Medical Divisions, and the iden- 
tity section. 

The controlling reason in bringing us to a recommendation for 
the consolidation of the Rolls Division, Recruiting Division, and 
Enlisted Men's Division, lies in the fact that the records in the 
Eolls Division serve as the foundation for a very large part of the 
work in the nature of correspondence emanating from the Recruit- 
ing and Enlisted Men's Divisions. The consolidation would effect 
a saving due to the elimination of messenger work, the writing of 
memoranda and reports on record cards, as well as an indirect sav- 
ing resulting from the fact that when a man once took up a case 
and formed a grasp of the subject matter he would not have to let 
it go until the reply or action had been drafted in connection there- 
Avith. This would, of course, save a great deal of time, although it 
is difficult to measure the same in terms of monetary value. 

The size of some of the divisions is another consideration. The 
present force of the Rolls Division is 52 persons, that of the Enlisted 
Men's Division 10, and that of the Recruiting Division 11, a total 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 71 

of 73. With the adoption of our recommendations, the force in 
these divisions would be as follows : 

Rolls Division 25 

Enlisted Men's Division 7 

Recruiting Division 6 

Total 38 

With the force in the Enlisted Men's Division and Recruiting 
Division cut down to seven and six persons, respectively, and in the 
absence of technical work in either of these divisions, there is no 
reason for their continuing to be independent. The business of the 
three divisions can just as well and much more economically be 
transacted if a consolidation is effected. The work of handling 
recruiting questions, matters concerning the status of enlisted men. 
and the furnishing from the records of information in regard to 
enlisted men, can be grouped into sections of a division which will 
have to do with all questions arising in connection with the enlisted 
man. 

The handling of correspondence in relation to applications for 
certificates in lieu of lost discharges an^ applications for the removal 
of the charge of desertion, now a function of the present Corre- 
spondence and Examining Division, should be transferred to the new 
Enlisted Men's Division, where the records upon which such cor- 
respondence is based are maintained. 

The present Correspondence and Examining Division also en- 
grosses nearly all the communications drafted in the present EoUs 
Division. The commission recommends that this correspondence 
be prepared in final form for dispatch in the new Enlisted Men's 
Division, in order to avoid the duplication of work incident to hav- 
ing one division prepare the first copy in draft of correspondence, 
and another division the final or " fair " copy for dispatch. ' 

The number of clerks at each salary grade who should be trans- 
ferred from the present Correspondence and Examining Division to 
the new division for the purpose of carrying on this work is as 
follows : 

Salary per annum. 

1 clerk, class 3 1 $1, 600 

2 clerks, class 2 2,800 

3 clerks, class 1 3,600 

8,000 
Those medical records now in the custody of the Medical Division 
which pertain to enlisted men in the Regular Army, and which are 
needed in the conduct of business connected with current military 
affairs, should be transferred to the proposed Enlisted Men's Division. 
It is desirable to centralize in one division the records which must 



72 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON" ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

be consulted in reporting on the service of men in the Regular Army 
and thus avoid the large amount of unnecessary work now performed 
in referring cases from one division to another for the completion 
of statements of service. The medical records to be transferred to the 
proposed Enlisted Men's Division should constitute a separate section 
or division of the files in that division. 

A large part of the work performed by the Medical Division in con- 
nection with current Army business is the receiving, classifying, and 
filing of the monthly reports of sick and wounded and the medical 
report cards. This work, together with that of furnishing informa- 
tion from the records, now requires the services of Y searchers. It is 
accordingly recommended that these men be transferred to the pro- 
posed Enlisted Men's Division. Three of these employees receive 
salaries of $1,400 per annum and 4 receive salaries of $1,200 per 
annum. 

The saving to be effected from this proposed consolidation is in the 
elimination of expense incidental to the rehandling of cases and to the 
maintenance of a separate division. This involves not only the work 
of the searchers in referring a case from one division to another and 
the work of the messenger force in carrying the cases from one divi- 
sion to another, but it also involves the work of receiving clerks, 
record clerks, section chiefs, and division chiefs who are now em- 
ployed in each of the separate divisions engaged in furnishing infor- 
mation. The direct saving to be effected from the consolidation here 
proposed is shown in another section of this report, together with 
similar savings in the Medical Division to be effected by other recom- 
mendations. 

The identity section, which is now located in the Tenth Street 
branch, has the custody of all identification records of men in the 
Regular Army. This section also prepares the circulars descriptive 
of deserters. All the work of the identity section is connected with 
current military affairs and is closely related to the other work to be 
conducted by the proposed Enlisted Men's Division. The transfer 
of the identity section will enable the office to conduct the work 
assigned to that section more promptly and at a less cost. Unneces- 
sary work now performed in referring cases from the Rolls Division 
to the identity section will be eliminated through this consolidation. 
The number of men at each salary grade necessary for the conduct 
of the work of the identity section is as follows : 

Salary per annum. 

1 clerk, class 3 $1,600 

2 clerks, class 2 2, 800 

8 clerks, class 1 9, 600 

2 clerks at $L0OO 2, 000 

16, 000 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 73 

At the present time the examining section of the Mail and Record 
Division maintains the files of beneficiary cards which are used in 
furnishing the identity section with the address of the beneficiaries 
of enlisted men who have deserted. This file logically belongs in the 
identity section, for whose use the file is maintained, and should be 
transferred to the new Enlisted Men's Division for the use of the 
identity section. The work of preparing the beneficiary cards and 
of furnishing information therefrom requires but a small amount of 
time as at present conducted. This work will, however, be reduced 
if the file is in the identity section, where the desired information can 
be directly procured and used without the present necessity of re- 
questing the information on a correspondence record card and of in- 
dorsing the reply thereon. It will be unnecessary to transfer any 
employees to the identity section in order to perform the work con- 
nected with the file of beneficiary cards. 

Upon the adoption of the recommendations providing for the crea- 
tion of the new Enlisted Men's Division and the transfer to that 
division of work now performed in other divisions the number of 
employees will be as follows : 

Personnel of new Enlisted Men's Division. 



Transferred from— 


At 
$2,000. 


Class 4. 


Class 3. 


Class 2. 


Classl. 


At 
$1,000. 


Total 
em- 
ploy- 
ees. 


Total 
salaries. 


Present Enlisted Men's Division. . . 




1 
1 

1 


2 
1 

1 


5 
2 

4 

2 
3 

2 


1 

1 

19 

3 

4 

8 


1 
2 


7 

6 

26 

6 

7 

13 
1 


$10,000 
9,000 


Present Recruiting Division 




Present Rolls Division 




32, 800 


Present Correspondence and Exam- 
ining Division 




8,000 


Present Medical Division 






9,000 

16,000 
2,000 


Identity section of Tenth Street 
branch 






1 


Chief of consolidated division 


1 






i 








Total 


1 


3 


5 


18 


36 


3 


• 66 


86, 800 







5. Officers^ Division, to he formed hy consolidation of Returns^ Ap- 
pointment, Commission, and Personnel, and Military Academy 
Divisions, and part ^of the Medical and Correspondence and Ex- 
amining Divisions. 

The recommendation for the consolidation of the Returns Divi- 
sion, the Division of Appointment, Commission, and Personnel, and 
the Military Academy Division is based upon the same reasons that 
underlie our recommendation for the consolidation of the Rolls, En- 
listed Men's, and Recruiting Divisions. The three divisions first 



74 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSIOlSr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

named have to do with the Army officer from the time he begins 
his education at the Military Academy until he is retired from the 
service. There is even more interchange of communications be- 
tween the Division of Appointment, Commission, and Personnel and 
the Returns Division than exists in the case of the Recruiting, En- 
listed Men's, and Rolls Divisions. 

Questions are continually arising in the Division of Appointment, 
Commission, and Personnel which require that division to communi- 
cate with the Returns Division in order to procure from the records 
the facts essential to prepare a reply. When one division depends 
almost exclusively on another for the information which enters into 
its correspondence, good business practice demands a merger. 

The consolidation would eliminate a great amount of intercom- 
munication, as Avell as the recording on the record cards by one 
division of data to be used by another in drafting a reply in a par- 
ticular case. The consolidation would expedite the disposition of 
cases, since the communications conld go direct from thOi opening- 
room to the man who is to handle the case, who would have at his 
hand the data essential to the reply, and having such data could 
Avith greater facility draft the communication based thereon than 
would be the case if the data had to be written on the record card and 
interpreted by a clerk who had not made the search, but who gave 
his exclusive attention to the preparation of correspondence based 
upon reports prepared by another. 

The Military Academy Division has only three employees and 
deals mainly with questions concerning the selection, nomination, 
and entrance to the academj^ of cadets. There is nothing technical 
about this work such as to justify a separate division being main- 
tained. In fact, by the adoption of our recommendations regarding 
the methods of work in that division, one clerk will be able to per- 
form its functions, with time to spare. 

The portion of the Medical Division to be transferred to the pro- 
posed Officers' Division consists of the medical records of officers in 
the Regular Army. These records should be filed in the division hav- 
ing the custody of the strictly military records for officers, so as to 
permit a complete report on an officer to be made in one division. 
The present method of filing medical records in a separate division 
a part of which is located in a building at a distance from the files of 
all other records of officers makes it necessary to refer a case calling 
for military and medical history from the Returns Division to the 
Medical Division in the State, War, and Navy Building and thence 
to the files in the Army Medical Museum. This rehandling of cases 
is unnecessarily expensive. 



BUSINESS METHODS OP OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 75 

The records of officers in the Kegular Army subsequent to 1884 
which are filed in the Army Medical Museum should be transferred 
to the Officers' Division, together with such medical records in that 
part of the Medical Division located in the State, War, and Navy 
Building as are necessary for conducting business connected with 
current Army affairs. The quantity of records to be transferred is 
small, there being only 40 file boxes (or about one-half of one file 
case) of officers' records for the period from 1884 to 1910. The 
amount of work performed on these records is so small that it is un- 
necessary to transfer any employees from the Medical Division to 
the Officers' Division in order to handle the small increase in work 
resulting from this transfer. 

Upon the adoption of the recommendations for the creation of an 
Officers' Division, and for transfers to this division of work now per- 
formed in other divisions, the number of employees will be as fol- 
lows : 

Personnel of the neiv Officers^ Division. 



Transferred from— 


At 
S2,000. 


Class 4. 


Class 3. 


Class 2. 


Class 1. 


At 
$1,000. 


Total 
em- 
ploy- 
ees. 


Total 

salaries. 






1 
1 


1 
2 
1 


2 
4 


3 
2 


1 
1 


8 
10 

1 

2 

1 
1 


$10,800 






14,000 






1,600 


Efficiency section of present Miscel- 






1 


1 
1 




2,600 


Correspondence and Examining Di- 








1,200 




1 








2,000 
















Total 


1 


2 


4 


7 


7 


2 


23 


32,200 







6. Regimental Records Division to he formed ~by a consolidation of 
the present Regimental Records Division and portions of the 
Medical Division and Tenth Street branch. 



The Regimental Eecords Division has the custody of the original 
records of regiments formerly in the military service and the military 
record cards of volunteer troops in the Revolutionary War, Indian 
Wars, War with Mexico, and Civil War. The employees in this divi- 
sion are engaged in furnishing information from these records. The 
Medical Division has the custody of all medical records for both 
regular and volunteer troops, and the employees in that division are 
engaged in furnishing information from these records. The Tenth 
Street branch has, among other functions, the custody of military 
record cards for volunteers in the Spanish War, the Philippine in- 



76 KEPOETS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

surrection, and in part for volunteers in the Civil War, together with 
similar cards for men in the Eetolutionary War and for men in the 
Confederate service. 

The records in the custody of these three divisions are used princi- 
pally for furnishing information needed in the consideration of pen- 
sion cases, and to a smaller extent for furnishing information desired 
for historical and genealogical purposes. It is thus seen that all 
these records are used for furnishing information in reply to the same 
classes of communications. In answering these communications it 
is necessary in over oncrthird of the cases handled by the Eegimental 
Records Division to refer them to the Medical Division or the Tenth 
Street branch for the completion of the case. Considered from a 
standpoint of the utilization of these records, it is thus desirable to 
have the file in the custody of one division. Moreover, when con- 
sidered from the standpoint of the subject matter of the records, the 
files should be placed in one division, and in some instances separate 
files should be consolidated as containing but one general class of 
records. 

The fact that these records logically belong together is in part 
recognized by The Adjutant General's Office, which has adopted the 
plan of transferring the military record cards of Civil War volun- 
teers from the Tenth Street branch to the Regimental Records Divi- 
sion and filing these cards with the military record cards in that 
division. The method of effecting this transfer is to send cards from 
the Tenth Street branch to the Regimental Records Division for 
permanent filing whenever the latter division has occasion to consult 
any of the cards for Civil War volunteers filed in the Tenth Street 
branch. This method is slow and ineffective and has resulted in the 
transfer of only about one-third of the cards during the many years 
that this practice has been in operation. In the case of the records 
for volunteers in the Spanish War and in the Philippine insurrection 
The Adjutant General's Office has consolidated in one file in the 
Tenth Street branch both the military record cards and the medical 
record cards for these soldiers. This arrangement is the logical one 
as it brings together into one file jacket all of the military and medi- 
cal record cards for one man. This arrangement enables the office 
to furnish a complete statement of military and medical history by 
referring to one place in one file. 

A partial obstacle to the consolidation and proper arrangement of 
these files has existed in the limited space in the State, War, and 
Navy Building. With the adoption of the commission's recom- 
mendation for placing all old military records in a new building 
suitable for the storage of such records this obstacle will be removed, 
and it will be possible to arrange and consolidate the files of these 
old records in such a way as to expedite their use. 



BUSINESS METHODS OP OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEKAL. 



77 



At the present time it is necessary to take a large number of steps 
in handling- and rehandling cases which are to be acted upon jointly 
by the Eegimental Eecords Division and the Tenth Street branch. 
On another page of this report is given an outline of these steps, 
which shows that at the present time 14 processes are being per- 
formed, all of which would be unnecessary upon the consolidation 
of the files of military-record cards now located in these two divisions. 

A large indirect saving will be effected through the elimination 
of this unnecessary rehandling of cases. In addition to the indirect 
saving there will be a direct annual saving in the salaries of employees 
engaged in searching the files at the Tenth Street branch of approxi- 
mately $4,600. This saving will be made possible because upon the 
adoption of this recommendation all information can be produced 
by searching the files once instead of twice as at present. 

The consolidation of the medical-record cards for Volunteer troops 
with the military-record cards for such troops now filed in the Regi- 
mental Records Division will also largely reduce the clerical work 
necessary for the preparation of a statement of military and medical 
history. In place of searching two files as at present, and of sending 
{» communication from one division to another, and frequently from 
one building to another, it will be possible, upon the consolidation 
of files in the Regimental Records and Medical Divisions, as here 
recommended, to furnish the information with a search of one file. 

At the time of the preparation of the descriptive report for the 
Regimental Records Division it contained 25 employees; the Tenth 
Street branch employed 9 men in searching and reporting from 
military card records, of whom it is estimated that 5 should be 
transferred to the Regimental Records Division; and the Medical 
Division 17 men, of whom it is estimated that 9 should be transferred 
to the Regimental Records Division; and the Correspondence and 
Examining Division employed 13 men, to be transferred. The Regi- 
mental Records Division, after the consolidation here recommended, 
will contain the 25 men now in that division, the 5 men to be trans- 
ferred from the Tenth Street branch, the 9 men to be transferred 
from the Medical Division, and the 13 from Correspondence and 
Examining Division, making a total of 52 men, as follows: 



Transferred from— 


Class 4. 


Class 3. 


Class 2. 


Class 1. 


At 
$1,000. 


Total. 


Total 
salaries. 


Present Regimental Records Division 

From Correspondence and Examiniag Divi- 
sion 


3 

1 


3 

1 

4 

1 


11 

2 
3 


8 

9 
2 
2 


2 


25 

13 
9 
5 


S35,200 
17, 000 


From Medical Division 


13, 000 


From Tenth Street branch 




6,000 








Total 


4 


9 


16 


21 


2 


52 


71, 200 







78 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

7. Archives Division, to he formed hy a consolidation of the present 
Archives Division and portions of the Medical Division, Seven^ 
teenth Street hranch, and publication branch. 

The Archives Division has the custody of original military records 
exclusive of regimental records and personal papers filed in the Regi- 
mental Eecords Division, and exclusive of returns and muster rolls 
for the Regular Army filed in the Returns and Rolls Divisions. The 
old military records filed in the Archives Division are consulted 
principally for the purpose of furnishing information necessary to 
complete statements of military service requested by the Commis- 
sioner of Pensions and Auditor for the War Department. These 
records are also searched for data requested for historical and gene- 
{dogical purposes. 

The Medical Division has the custody of all medical records of 
the Army, including those for regular and volunteer troops. The 
old medical records pertaining to discontinued military organiza- 
tions are not used in connection with the conduct of current mili- 
laiy affairs. These old records logically belong in the Archives Di- 
vision when considered from the standpoint of use made of the 
records. 

The Seventeenth Street branch has the custody of a part of the 
prisoner-of-war records, the balance of them being filed in the 
Archives Division. This branch also has the custody of duplicate 
copies of old military records. These two classes of records are 
in fact a part of the files of the Archives Division but are not 
at present in the custody of that division for lack of space in the 
State, War, and Navy Building. The Seventeenth Street branch 
is also engaged in repairing such old documents and records as are 
torn. This work is incident to the custody of the old records and 
should be performed by a division in which the records are filed. 

The publication branch has the custody of 80 volumes of ordnance 
reports made by officers during the Civil War. These records are 
similar to those in the custody of the Archives Division, and no 
reason has been advanced for filing this small number of ordnance 
reports in the publication branch. This branch is charged with the 
duty of furnishing information from the published " Official Rec- 
ords of the Union and Confederate Armies " in reply to certain 
classes of inquiries. It is also charged with the verification of in- 
scriptions prepared for monuments and tablets to be placed in na- 
tional parks and reservations. These classes of work now performed 
by the publication branch are of the same character as the Avork 
performed by the Archives Division, and all of this work should be 
performed in the latter division. The publication branch is also 
charged with the compilation of a report on the organization and 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEKAL. 79 

casualties of the Union and Confederate Armies. If it is decided 
that this work is to be continued, it should be transferred to the 
Archives Division. 

The transfer of the files and work above described to the Archives 
Division will eliminate unnecessary work now performed in referring 
communications to the publication branch which could be handled 
by the Archives Division alone; it will also make it unnecessary for 
employees of the Archives Division to visit the Seventeenth Street 
branch in order to procure from its files information needed for the 
completion of cases assigned to the Archives Division, and it will 
facilitate the repair of torn documents and records by reason of hav- 
ing the employees who are engaged upon this work under the con- 
trol of the Archives Division, which has the largest number of docu- 
ments requiring repair. 

The transfer of records from the Medical Division will involve 
some additional work to be performed in the Archives Division, 
and it is accordingly recommended that one clerk at $1,400 be trans- 
ferred from the former to the latter division. 

The small amount of additional work to be performed by the 
Archives Division as a result of the proposed transfer of records 
from the Seventeenth Street branch can be readily performed with- 
out any increase in the force of the Archives Division. With respect 
to the repair of torn documents, it is recommended that the two em- 
ployees now engaged upon that work in the Seventeenth Street 
branch be transferred to the Archives Division. One of these em- 
ployees receives a salary of $1,000 and the other a salary of $1,200. 

The transfer of records and work from the publication branch 
will require no additional clerks to be assigned to the Archives Di- 
vision, with the exception of the work on the compilation of the 
report on the organization and casualties of the Union and Con- 
federate Armies. There was an equivalent of five clerks devoting 
Iheir full time to this work during 1912. 

The savings to be effected by this proposed consolidation are shown 
in other sections of this report. 

Upon the adoption of the recommendations for changes in the 
Archives Division and for transfers to this division, the number of 
employees will be as follows: 





At 
$2,000. 


Class 4. 


Class 3. 


Class 2. 


Class 1. 


At 
11,000. 


Total 
salaries. 




1 


2 


4 


4 
1 


4 


2 


.$24, 400 




1,400 










1 
1 


1 


2,200 






1 


1 


2 


7,400 








Total 


1 


3 


5 


7 


6 


3 


35,400 







80 EEPOKTS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

8. Carding Division to consist of those em/ployees of the Tenth Street 
hranch note emfloyed in carding Confederate military records. 

The preparation of military and medical record cards for men in 
the Confederate Army is being conducted by Sections I, II, IV, and V 
of the Tenth Street branch. These sections are also performing other 
classes of work, but the preparation of the record cards is their prin- 
cipal function. This is a class of work distinct from that performed 
in other divisions of the office. Its purpose is to make readily avail- 
able information contained in a large number and great variety of 
original records. This work is of a permanent character and so is 
wholly different from current or routine work. 

The records for all Confederate States, excepting Virginia, have 
been carded, and it is estimated that two years will be required to com- 
plete the cards for that State, provided the present force is continued 
on the work. 

The force now consists of clerks of the following grades who are 
reported as devoting the whole or a part of their time to carding 
work : 

3 clerks, class 4 $5, 400 

8 clerks, class 3 12, 800 

10 clerks, class 2 14, 000 

41 clerks, class 1 49, 200 

22 clerks at $1,000 22,000 

84 103, 400 

A number of these clerks are devoting part of their time to other 
classes of work, as mailing descriptive circulars of deserters, printing 
and searching and reporting from military records. The time spent 
on circulars is equivalent to the full time of 5 clerks and that on 
searching to the full time of one clerk. In considering the cost of these 
several classes of work, it has been considered that of the 84 employees 
reported on carding work, 2 clerks at $1,200 and 3 clerks at $1,000, 
have been continuously employed on the descriptive circulars, and 1 
clerk at $1,200 has been continuously employed on searching and re- 
porting from records. Allowing for these details, the force employed 
on the carding work has consisted of — 

3 clerks, class 4 $5,400 

8 clerks, class 3 12, 800 

10 clerks, class 2 14,000 

38 clerks, class 1 45, 600 

19 clerks at $1,000 19,000 

78 96. 800 

It is recommended that this force be continued on the carding of 

Confederate records, and that it be organized as a separate division. 

It has been customary to detail clerks from the carding work not 

only to other work in the Tenth Street branch as described, but also 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OrFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEKAL. 81 

to other divisions which might be temporarily in need of extra em- 
ployees. Such details can be made more readily and with less inter- 
ference to work than details from divisions engaged in any current 
work. 

2. DEFECTS IN 3IETH0DS. 

This section of the report is devoted to a critical discussion, with 
constructive suggestions, in regard to the present methods, which 
have kept the office in a position where it could not maintain pace 
with improvements in methods of conducting business which of 
recent years have been pronounced not only in the commercial Avorld, 
but in other executive departments of the Government. 

While the results of the clerical operations of The Adjutant Gen- 
eral's Office are excellent, the attention to duty of the whole force is 
on a high plane, and the correspondence is handled with dispatch, ' 
the entire system is open to criticism on the ground that more or less 
elaborate provision has been made against every possible contingency 
which may under remote conjecture arise. Records, indexes, and 
reports are kept, which in many instances have only an occasional 
bearing on the work of the office, and only in a very remote degree 
increase its efficiency. In short, the system has been carried to such 
an unreasonable extent that it has become unwieldy, and it is only a 
question of to what degree such system can be curtailed so as to bring 
it within the reasonable limits of a well-administered office. In this 
^system lies the enormous expense of the clerical operations of the 
office— an expense wholly out of proportion to that sustained by any 
other large office of the Government, whether engaged in similar 
woric or not. 

The following subjects are taken up : 

a. Methods of handling and filing correspondence. 
6. The five-minute messenger service. 

c. Comparison of present with proposed methods. 

d. Methods of handling telegraphic business. 

e. Methods of preparation and distribution of circulars descriptive of de- 
serters. 

/. Methods of filing old military records and furnishing information there- 
from. 
g. Defects in methods of administrative control. 

A. DEFECTS IN METHODS OF HANDLING AND FILING COKRESPONDENCE. 

Stating them briefly, the commission's criticisms may be said to lie 
chiefly against the following practices and conditions : 

1. The folding of communications and filing them in document files, an out- 
of-date practice which has long since been discontinued in commercial concerns 
and is fast being abolished in the Government service. 

72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 6 



82 KEPOETS OP COMMISSION" OF ECONOMY AND EPPICIENCY. 

2. The briefing on the back of the subject matter of a communication, which 
is necessary when it is folded and filed in a document file, another practice 
which the modern flat filing of correspondence has caused to be abolished. 

3. The arrangement of the impersonal or subject correspondence files under 
an arbitrary numerical system, necessitating elaborate finding indexes. 

4. The same arbitrary arrangement of the personnel correspondence files, with 
subsidiary index. 

5. The recording and indexing of correspondence where the records can be of 
no permanent or historical value. 

6. The press copying of outgoing correspondence, a slow process which delays 
the dispatch of the outgoing mail. 

7. The practice of preparing a first draft of each outgoing communication on 
31 by 8 inch record cards, and after approval of the draft, writing a second and 
final draft for signature, which practice means the writing of nearly every com- 
munication twice. ■ 

8. A failure to take full advantage of the possibilities of the abbreviated form 
of conducting interdivisional correspondence, of which there is a very large 
amount in the office of The Adjutant General, due to the scattered location of 
the divisions of that office. 

9. A failure to take advantage of the printed form in the preparation of com- 
munications in which the same language is repeatedly employed. 

10. A failure to take full advantage, in connection with the preparation of 
correspondence, of labor-saving devices, such as the dictation machine, address- 
ing machines, etc. 

The principal recommendations which are intended to correct the 
practices and conditions above mentioned are as follows : 

1. That the present system of folding correspondence and filing in document 
files be discontinued and flat filing substituted. 

2. That briefing be discontinued. 

3. That " impersonal " correspondence be filed under a subjective classifica- 
tion arranged as nearly as possible upon a self -indexing basis; and instead of 
arbitrary file numbers, that a logical arrangement of numbers under a decimal 
or analogous system be employed. 

4. That " personnel " correspondence be filed alphabetically without enumera- 
tion or index. 

5. That the writing of record cards be discontinued. 

6. That the indexing of correspondence requesting statements of military 
service be discontinued. 

7. That press copying be discontinued, and carbon copies be used in lieu 
thereof. 

8. That the present practice of preparing a first draft of each outgoing com- 
munication on 3J by 8 inch record cards, and after approval of the draft writ- 
ing a second and final draft for signature, be discontinued, and that hereafter 
the correspondence be prepared on sheets 8 by lOJ inches ready for signature, 
with sufficient carbon copies for record purposes. 

9. That the forms used in conducting correspondence within The Adjutant 
General's Office be revised, so as to provide for placing thereon the working data 
collected in connection' with the preparation of military service and other 
statements. 

■ 10. That a code of symbols be used for the greater part of the correspondence 
between the divisions of The Adjutant General's Office in connection with the 
collection and preparation of data relative to statements of military service. 

11. That the phonograph be used for preparing correspondence. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 83 

Criticisms of the features which have led us to make the above 
recommendations are taken up in the order in which the recommenda- 
tions are made, and the reasons and general principles underlying 
these recommendations are discussed in like order. 

1. It is recommended thai the present system of folding correspond- 
ence and filing in docu<m.ent files he discontinued^ and fiat filing 
he suhstituted. 

The original documents and communications of The Adjutant 
General's Office are filed in " document " files. This means that every 
paper of whatever dimensions which is filed must be folded to a 
size approximately 3J by 8 inches. Such folding, of course, usually 
completelj^ hides the text of the correspondence which would tend 
to identify it, and in this condition lies the reason why such com- 
munications are briefed on the back to show the contents. It is 
claimed bj^ the advocates of folded filing that this brief enables the 
searcher to quickly identify among a group of papers the particular 
paper he is seeking, since it is not necessary for him to scrutinize 
a page or two of typewritten or handwritten matter. We do not 
believe this to be the correct view. As a matter of fact, a glance 
at a letter serves to identify its subject, and this is especially aided 
by underscoring representative words, which direct the eye to the 
subject matter of the communication. Sometimes the brief is in- 
accurate, and frequently not full enough to indicate to the searcher 
that the communication discusses a particular matter which he has 
in mind, and which if it were open would be quickly disclosed to 
him. If the folded paper remained folded while in the hands of 
correspondence clerks and others, the argument advanced in favor 
of folded filing might have some weight; but in practice the com- 
munication is always unfolded. Clerks will not risk the chance of 
basing a ruling or letter on a brief statement of the contents of 
the incoming letter ; they desire to read such part of the letter itself 
as has a direct bearing on the subject about which they are prepar- 
ing correspondence. This invariable practice means two unneces- 
sary motions in connection with the consultation and use of papers 
which have been filed away in folded files; namely, the unfolding 
of the document for consultation, and the refolding of the paper 
for filing. Where thousands of papers enter and are removed from 
the files each week, as is the case in this office, the time lost in folding 
and unfolding becomes a very considerable item. 

The universal practice in commercial concerns is to file correspond- 
ence flat, and this likewise is the practice in most of the offices of 
the Government. With flat filing the papers are more accessible, 
they take up less space, and such filing is particularly desirable in 



84 REPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

the case of papers of the historical value of those in The Adjutant 
General's Office, which must be preserved an indefinite period of 
years. An examination of some of the old files in this office, as well 
as in other offices of the Government, discloses that papers that were 
filed folded, crumble, wear out at the folds, and are easily mutilated. 
In fact, a section of The Adjutant General's Office is regularly en- 
gaged in patching up papers which have worn out at the folds. 
With flat filing this wearing out will be prevented. Nor will the 
handling of the original documents themselves, which, under a dis- 
continuance of the record cards would be more frequent than for- 
merly, tend to wear out the papers if they are properly filed. It 
is handling folded papers that wears them out. The handling to 
which fiat papers are subjected is very much less, and as a rule it is 
only the particular paper desired which is handled to any extent, 
so that the older papers in the file remain absolutely undisturbed. 

The existing files are not dust proof, and dust is a fruitful factor in 
tending to make documents retained a long number of years unread- 
able. Modern files, both metal and wood, are practically dust proof. 

Our recommendation that the vertical flat filing system be adopted 
for the correspondence and documents of The Adjutant General's 
Office does not contemplate a refiling of such documents as have 
already been filed. It is proposed to inaugurate flat filing with new 
correspondence only, continuing to employ the record cards instead 
of the original papers in those cases where such cards have already 
been made. Although the use of the record cards as working ma- 
terials in conducting the correspondence of The Adjutant General's 
Office has been a considerable aid to the office and serves in substi- 
tution of the original papers in a large per cent of the cases, whereas 
otherwise it would be necessary to send to the basement for the 
original papers, which can not be handled in their present folded 
condition with the same dispatch as the record cards, it is not be- 
lieved the enormous expense of making record cards and transcrib- 
ing the information from the original documents upon them is 
justified by the saving of time in handling. The cards having been 
made, however, we believe they should be used to expedite handling 
of correspondence, but our recommendations in this regard can in 
no sense be construed as an approval of the making of record cards. 
Their making w^as not justified in our opinion, but their use, when 
made, is advisable. A file under the system recommended would be 
composed of two sections — first, the original papers received after a 
certain date; secondly, the record cards referring to the papers 
received prior to that date. 

The adaption of present forms to fiat filing. — Most of the forms 
used in connection with the conduct of correspondence between the 
offices of the Auditor for the War Department and the Commis- 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 85 

sioner of Pensions and the Office of The Adjutant General, in rela- 
tion to the military service of individuals who served in the forces of 
the United States, are designed for folded filing only, with the con- 
sequent necessity for briefiing in order to identify the papers in the 
file. As these documents are eventually filed in the office of the 
Auditor and Commissioner of Pensions, and since in the former 
department (Treasury) the Secretary has issued an order discon- 
tinuing briefing and providing for the flat filing of correspondence 
throughout his department, and the committee appointed to consider 
and report on the subject in the Department of the Interior has 
recommended the flat filing of papers in that department, the forms 
used in this office which are finally filed in the other departments 
mentioned should be adapted to flat filing. 

2. It is recommended that hriefbrig he discontinued. 

By briefing is meant writing a synopsis of the subject matter of a 
communication on the back. As already stated, the only purpose 
briefing serves is to facilitate the identification of a particular paper 
among a group of papers folded in a document file. Where papers 
are filed flat briefing becomes unnecessar3^ 

Briefing is unheard of in commerciaL concerns, and is fast being 
discontinued in the executive departments. When the commission's 
inquiry disclosed the fact that the time spent upon briefing in the 
Treasury Department amounted in salary cost to over $12,000 per 
annum, the Secretary of the Treasury immediately issued an order 
abolishing briefing of correspondence throughout his department, 
and later extended the scope of the order to include vouchers and 
accounting documents. 

The number of clerks engaged in briefing in the Office of The 
Adjutant General is 46 persons, who spend 15 per cent of their time 
on this operation, at an aggregate annual salary cost of $8,700. 

S. It is recommended that impersonal ^ correspondence he filed under 
a subjective classification arranged as nearly as possihle upon a 
self -indexing hasis; and instead of arbitrary file numbers that a 
logical arrangement of numbers under a decimal or analogous 
system be employed. * 

The correspondence of The Adjutant General's Office naturall}^ 
divides itself into two main classes, that which is impersonal or 
concerns a subject and that which concerns an individual. The im- 

^ By " impersonal correspondence " is meant that class of correspondence which con- 
cerns an inanimate subject, or all persons in general, as distinguished from corre- 
spondence which has particular relation to one individual or a small group of persons 
and is referred to in this report as " personnel correspondence." 



86 KEPOETS OP COMMISSIOISr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

personal correspondence has already been minutely classified, both 
by means of the index cards and by a compilation of subjects 
arranged in book forms. 

The system of filing this correspondence is simply a numerical 
finding method. Under this plan all letters received are numbered 
under one immense sequence of progressive numbers, each new file 
receiving the number after the last file. It insures considerable ease 
in the finding of a given letter provided the file number is known 
and presents the economic advantage of requiring filing space to be 
reserved only at one place — the end of the sequence. In connection 
with this system a card index is employed, by means of which the 
location of correspondence is ascertained. 

We recommend that the correspondence itself, instead of being 
given an arbitrary number and filed in the accidental order of its 
receipt, irrespective of the subject matter, be filed so that papers on 
the same subject shall be together and correspondence on allied sub- 
jects nearby. We recommend also that the arbitrary enumeration of 
cases be supplanted by an enumeration which shall itself identify the 
subject matter, after the plan of decimal enumeration originating 
with the cataloguing of books which has been applied with con- 
siderable success recently to correspondence. 

Subjective classification of correspondence is merely the applica- 
tion of the card-index principle to the filing of letters. It is based 
on the Dewey Decimal System of Library Classification. This sys- 
tem, which is the most extensively used of all schemes of systematic 
library classification, was devised in 1873 by Melvil Dewey. His 
method divides human knowledge into 10 classes, to which numbers 
are assigned, as follows: 

0. General works. 

1. Philosopliy. 

2. Religion. 

3. Sociology. 

4. Theology. 

5. Natural science. 

6. Useful arts. 

7. Fine arts. 

8. Literature. 

9. History. 

Each of the above classes is divided into 10 divisions, and each 
division into 10 sections. 

Applying this system to the filing of letters involves grouping the 
various subjects likely to be included in correspondence under 10 
general heads, to each of which is given a distinguishing number, 
with further division into subgroups bearing subnumbers of the 
base number assigned to the general head. 



BUSIIS-ESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 87 

Taking the correspondence of a telephone company, for example, 
we have the following as the main classes : 

000. General. 

100. Executive. 

200, Finance and. accounts. 

300. Construction. 

400. Equipment. 

500. Operation. 

600. Rates. 

Each of the above general classes is susceptible of further subdi- 
vision by the employment of additional digits. For example, the 
heading " 300, construction " is subdivided as . follows : 

300. Construction. 

310. Real estate. 

320. Pole lines. 

330. Circuits, loops, phantoms, etc. 

340. Conduits. 

350. Poles, wires, etc. 

360. Cables. ' 

370. PriA^ate lines, wire, etc. 

No. 310 is subdivided thus: 

310. Real estate. 

310.1 Purchase of property. 

310.2 Construction of new buildings. 

310.3 Maintenance of real estate. > 

And No. 310.2 is subdivided as follows: 

310.2. Construction of new buildings. 

310.21 Plans and specifications. • 

310.22 Contracts for new buildings. 

310.23 Interior appointments. 

No. 310.23 has these subdivisions : 

310.23. Interior appointments. 

310.281 Furnishing. , 

310.232 Heating plant. 

310.233 Lighting. 

And No. 310.233 is subdivided into : 

310.233. Lighting. 

310.233.1. Electric wiring. 

310.233.2. Gas fixtures. 

310.233.3. Oil. 

The chief merits of the decimal system of classification lie in the 
fact that the subject of the correspondence predetermines the exact 
place of filing, without necessitating either book or card-record in- 
dexing ; that the left-hand digit of the numbers used furnishes a key 
to the character of the correspondence and that the additional num- 



55 EEPOETS OF COMMISSIOX ON" ECOJSTOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

hers to the right still further define the precise nature of the corre- 
spondence, beyond its general character; and that the use of groups 
of tens or decimals renders the system susceptible of indefinite expan- 
sion as necessity may call for, without altering the value of any of 
the figures originally assigned to a subject or group of subjects. 

A single illustration will suffice to make 'this point clear. Take, for 
example, a collection of letters, some having reference to the purchase 
of property, others to the construction of new buildings, and others 
to the maintenance of real estate. 

It is evident that in an attempt at their classification they will be 
found to have one feature in common; that is, they alike treat of 
" real estate." Consequently all of the correspondence mentioned will 
be filed somewhere under the class number of 310, that being the 
number assigned to that division of subjects. It will be further 
found, through an exceedingly brief study of the subdivisions of the 
general subject of " real estate," that the particular place of filing 
each of the several letters relating to the, subjects mentioned is easily 
discoverable, and a short experience will result in mentally associat- 
ing not only the general numbers, but the subnumbers as well, with 
the subjects to which they relate. 

Of course, practical experience discloses the fact that many letters 
are of such nature as to permit their being filed under any one of two 
or more subjects. In such cases the proper filing place is determined 
by narrowing down the question to the most definite and concrete 
subject appearing in the correspondence, and then by covering the 
remaining possible places of filing through the insertion of blank 
sheets carrying references to the original paper. 

The advantages of the decimal system as applied to correspondence 
files are : 

1. It can be applied with ease to the most varied subjects, and the 
most minute details can be classified by a few figures which represent 
their relationship and show their dependence upon or subordination 
to one another. 

2. When any new topic arises it is alwaj^s closely related to some 
other existing head, and connecting it with the nearest head by adding 
a decimal place makes abundant room for the newcomer. The system 
is thus capable of unlimited expansion and can never break down for 
lack of room for growth. 

3 Not only are all papers on one subject found together, but the 
most nearly allied subjects precede and follow, they in turn being 
preceded and followed by other allied subjects as far as practicable. 

4. Correspondence on allied subjects is sure to be separated sooner 
or later in every file arranged on the common plan unless it be fre- 
quently rearranged and reindexed, and the great amount of labor 
involved renders it impracticable and very undesirable. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 89 

5. The numbers tell of each letter or file of correspondence, both 
what it is and where it is. 

6. '\¥hile the total file numbers used may be quite large, as a mat- 
ter of fact a file arranged upon the decimal system may be said to 
consist of but 10 numbers, namely, zero to 9, inclusive, the other 
numbers being subdivisions of these 10 general heads for the con- 
venience of the file clerk in placing the papers in the file in a sys- 
tematic manner, so that the}^ can be quickly located when wanted. 

7. Correspondence can be readily located without reference to the 
subject index. 

4. It is recomm.ended that 'personnel correspondence he Hied rdpha- 
heticaUy loithout enumeration or index. 

The personnel correspondence should be filed alphabetically, whicii 
arrangement will make unnecessary the maintenance of an alpha- 
betical index. 

By this arrangement of the correspondence it will be necessary to 
go to only one place to obtain the papers in regard to a particular 
individual, whereas under the present system of giving to the indi- 
vidual an arbitrary number and depending upon an alphabetic 
arrangement of cards to guide the searcher to the proper file it is 
necessary to search two places. In observations and studies made 
by members of the staff of the commission, it was found that the best 
arrangement of papers relating to individuals, and that which per- 
mitted of the greatest speed in consultation, especially in very large 
files, was the alphabetic without a subsidiary index. Files contain- 
ing papers relating to as many as 300,000 persons were found to be 
giving complete satisfaction. In most cases of alphabetic arrange- 
ment it was stated that a change had been made from a preceding 
arbitrary arrangement of such files with a subsidiary alphabetic 
index. Alphabetic filing is simply arranging the correspondence in 
the files themselves in the same order that the alphabetic index cards 
are placed in the index file drawer, and thus effects a consolidation 
of two files, with obvious increase of speed in consultation. 

It is further believed that the consultation of the personnel files 
will be greatly facilitated if the correspondence in relation to officers 
is separated from that concerning enlisted men. Under the recom- 
mendations providing for a grouping of divisions, with Mail and 
Record Division in the center, flanked on either side by the Officers" 
Division and Enlisted Men's Division, the correspondence in relation 
to officers could be filed on the side of the Mail and Record Division 
nearest to the Officers' Division and the files of correspondence con- 
cerning the enlisted men in that part of the Mail and Record Division 
nearest the Enlisted Men's Division. 



90 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON" ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

5. It is recommended that the lorUing of record cards he discontinued. 

The record cards contain a synopsis of each incoming communica- 
tion and a verbatim record of each outgoing communication, as well 
as a brief record of every step or authorization taken in connection 
"vrith the handling of correspondence. 

These records constitute practically a duplication of the original 
papers which are filed in the document files, with a corresponding 
duplication of filing equipment. The record cards are prepared by 
typewriting, and their filling out is greatly retarded on account of 
the small size of the card, since the typewriter has to adjust the cards 
to his machine and shift the carriage three times as often in writing 
up these cards as in writing on letterheads of a regular size. In 
cases where an extension of the record becomes necessary, the addi- 
tional card is pasted to the old one. In such cases much time is 
necessarily lost in adjusting the cards to the typewriter and pasting 
them to the preceding file of record cards. 

The theory underlying the making of record cards is that the 
information thereon, although a duplication of the information con- 
tained at length in the original documents, is set forth in compact 
form, so that a succession of letters may appear briefly upon a single 
card, and the eye in searching for a particular communication may 
quickly reach the one desired and the purport of the communication 
be ascertained without consulting the original papers. The same 
argument has been made in defense of the somewhat similar record 
known as the "register of correspondence," which is a complete 
record of all letters passing in and out of an office, and which up to a 
few years ago was in quite extensive use in railroad and industrial 
concerns. This register had its origin in the imperfection of old 
filing systems and was used as a safeguard for consultation wherever 
a loose filing system failed. With the installation of modern filing 
systems, both in outside business concerns and in the offices of the 
Government, the practical necessity of such record, either book or 
card, is rapidly disappearing. 

A careful examination of a large number of cases in the office of 
The Adjutant General indicates that in at least 60 per cent of them 
it would not be necessary to refer to the record cards at all, the basis 
for all action in connection with, the case being found in the incom- 
ing communication itself. In most of the cases under the present 
system, the record cards are transmitted to the division to handle 
along with the original correspondence. As a rule the question raised 
by a piece of incoming correspondence is a current one, and there is 
no need for previous papers to aid in its solution. A glance at an 
incoming letter will determine in nine cases out of ten whether the 
communication touches a subject originally, or whether it is a con- 



BUSINESS METHODS OP OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEKAL. 91 

tinuance of a subject that is already open. Discretion should be 
given to the Mail and Record Division to determine whether the 
previous papers should be transmitted with the incoming letter or 
not. If this were done it is believed that previous papers would 
accompany not more than 40 per cent of the cases, and that it would 
be quite rare that previous papers would be called for afterwards by 
the correspondence clerk. 

Record cards v. original documents. — This question is considered 
from the standpoint of — 

1. Permanent value as historical records. 

2. Convenience in handling as working material. 

3. Accuracy of the record. 

4. Completeness of the record. 

5. Expense of making. 

1. Permanent value as historical records. — The greater part of the 
documents filed in The Adjutant General's Office have a permanent 
historical value. They are, in fact, the foundation on which the 
pension system of the country rests, and the necessity of protecting 
the rights of those who have served in the Army demands that the 
utmost care be taken in preserving the records so that they may at 
all times be accessible and complete. It is conceded that preservation 
and accessibility outweigh considerations of expense. 

A pronounced cause of wear and tear, and also great delay in 
handling, is the repeated folding and unfolding of papers. Folding 
and unfolding are carried to an extreme in The Adjutant General's 
Office. For example, the folded communication when removed from 
the envelope is (1) unfolded for examination, (2) folded again in 
order that the appropriate record card and index card may be 
attached thereto. The communication is again (3) unfolded in the 
briefing room in order to determine its purport so that the same 
may be written on the record card, and again the letter is (4) folded 
so that the brief may be written on the back of the first fold. When 
received in the card file room of the Mail and Record Division the 
communication is again (5) unfolded in order to determine its con- 
tents so as to facilitate searching the index for prior papers. Under 
the practice which prevails in that division, dependence is not placed 
upon the brief on the back of the letter, or the synopsis on the record 
card. The communication must be (6) folded for the third time 
before it is transmitted by the messenger service to the division to 
which it relates. In the relevant division the paper is (7) unfolded 
for the fourth time to determine its contents and again (8) folded in 
order to transmit it to the clerk in that division who is to handle it 
The clerk must (9) unfold the communication for the fifth time in 
order to determine its subject matter, and in the case of an indorse- 



92 REPOETS OF COMMISSIOlSr OlST ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

ment (10) fold the communication in order to ]3lace the indorsement 
thereon, or, if the communication is answered by a letter, the corre- 
spondence must be folded in order to transmit it by the messenger 
service to the reviewing clerk. The reviewing clerk must (11) un- 
fold the communication of rthe sixth time, and again (12) fold it 
for transmission to The Adjutant General. The communication must 
be (13) unfolded for the seventh time by The Adjutant General if he 
desires to determine its subject matter, and lastly (14) folded for the 
seventh time when sent to the files after dispatch of the reply. Does 
folding and unfolding all the papers received in the oiRce on an 
average of fourteen times tend to wear them out? The question is 
its own answer. Under the flat-filing system the communication will 
be unfolded when taken from the envelope, and remain in unfolded 
shape throughout its entire handling. 

Another cause of wearing out folded papers is their rubbing 
against the sides of document files each time the file case is with- 
drawn. With flat filing there are no folds to rub against the sides of 
the box. Only the unfolded edge of the file is subjected to such 
rubbing. This abrasion acts upon the edge of the backing sheet which 
usually projects beyond the edges of the papers in the case, so that 
the papers themselves are not touched. Even if the backing sheet 
wears and the papers are subjected to the rubbing against the sides 
of the drawer, it is only the edge thereof — no writing is obliterated, 
and there is usually an inch or more of blank paper which can be 
worn away before the written matter on the document is touched. 

A document file may contain a hundred cases. These cases ?.re held 
securely in the file by the pressure o"f the follower block, so that the 
mere pulling out of the file does not serve to move them. But to 
extract a paper from the file the follower block must be set free, and 
the papers contiguous to that sought must be moved away so as to 
make the particular paper accessible. This means that every time 
any one of the hundred cases in the file is consulted the other 99 
are rubbed against the side of the file box in such a manner that the 
part of each document most susceptible to wear, namely, the folded 
part, since it presents a rough edge, is rubbed against the side of the 
box. It is only a question of how much abrasion is necessary to cause 
the fold to split. Frequently this causes an obliteration of the writ- 
ing on the inside line of the fold. A wearing away of the hundredth 
part of an inch at the fold is sufficient to split the paper. 

One argument advanced in favor of the continuation of the record 
card is that it contains notations which show the successive steps 
taken by clerks and others in connection with the preparation of 
replies to communication or the collection of information upon which 
to base such replies, as well as the initials of those responsible for the 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 93 

several steps taken in haT.dling. These additions to the record, how- 
ever, can have no perma^'^Tit vakie or bearing upon the question of 
fact in regard to the afe^lon of the department itself. Their only 
value is a temporary one, sometimes useful to determine who author- 
ized certain action. In such case, however, where a succession of 
officers may have something to do with the preparation of a certain 
ruling, their knowledge of the matter can be attested by attaching 
their initials to the carbon copy, which under the recommendations 
of the commission will constitute the record of outgoing corre- 
spondence. This is the practice in some offices of the Government 
at the present time. Further detail than this in regard to the taking 
of action covering a case is unnecessary under a reasonable adminis- 
tration of business. In some cases, of course, it is recognized as 
necessary to retain a memorandum in order to show the reason under- 
lying certain action taken, but in such cases the memorandum could 
be written on a regular letter-size piece of paper and preserved with 
the original papers rather than elsewhere. Its importance should 
cause it to be made part of the original file. 

2. From standpoint of corwenience in handling as working mate- 
rial. — The record cards are all of a uniform size, making a compact file 
to handle. The original documents are necessarily of various sizes. 

One advantageous use that is made of the record cards is to have 
them serve as the working materials for the preparation of corre- 
spondence, in which respect they are employed instead of the original 
papers. It was found upon investigation that in a large percentage 
of the cases the record cards served this purpose, and in those cases it 
was not necessary to consult the original files. It is claimed by the 
advocates of the record card that the particular parts of the case 
which become the nucleus of a reply can be reached much more 
quickly, since the cards record the incoming correspondence in brief 
form, thus obviating the necessity of reading a complete succession 
of communications. In some cases it may be quicker to find certain 
information on the record cards or to read straight matter on the 
cards than to locate the corresponding information on the original 
papers or, in fact, to read a file of original papers. From the 
standpoint of merely reading the matter on the record cards as com- 
pared with reading the original documents, there may be a gain in 
time if the record cards are used. But it is believed that when the 
other factors, such as the very great expense of making the record 
cards, their incompleteness, and their liability to inaccuracj^, are con- 
sidered they greatly outweigh the minor one of occasional greater 
convenience of handling. It is well known that in practice the essen- 
tial matter of a letter can be determined as quickly by glancing over 
the letter itself, especially if the pertinent words are underscored, as 



94 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION OlST ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

by reading a snyopsis of it, which, in fact, is in many cases incom- 
plete and sometimes inaccurate, and in those cases time is lost, since 
the original communication must be consulted to make up the de- 
ficiencies of the record card. In the case of outgoing correspondence 
the record card, since it contains the letter verbatim, is as long as the 
letter itself. Detailed argument is unnecessary to prove that the 
executive or correspondence clerk will take longer to read matter on 
a card or succession of cards 3^ by 8 inches than to reach such matter 
on sheets 8 by 10-J inches. With the original papers filed flat, so 
that they will be very much more accessible and easily handled and 
read, they Avill meet every purpose now served by the record cards, 
and the enormous expense of making record cards will be saved 
without in any appreciable degree retarding the operations of the 
office. 

3. Accuracy of the record cards. — When the record cards are used 
as the working materials of the office in place of the original docu- 
ments, the circumstances surrounding their making offer many oppor- 
tunities for error. In respect of incoming communications, the card 
is not a verbatim record, but a synopsis, and there is a danger that 
a vital point of the incoming letter may be overlooked by the record- 
ing clerk. As an example of the doubt in regard to the accuracy 
of the record cards, it may be said that it is the invariable custom 
when the Secretary of War or the Chief of Staff or The Adjutant 
General calls for papers filed in The Adjutant General's Office to 
furnish the original papers. No chances are taken with the record 
card. This custom is strong evidence that from the standpoint of 
accuracy the record cards are considered quite inferior to the original 
documents. 

4. C ompleteness of the record. — One reason advanced in favor of 
the retention of the record card is that it enables the office at all 
times to have in its possession a synopsis of all incoming correspond- 
ence, a large part of which (estimated at about 50 per cent) is out- 
standing; that is, away from the Office of The Adjutant General. 
This is due to the method of answering by indorsement on the incom- 
ing letter. In cases where it is desired to know the purport of such 
outstanding correspondence the brief on the record card, it is argued, 
shows this adequately. In our opinion undue weight is given to 
this circumstance. Through the retention of carbon copies of the 
outgoing communications it is believed that the purport of the in- 
coming communications can be easily determined, or so much of it 
as is necessary to answer the inquiry of the moment. Furthermore, 
in order to occasion the office embarrassment (which would be only 
temporary; that is to say, while the papers are outstanding), three 
things must coincide. First, the inquiry must relate to correspond- 
ence which is outstanding; secondly, the inquiry must raise a need 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 95 

to know the purport of the incoming communication; and thirdly, 
it must be essential that this information be known speedily. Taking 
up these matters in order, we narrow the possibility of such an 
inquiry down to, first, not more than 50 per cent of the correspond- 
ence; secondly, experience has shown that when it is desired to 
know the purport of correspondence with which The Adjutant Gen- 
eral's Office is connected it is in nearly every case respecting what 
action the office has taken, not so much what action has been taken 
by the field. The importance of the matter is to know what The, 
Adjutant General's Office has done. This information is always in 
the retained files. 

Thirdly, it is only in rare cases, such as sending correspondence to 
the Philippine Islands, for example, that the original papers will not 
in regular course of business be returned to the Office of The Adjutant 
General within a few days. 

It is the general practice to reply to correspondence by indorse- 
ment, whereas in many cases there is no necessity for the original 
letter to go back to the office from which it came, and which will have 
a retained copy (carbon or press) in its files. The Navy Department 
recently, after a careful study of the matter, issued an order that as 
a general rule " letters from one office to another will be answered by 
a separate letter and not by indorsement on the original." This order 
was designed, as stated in the order itself, " to prevent the practice of 
having an original letter returned to the writer by an indorsement 
containing the report or information requested, and having in the 
indorsement a request for the return of the papers to the office or 
person to which they were originally sent, as this procedure necessi- 
tates increased clerical work in copying the indorsement and requires 
the papers to be mailed three times. If the original letter is answered 
by a separate letter, each office has a complete record of the corre- 
spondence without extra work and the papers are sent through the 
mails twice instead of three times." 

5. Expense of making record cards. — The recording clerk must 
necessarily read the communications carefully in order to frame in 
his own mind the synopsis of the letter which is placed upon the rec- 
ord cards. This, of course, takes time and occasions considerable 
expense. 

The typewriting of these cards and the index cards, including the 
recording and indexing referred to under the next recommendation, 
engages the services of 46 men 85 per cent of their time, at an aggregate 
annual cost of $49,300; so that this operation, together with the opera- 
tion of briefing referred to in the previous paragraph, occupies for 
their entire time the activities of 46 clerks at an aggregate annual 
cost of $58,000. This estimate only takes into account the salary cost 
for making out the record cards and does not take into consideration 



96 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

the time spent in initialing authority on the cards, using them for 
working memoranda and for interdivisional correspondence, so that 
the cost for originally making the record cards will be entirely saved 
without any substitution of work in another direction. 

The materials used are cards 8 inches long by 3^ inches wide and 
the records thereon is written across the width. These cards cost $40 
to $136 a thousand and it is estiuated that 1,050,000 cards are used 
annually for recording purposes. 

6. It is recoimnended that the indexing of correspondence requesting 
staterrbents of military service he discontinued. 

Another matter which has impressed us as being surrounded by an 
unnecessar}^ amount of detail is the recording and indexing of corre- 
spondence requesting statements of military service of individuals 
who served in previous wars. The records themselves are filed alpha- 
betically by military organizations, and are so well indexed and cross 
referenced that it is almost impossible to have a call for a particular 
individual, even if the spelling of the man's name is not exactly accu- 
rate, which will not result in finding the papers desired. Partial 
information will nearly always suffice in finding pertinent papers, due 
to the excellent system of cross referencing and cross indexing names 
under various spellings. 

With one exception, practically the only purpose served by the 
index card is to enable the tally clerk of the Mail and Record Divi- 
sion to determine at any time what cases are under consideration in 
the office and how long a period has elapsed since receipt of each. 

If inquiry is made in regard to a case concerning which action is 
pending, the tally clerk can inform the inquirer just how long the 
case has been under treatment. The tally clerk can also keep track of 
all cases which have been held on desks a given time, and this deters 
clerks from unduly delaying action. If this tally were discontinued, 
it is urged, there would be no check upon clerks who delayed cases 
other than such as might come to the attention of signing officers 
when the reply to the communication was finally made. We believe, 
however, that such delays would quite likely be brought to the atten- 
tion of the sigTiing officer, and that this would suffice to deter corre- 
spondence clerks from delaying their work. The discontinuance of 
the tally would not, in our opinion, have the effect of causing a gen- 
eral slowing up in the work of the office. Habitually slow work on 
the part of a clerk or undue delay in handling cases from time to 
time would be sure to come to light, when corrective measures could 
be applied. 

The exception referred to is in regard to 180,000 cases of military 
records, where the fact of furnishing to the auditor or Commissioner 



BUSINESS METHODS OP OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEKAL. 9^ 

of Pensions statements of military history has not been entered on 
the jacket containing the records themselves. The necessity is rec- 
ognized of there being some safeguard to prevent the auditor or 
Commissioner of Pensions paying a claim twice, and the system now 
existing in The Adjutant General's Office has provided for the noti- 
fication of those officers when it was disclosed that a statement of 
military history had been previously furnished in a particular case. 
The index card serves the purpose in these cases of supplying the 
record cards where the statement of previous furnishing of military 
history is indorsed. As these military organizations are definitely 
known and the index cards are preserved in a special file, it is recom- 
mended that this file be not disturbed until opportunity shall be had 
to indorse the same information on the flap of the jacket pertaining 
to these organizations as has been indorsed in all other cases. 

Requests for military history are received to the extent of 400 cases 
a day; consequently a like number of record cards are being made 
daily, although it is rare that they are consulted ; in fact all the in- 
formation which serves as the working materials in this office is con- 
tained in the document files. The uselessness, to our mind, of the 
index and record cards in these cases where the papers concerning 
the individuals are so well filed, classified, indexed, and cross indexed, 
of themselves, may best be illustrated by this analogy : Assume that 
this office maintained the only dictionary available and that other 
offices had to direct their requests to it whenever they desired a word 
defined. As fast as these requests were received this office entered 
on record cards the name of the individual making the request, the 
word to be defined, and also the definition, so that in case future re- 
quests should be made for a definition of the same word it would be 
available by consulting the card, and it would not be necessary to go 
to the dictionary. The instant query is : " Why not go to the dic- 
tionary in each case? " Time would be saved thereby, and it is of 
no importance to know whether the same word has been definefl 
before. 

The personal records in this office of individuals who served m 
the war are similar to the dictionary. They are well filed and welt 
indexed ; information can be obtained more quickly by consulting the 
records direct than by any other process; and it is quite immaterial 
from every standpoint of importance whether the information in 
regard to the individual has been previously furnished or not. While 
time is being wasted looking up the index and record cards the papers 
themselves could be found and the requisite information supplied. 

Practically the only purpose of making the index cards seems to 
be to provide against a situation where a second request is received 
for the military history of the same individual, in which cases, un- 

72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 7 



98 KEPOETS OF COMMISSIOISr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

less appropriate safeguards are employed, there is danger of the 
Pension or Auditor's Office paying a claim the second time. 

Occasionally, that is to say, several times a day, as we are informed, 
a request is made by the auditor or by the Commissioner of Pensions 
to furnish military information in regard to a particular individual, 
and it is disclosed, upon examination of the record cards or the 
original documents themselves, that like information has previously 
been furnished. An entry of this nature either on the record cards 
or the documents immediately raises a presumption that the claim 
irray already have been paid to the same individual, perhaps under 
a slightly different name, and in such cases it is the practice of The 
Adjutant General's Office to notify the office making the inquiry. 

This notice serves as a warning which causes additional scrutiny 
on the part of the office making the inquiry to provide against paying 
the same claim twice. The record of the fact that a statement of 
military history has been previously furnished is contained on both 
the record cards and the flap of the envelope containing the state- 
]nent of history cards, so that the discontinuance of both the index 
and record cards would still leave effective the safeguard provided 
by the entry on the flap of the jacket. In about 180,000 old cases, 
however, this reference has not been entered on the file jacket. in the 
Kegimental Records Division. These cases are definitely known by 
military organizations, and we recommend that at such time as may 
be convenient the recording on the jackets of the same information 
in relation to the furnishing of statements of military history as is 
now indorsed on the other jackets be undertaken. Until that can 
be done it will be necessary to retain the index cards pertaining to 
these cases, which are now kept in a special file, apart from the index 
cards relating to other cases, and search them as each case relating 
to these particular organizations is received to ascertain whether 
previous like information has been furnished. It will further aid 
the office of the auditor and the Commissioner of Pensions if the 
claim number can also be indorsed on the flap of the jacket when 
the information is furnished, not only in respect of the cases just 
under discussion, but in connection with all cases where statements 
of military history are furnished. Such entry will facilitate locating 
the record of previous payment. 

7. It is recommended that press copying he discontinued and carbon 
copies be used in lieu thereof. 

This recommendation is in accord with a general recommendation 
of the commission contained in Circular No. 21. 

The commission believes that from the standpoint of permanency, 
economy, and adaptability to the work of The Adjutant General's 
Office the advantage lies with the carbon copy. The only factor 



BUSINESS METHODS OP OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 99 

which can be pressed as apparently favoring the press copy is that 
of authenticity. 

The question of authenticity naturally divides itself into two parts : 
(1) The conditions under which copies produced by either method 
may be introduced into court as evidence; and (2) the means which 
are taken to make the copy an authentic record, so that future admin- 
istrative action may be taken with confidence when the carbon-copy 
record is a factor. 

In regard to the evidential value of copies of letters it is a well- 
settled rule of law that the press copy is but secondary evidence, 
introducible in court only upon notice to the other side to produce 
the original, or upon satisfactory explanation as to why the original 
is inaccessible. 

The press copy is under no circumstances regarded as a duplicate 
original. By the overwhelming weight of judicial authority, how- 
ever, the carbon copy, being made by the same process and at the 
same time as the original, is regarded as primary evidence, and there- 
fore introduceable as such without notice to the other side. (In this 
connection see Appendix III, which contains a brief on the legal 
aspect of the carbon copy as compared with the press copy.) 

The advocates of the press-copy method advance the argument 
that every press copy necessarily has the signature, whereas the car-^ 
bon copy is usually blank in this regard. The fact that the signature 
may be missing in the carbon copy, however, is immaterial, so far as 
the admissibility of the copy as evidence is concerned, since the fact 
and identification of signature must in every case be established by 
collateral evidence. 

This leaves only the question of whether the process by which the 
copy is produced tends to make it an accurate copy of the original. 
As a matter of fact, however, the weight which a copy is given in 
court depends upon the degree of assurance furnished that it is a 
true and correct copy of the letter alleged to have been sent, and that 
the letter of which it is a copy really was sent. This assurance de- 
pends upon whatever system of checking up, initialing, etc., may 
have been employed, rather than upon the method by which the copy 
was produced. Authenticity of the carbon copy is largely controlled 
by administrative safeguards. Rules should be adopted to provide 
that when any change in an original is made the corresponding 
change must immediately be made in the carbon. It is only a matter 
of care, which is necessary in producing the carbon copy, to make 
certain that it is an accurate copy of the original. 

In considering the question of authenticity it should be borne in 
mind that those cases in which the authenticity of a copy of a letter 
is brought into question are extremely rare, the cases where a copy 
is used as evidence in court infinitesimal, and in both cases the chances 



100 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

are that the original could be readily obtained. When it is consid- 
ered that at least three-fourths of the correspondence emanating 
from the executive departments is in the class known as service cor- 
respondence — that is to say, correspondence originating in and des- 
tined for an office of the Government — it will be readily seen how easy 
it would be in such cases to obtain the original document if it were 
needed. 

If the universal practice of business concerns, and the practice of 
very many offices of the Government, where the press copy has been 
supplanted by the carbon copy, have any weight, they should con- 
stitute a refutation of the argument that embarrassment will result 
from the employment of the carbon copy only. 

A change in office practice is not usually made until a careful 
consideration and study has showii that the existing practice can be 
improved. Surely the combined opinion of those in charge of the 
various divisions where press copying has been abolished and the 
fact that since making the change in no instance has a return been 
made to the press copy should have very great weight in the determi- 
nation of the relative merits of the two processes. 

The reasoning of those who claim the carbon copy is not an au- 
thentic record proceeds from the false theory that careful business 
practice requires provision against every embarrassment which an 
active imagination might conceive. It is easy to picture a possible 
contingency under which a mistake in the carbon copy might cause 
considerable embarrassment, but this, we submit, is not the reasonable 
view to take. If the clerical operations of the Government were 
carried on so as to provide against every contingency, no matter 
how remotely possible it might be, the work of the Government 
would simply be clogged up with records and checks, and its affairs 
could not be carried on at all. We do not believe in the remote 
exception controlling the system of an office. It would be better 
to suffer some slight embarrassment once every year or two than to 
be embarrassed every day by a cumbersome' system in the endeavor 
to provide against something which may never happen. 

8. It is recommended that the present practice of preparing a -first 
draft of each outgoing communication on 3^ hy 8 inch record 
cards^ and after approval of the draft writing a second and final 
draft for signature^ he discontinued^ and that hereafter the 
correspondence he prepared on sheets 8 hy 10^ inches ready 
for signature^ with sufficient carhon copies for record purposes. 

Under the existing practice substantially all outgoing letters and 
indorsements are written twice ; the first copy, written on the record 
card, constituting the record of the outgoing correspondence, and the 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 101 

second the final draft of the letter in form for transmission to the 
addressee. 

It is not believed that this practice exists in any other department 
of the Government. The fact of its being out of date and cumber- 
some came so forcibly to the attention of the Navy Department a 
few months ago that the slip indorsement was discontinued by execu- 
tive order, and the present practice is to write all indorsements and 
communications on sheets of paper 8 by 10^ inches in size. In this 
practice rests undoubtedly one of the greatest factors of expense in 
the preparation of the outgoing correspondence of The Adjutant 
General's Office. 

Executive and correspondence clerks who must consult files where 
the conununications therein are written in the form of indorsements 
lose a great deal of time in scrutiny of such papers, and in following 
the trend of a case containing a large number of indorsements. Time 
is lost in turning the pages and locating the indorsement next in 
order after the letter; a long indorsement is difficult to write and to 
read, owing to the small size of the paper; anything inclosed, such 
as a copy of a letter, can not be inserted at the proper place so as to 
be read in regular sequence ; much time and material are expended in 
pasting indorsements on paper; and after they are once attached it 
is difficult to detach them in order to make corrections. As an illus- 
tration of the saving to be effected by writing letters or indorsements 
on letter-size sheets, the Navy Department recently experimented 
with a file of correspondence containing 46 indorsements. The mat- 
ter in this file was rewritten on letter-size sheets, arranged in the 
order in which the various indorsements would appear if the system 
recommended in this report were enforced. The papers were then 
placed in the hands .of one of the departmental employees of high 
grade with instructions to read the copy first and afterwards the 
original, keeping a record of time consumed. The copy was read in 
27 minutes and 15 seconds, while the original required 41 minutes to 
read. This did not involve any study of the subject matter but sim- 
ply the bare reading. 

The Navy Department has already, by executive order, put into 
practice throughout the service a sj^stem of writing indorsements on 
letter-size sheets. By writing the first draft of the letter or indorse- 
ment in duplicate by the carbon process in form for signature, which 
is the almost universal practice in other departments, the communica- 
tion itself, as well as the record thereof, would be made at the same 
time. This would save both the labor now spent writing the letter 
or indorsement the second time, as well as the time consumed in com- 
paring the first draft with the final draft. 

A very great improvement would result from adopting a system of 
indorsements written on full letter-size sheets^ without pasting to 



102 EEPOKTS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

the first letter, but following as the last page of the correspondence. 
Several short indorsements could be placed on one sheet if desired, 
to save paper, without interfering with previous indorsements or 
the making of carbons. Inclosures could thus follow the indorse- 
ments to which they pertain and later indorsements follow earlier 
indorsements in order. Stamped indorsements could be placed at 
the bottom of a sheet bearing prior indorsements. Thus all papers 
would be face up and in regular order on sheets of uniform size and 
all pages could be turned and read like a book. This system of writ- 
ing indorsements on full-size sheets, of course, facilitates flat filing, 
and makes unnecessary the practice of briefing letters on the back. 

9. It is recommended that the forms used in conducting correspond- 
ence within The Adjutant GeneraVs Office he revised^ so as to 
provide for placing thereon the working data collected in con- 
nection with the preparation of military service and other state- 
ments. 

Tije present record card system stands in the way of many im- 
provements in methods of handling and filing correspondence. One 
of the most important of these, and one to which the nature of the 
business of The Adjutant General's Office lends itself peculiarly, due 
to the fact that correspondence between divisions of the office is had 
on a large scale, is the failure to make use of the abbreviated form of 
communication. This situation exists to such great extent that a 
change in method would result in a very material saving, and make 
possible a considerable reduction in the clerical force. 

It is recognized that there is some data placed on the record card 
which has temporary use. Obviously, it is essential to preserve, 
until the communication is answered, all data secured in different 
divisions of The Adjutant General's Office, which go to make up the 
reply furnishing a statement of the military history of a particular 
individual. As a substitute for the record card, we therefore recom- 
mend that the forms used by the Commissioner of Pensions and the 
Auditor for the War Department in making requests for statements 
of military history, have a space reserved for interdivisional corre- 
spondence and memoranda made in The Adjutant General's Office, 
such as is now placed on the record cards. 

The greater part of the correspondence of The Adjutant General's 
Office necessitates the furnishing of statements of military history of 
individuals who served in the Army of the United States. 

Over 60 per cent of the cases requesting statements of military 
service are disposed of by an examination of the records in the Eegi- 
mental Eecords Division, without any communication with other 
divisions of The Adjutant General's Office for the purpose of com- 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 103 

piling data necessary to the reply. In such cases the only data placed 
upon the record card is a statement that the information has been 
furnished — usually the words " S. made." 

In the remaining 40 per cent the preparation of the statements 
necessitates the referring of papers and requests from one division 
to another in this office in order to secure from files located in scat- 
tered divisions the information necessary to prepare the final reply. 
The vehicle at present employed for internal correspondence and the 
transmission of informal memoranda in connection witli the build- 
ing up of cases is the record card, which is transmitted with the 
incoming correspondence from one division to another. While the 
communications and memoranda placed on these record cards are 
usually written in brief terms, it is not believed that advantage has 
been taken to the fullest extent of the abbreviated form of internal 
correspondence in this office. An examination of a large number of 
record cards in the Mail and Eecord Division discloses that a consid- 
erable part of the internal memoranda and requests placed upon the 
cards fall into a few well-defined classes; so few, indeed, that it 
seems to us quite practicable to devise a form which shall have 
printed thereon not onl}^ the names of the various divisions to which 
reference may be made, but also a list of the requests made by one 
division of another, with a blank space for such unusual or addi- 
tional memoranda as may be necessary in a particular case. By the 
use of such a form most of the cases could be handled by merely 
checking the division to which the correspondence or request is to be 
sent and indicating by check mark the nature of the request which 
is to be fulfilled. 

In recognition of the advantage to be obtained by the use of forms 
in conducting correspondence where it falls into a small number of 
well-defined classes, the Office of The Adjutant General, in coopera- 
tion with the Office of the Auditor for the War Department and the 
Commissioner of Pensions, has devised certain forms which are em- 
ployed in communicating the request from the two offices last men- 
tioned and the War Department and placing the reply of the War 
Department upon the same form, and sending it back to the auditor 
or Pension Commissioner for final filing. By this means consider- 
able writing is avoided and fewer papers go into the files. We 
believe, however, that it is possible to go a step further. The various 
memoranda and interdi visional correspondence undertaken by the 
office of The Adjutant General in preparing or collecting data neces- 
sary to a reply in the case, which finally are placed upon the form, 
and which in most cases are merely a duplication of the memoranda 
already collected in various offices and placed upon the record cards, 
-we believe, could just as well and much more quickly be placed on the 



104 REPOKTS OF COMMISSION OiST ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

form itself, without either defacing the form or causing embarrass- 
ment to the office of the auditor or Pension Commissioner. 

There is also a considerable amount of correspondence in The 
Idjutant General's Office which is based upon other matters than 
those connected with the offices of the Auditor for the War Depart- 
ment or the Commissioner of Pensions. Every week thousands of 
fetters in identically the same form, generally not more than a sen- 
tence or two in length, are prepared in The Adjutant General's Office. 
In order that the system of keeping records may be preserved, these 
perfunctory letters are drafted in longhand on the card and after- 
wardp typewritten as a communication. Under modern procedure a 
eheck mark or a word or two on a form would suffice to maintain the 
same results as are now secured by the more elaborate method. 

It is the custom in many offices of the Government, as well as in 
most commercial concerns, where incoming correspondence or reports 
liave to be made the subject of routine corrective action, to group the 
errors upon forms, so that the report or correspondence may be re- 
turned to the writer with the form attached so checked as to indi- 
cate the nature of the error or the corrective action which must be 
taken. As a rule the only clerical work imposed upon the corre- 
spondence clerk who has this class of work in hand is tO' note by 
check mark the paragraph which is pertinent to the particular case. 
A representative case will illustrate the applicability of a form. In 
the Rolls Division several clerks are employed in examining enlist- 
ment papers. An examination of the work disclosed the fact that at 
least 90 per cent of the errors which necessitated correspondence fall 
into 15 classes, among which may be stated the following : 

1. Omission of tlie street and lioase number. 

2. Declaration not signed. 

3. Corrections made by officers on the enlistment blank but not certified to 
!)y tliem. 

4. Difference in name as shown by signature as entered by officer. 

5. Record of enlistments not filled in. 

6. Consent of minors not filled in or signed. 

7. Conflict of dates. 

§. Conjugal condition not shown. 

Taking the second class of errors, where the declaration was not 
ffgned, the clerk examining the enlistment papers writes on a record 
card the file number and the name of the person who applies for en- 
listment and then drafts a formal letter on the record card to the 
effect that the declaration was not signed. This card goes to the 
engrossing clerks, where a letter is written from the draft. Nearly 
all the time thus consumed could be saved in this case by the use of 
a form setting forth the above numbered items and checking the par- 
ticular items to show the nature of the error. Thus a check mark 
would serve all the purposes of a communication. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 105 

This practice is followed by very many concerns. For example, 
the Continental & Commercial National Bank of Chicago makes 
use of a slip containing over 60 items which are attached to checks 
returned to the bank upon which they are drawn, the reasons for 
such returns being indicated by a check mark at the left of the per- 
tinent items. 

10. It is recommended that a code of symbols he used for the greater 
part of the cor^respondence between the divisions of The Adju- 
tant GejieraVs Office in connection with the collection and 
preparation of data relative to statements of military service. 

The interdivisiona] correspondence referred to in the preceding 
section of this report is frequently of such a simple and oft-repeated 
character that it would not even be necessary to make use of a form ; 
but a symbol to denote the nature of the request could be written 
on the body of the incoming letter itself, and the reply, likewise in 
the form of a symbol, could be also written on the communication. 

Under present practices, the internal request and the answer (with- 
out taking into account any special information which may be in- 
dorsed upon the record card) average from 20 to 25 words in each 
case. In our opinion this method is cumbersome, especially in view 
of the fact that the major part of the requests fall into six definite 
classes, as follows: 

1. Requests to Teuth Street Division to furnish all military service cards. 

2. Requests to Tentli Street Division to furnish personal descriptions. 

3. Requests to Sanitary Division of Surgeon General's Office for inedic.U 
record. 

4. Requests to Medical Division for statement of disability at time of enlist- 
ment. 

5. Requests on room 452-a for any previous papers. 

6. Requests on room 457 for medical papers. 

For these cases a shorthand method of communication should be 
adopted. Where hundreds of communications a week in identically 
the same language are passing from one division to another in The 
Adjutant General's Office — over and over again the same request, 
and over and over again the same reply — it is a pure waste of energy 
to write such communications out in full, or in any way but the 
briefest code form. 

It is customary in many large offices where internal requests and 
directions are issued in large numbers to employ abbreviations or 
symbols for those which are repeated many times a day. Such abbre- 
viations save time in writing as well as effect an economy of thought 
on the part of the clerk or executive handling the case. It is far 
easier and quicker to think and write " S. C." than to compose in 



106 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

the mind and write " Tenth Street Division : Please send all service 
cards." 

Without undertaking to say what kind of symbols should be em- 
ployed, it is deemed proper to point out the practicability of the 
following method. The six requests above referred to could be 
codified as follows : 

" S. 0." for request to Tenth Street Division to furnish all military service 
cards. 

" P. D." for request to Tenth Street Division to furnish personal description. 

" M. R." for request to • Sanitary Division of the Surgeon General's Office 
for medical record. 

" S. D." for request to Medical Division for statement of disability at time 
of enlistment. 

" P. P." for requests on room 452a for any previous papers. 

" M. P." for requests on room 457 for medical papers. 

Taking a representative case, one of a class which amounts to 50 
per cent of the total number of internal requests, for example, the 
class first above mentioned, the following is a comparison of the 
writing done under each process : 



Present practice. 


Proposed practice. 


Tenth Street Branch: 
Please furnish all cards. 

Johnson, Per H. A. S. 
"All cards (S) herewith." 

F.B.C., by H. R. S. 


S. G.-8. 



The above request is made many times every day, and in our opin- 
ion a symbol is sufficient to convey to the Tenth Street branch the 
fact that the cards are desired. If a code were adopted, the simple 
writing of the letters " S. C." on the communication of request 
would be sufficient to indicate that it is to be taken by the mes- 
senger service to the Tenth Street branch and to inform that branch 
that all the cards in the case are desired. And in replying all that 
it would be necessary to write in transmitting the cards would be a 
figure indicating the number of cards transmitted. Thus a letter 
and a figure would serve the purpose of the indorsement to and in- 
dorsement from now written on the record card, consisting, as in the 
above example, of 23 words written with pen. 

It is contemplated that the above symbols shall be written on the 
incoming communication itself. It does not deface the communica- 
tion, and while its meaning may not be understood by the person 
asking the War Department for the information and to whom the 
communication is finally returned, that should in no sense be re- 
garded as an objection to the short method. 

In some cases it will be more practical to have a space arranged on 
the form used by the auditor and the Commissioner of Pensions 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEKAL. 107 

which will provide for the insertion of the symbols of request and 
reply and also provide for the insertion of any additional data neces- 
sary to complete the case. Objection has been raised by representa. 
tives of The Adjutant General's Office that to return this sheet, con- 
taining memoranda of interest or meaning to The Adjutant General's 
Office only, would be a source of annoyance and confusion to the 
auditor or Commissioner of Pensions; that in view of the fact that 
The Adjutant General's Office writes its data in regard to the military 
service of individuals in abbreviated form, intelligible only to those 
who have had experience in handling this class of matter, it would 
serve the auditor or Commissioner of Pensions no practical purpose. 
We do not share this view. This data is of no permanent value to 
the Office of The Adjutant General and is a pure duplication of the 
records themselves, which, as stated before and as agreed upon hj all 
sides, are easy of access at all times. So far from this data being a 
source of annoyance to the auditor's office, we have consulted with 
certain representatives of that office and they inform us they would 
rather have the information on the blank than left off, inasmuch as 
in some cases they could secure more extended information from the 
memoranda than from the reply which is usually confined in scope to 
the limit of the request. 

Even if there should be found some good reason for not transmit- 
ting this data to the office of the auditor or Commissioner of Pensions 
we would then suggest that this blank for internal memoranda be 
made detachable from the form and that it be detached after it has 
served its purpose and either filed with the papers of the case or 
destroyed. The latter method, however, takes more clerical time and 
in our opinion is less satisfactory than the former one. 

11. It is recommended that the fhonograph he used for the. pvepa-' 
ration of correspondence. 

The phonograph has been adopted for producing correspondence 
in many of the offices of the Government and with success. Par- 
ticular attention is invited to the report on the dictation machine in 
Circular No. 21, issued by the President's Commission on Economy 
and Efficiency. In one division of the Post Office Department a 
trial was had and the result showed that the output of the office could 
be doubled, or, what amounted to the same thing, the same amount of 
work could be produced in half the time. As a result of this test the 
superintendent of the division recommended the purchase of an 
equipment of dictation machines, stating in his report that upon their 
installation he would immediately reduce his force by six clerks at a 
saving in salary cost of over $6,000 per annum. 



108 EEPOETS or COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

In our opinion the correspondence of The Adjutant General's Office 
is particularly susceptible to production by means of the voice writ- 
ing machines. There is no special condition which presents itself to 
our mind which would interfere with a successful use of thp dicta- 
tion machine in this office. In fact such peculiarities and differences 
in method of conducting correspondence as exist in this office are all 
in favor of the use of the dictation machine. Most of the correspond- 
ence of the office falls into well-defined classes and but a very small 
part is technical or difficult. It rests in large part upon well-founded 
precedents. In fact the correspondence is of such large volume that 
many communications are produced which are not much more than 
circular letters, but due to certain variations in facts it is necessary 
that they be prepared in the form of typewritten communications. 
For this class of correspondence the dictation machine is an ideal 
device. There is no reason to doubt that a substantial economy in 
producing correspondence could be accomplished if dictation ma- 
chines were installed throughout the Office of The Adjutant General. 

B. THE FIVE-MINUTE MAIL MESSENGER SERVICE. 

The messenger service in The Adjutant General's Office is effective, 
but it is adapted to the folded filing system, which necessitates a 
large number of unnecessary motions on the part of correspondence 
clerks, such as folding communications to place them in the mail 
jackets, as well as unfolding them for consultation after removing 
them therefrom. It further necessitates selecting from a file of jackets 
arranged in numerical order the particular jacket desired, and in the 
case of incoming correspondence of refiling the jacket in its proper 
numerical order. 

In a memorandum signed by The Adjutant General under date of 
June 5, 1912, the objection was made that the arrangement of the cor- 
respondence on a flat filing basis Avould seriously disrupt the present 
messenger service, if not entirely destroy its effectiveness. This state- 
ment is undoubtedly based upon a misapprehension of what is com- 
prehended by the term " messenger service." In our opinion, a mes- 
senger service includes not only the transportation of correspondence 
and other papers by the employees of that service, but also the ar- 
rangement of correspondence and papers in form for dispatch, as well 
as the withdrawing of correspondence from the incoming mail box 
and arrangement in form for consultation. An analysis of the mes- 
senger service would be incomplete if it did not give consideration to 
these two features of the work performed by executives and corre- 
spondence clerks. 

Under the present practice executives and correspondence clerks 
must do three things before they can either handle a case or dispose 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 109 

of it physically, whereas under the method proposed the only thing 
they need do to jjick up a case is to take it out of the mail basket, and 
to send it to some other office it is only necessary to throw it in the 
basket. 

In order to relieve the clerks of this material amount of work per- 
formed in connection with the messenger service we recommend the 
discontinuance of the mail jacket in all cases of interchange of memo- 
randa between divisions of The Adjutant General's Office, since the 
address or symbol on the correspondence itself will indicate where it 
should be taken. This will require a little extra care on the part of 
the messengers in order to preclude the possibility of correspondence 
being carried to an office for which it is not designed, but the saving 
of time on the part of correspondence clerks and executives will more 
than offset the additional time spent by the messenger. The argu- 
ment may be made that the jacket is necessary to protect the papers 
as well as facilitate their transportation. It must be remembered, 
however, that under the flat filing system the papers pertaining to one 
case will all be fastened together and protected by a sheet of strong 
backing paper or cardboard so as to be free to a large extent from thy 
handling- incident to the folding and unfolding of such papers under 
the present folded filing system. One of the principal purposes for 
which the jacket is designed is fulfilled in a higher degree under the 
flat filing system by the protection which the stiff backing sheet af- 
fords to the correspondence. 

Instead of the box as at present used, it is believed that the mes- 
senger should have a bag with compartments therein so as to provide 
for the mail stations of The Adjutant General's Office. When the 
messenger passes through a particular division it would not be dif- 
ficult for him to select from the compartment pertaining to that di- 
vision the correspondence for particular desks without having them 
subdivided in his mail bag. 

The above changes save to the correspondence clerks the motions of 
selecting the proper jacket from the box and putting the inclosure in 
it, and in the case of incoming mail, taking the inclosure out of the 
jacket and placing the jacket in its proper place in the file box. 

It is not believed that the flat filing system will require an increase 
in the messenger force. Instead of disrupting the service, or even re- 
tarding it, we believe that at least 50 per cent of the matter now car- 
ried by the messenger service will be eliminated, due to the consolida' 
tion of certain divisions of The Adjutant General's Office, which will 
make unnecessary the transportation of matter between those di- 
visions. The force as at present constituted is not under any pres- 
sure ; in fact, the messengers are expected not to sacrifice care and at- 
tention to haste. 



110 EEPOETS OF COMMISSIOlSr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

For purposes of comparison there follows a description of the steps 
taken under the present method in relation to the largest part of the 
correspondence of The Adjutant General's Office, namely, requests 
from the Commissioner of Pensions and from the Auditor for the 
War Department for statements of military service, as contrasted 
with the steps which would be taken under the proposed procedure. 

BY EXECUTIVE OR CORRESPONDENCE CLERK. 



Steps taken under existing practice. 

1. Takes mail jacket containing communi- 

cation out of box. 

2. Removes communication from jacket. 

3. Lays jacket aside. 

4. Unfolds communication. 

5. Makes following indorsement on record 

card : 

Tenth Stebbt Branch ; 
Please furnish all cards. 

W. J. J. by W. E. B. 

6. Folds communication. 

7. Selects proper jacket from his box file. 

8. Places record cards and communication 

in jackets. 

9. Thows jacket in out box, whence col- 

lected by messenger and carried to 
Tenth Street Branch. 



Steps to be taken under proposed practice. 
1. Takes correspondence out of basket. 



Writes following in space called " In- 
ternal memorandum " ; " S. C." 



3. Throws correspondence in basket, 
whence collected by messenger and 
carried to Tenth Street branch. • 



BY CORRESPONDENCE CLERK IN TENTH STREET BRANCH. 



10. Takes jacket out of box. 

11. Removes correspondence and record 

card from jacket. 

12. Lays jacket aside. 

13. Unfolds communication. 

14. Procures cards from files. 

15. Attaches cards to correspondence. 
IC. Writes on record card the following : 

"A. G. O.": 

All cards (8) herewith. 

A. B. C. by K. J. L. 
Folds communication. 
Selects proper jacket. 
Places record cards and correspondence 

in jacket. 
Throws jacket in out box, whence col- 
lected by messenger and carried to 
State, War, and Navy Building. 



17. 

18. 
19. 

20. 



4. Takes correspondence from basket. 



5. Procures cards from files. 

6. Attaches cards to correspondence. 

7. Writes following in " Internal Memo.' 



Throws correspondence in basket, 
whence collected by messenger, and 
carried to State, War, and Navy 
Building. 



BY CORRESPONDENCE CLERK IN STATE, WAR, AND NAVY BUILDING. 



21. Takes jacket out of box. 

22. Removes correspondence from jackets. 

23. Lays jacket aside. 

24. Unfolds communication. 

25. Writes on form statement of military 

history. 

26. Folds communication. 

27. Selects proper jacket. 

28. Places correspondence in jacket. 
2"J. Throws jacket in out box. 

30. Throws record cards in basket for 
filing. 



9. Takes correspondence from basket. 



10. Writes on form statement of military 
history. 



11. Throws correspondence in basket. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. Ill 

It is estimated that the messenger service collects and delivers 
10,000 pieces a day. This means that 10,000 times a day, in order to 
send a piece of matter from one office to another, executives and cor- 
respondence clerks must take the correctly numbered jacket from the 
file case, place the document in the jacket, throw the jacket in the 
box, and with incoming matter take the jacket out of the box, with- 
draw the paper and file the jacket in its proper place or return it to 
the box for transmission to the office whence it came. 

An examination of over a hundred cases among various corre- 
spondence clerks has shown that to take a case which has been de- 
livered by a messenger service out of the jacket and place it in an 
unfolded condition ready for reading by the clerk takes on an aver- 
age 10 seconds. To prepare a case for transportation by the mes- 
senger service, that is to say, fold it up, place a rubber band thereon, 
and put it in a jacket, takes on the average about 7 seconds. So that 
the total time consumed on the average case is 17 seconds. There are 
more than 10,000 cases transported by the messenger service daily. 
Thus 170,000 seconds or 472 hours are consumed by correspondence 
clerks in connection with the messenger service each day, over and 
above the amount of time which would be consumed by clerks in 
throwing into a basket or taking out of a basket cases which they are 
working. This possible saving in time is equivalent to 6.7 clerks 
working 7 hours a day, or approximately $9,000 per annum, whereas 
the total salary cost for the 12 messengers is but $8,400. 

C. DEFECTS AS SHOWN BY COMPARISON OF PRESENT WITH PROPOSED 
METHODS OF HANDLING AND FILING CORRESPONDENCE ILLUS- 
TRATED BY MEANS OF SELECTED CASES, OUTLINES, AND CHARTS. 

In this section of the report it is undertaken to show, first, the 
multitude of operations and processes now followed in handling cor- 
respondence in the Mail and Record Division from the time the mail 
is received until it is dispatched to the relevant division as compared 
with the operations necessary upon the adoption of our recommenda- 
tions; and secondly, the steps and processes followed by several rep- 
resentative cases from the time they are received in the relevant 
divisions until they are sent to the Mail and Record Division for 
filing, as compared with the procedure under proposed methods. 

In order to get an idea of the various steps taken in handling 
correspondence from the time it enters the office until it is disposed 
of, several representative cases have been selected at random and are 
described in this section in detail. 

Under the recommendations of the commission, the entire processes 
of briefing and recording will be eliminated, indexing reduced to a 
merely nominal matter, and reviewing card records, filing index 



112 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

cards, and making file jackets will be eliminated. The methods of 
handling correspondence will thus be very greatly simplified. 

The salary expense of the Mail and Eecord Division will be reduced 
from $136,000 per annum to $47,000 per annum, and the average cost 
of routine processes in connection with the handling of correspond- 
ence will be reduced from $174.36 to $60.07 a thousand communica- 
tions received. While this effects a very material saving, it may be 
mentioned that the average will still be considerably higher than 
that sustained in large railroad and industrial corporations, where 
modern methods have been installed for a number of years, and ex- 
perience has facilitated simplicity. 

The following outlines are intended to compare the multiplicity of 
processes under the present system, with the simple and direct method 
recommended. They show the course taken by each of the three 
representative classes of correspondence in the Mail and Eecord 
Division, and set out the various steps from the time the communi- 
cation is received at the department until it is dispatched to the rele- 
vant division. These three classes are : 

(1) New cases. 

(2) Received backs (that is to say, a reply to a communication). 

(3) Additionals (that is to say, another communication on the same subject 
but not a reply). 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 113 



PRESENT SYSTEM. 

CHART SHOWING ROUTE, IN THE MAIL AND RECORD DIVISION, OF LET- 
TERS REQUESTING STATEMENT OF MILITARY SERVICE, AND LETTERS 
FROM THE STAFF DEPARTMENTS OF THE ARMY AT LARGE— "NEW 
CASES." 



Mail 
mes- 
sen- 
ger. 




Explanation. 



Receives. 

Cuts envelope or 
wrapper. 

Delivers. 

Takes out con- 
tents. 

Examines. 

Attaches record 
cards. 

Notes time. 

ThrovFS in box. 

Delivers. 

Examines. 

Distributes. 

Examines. 

Writes record 
card. 

Writes index 
card. 

Writes cross-ref- 
erence card. 

Writes duplicate 
index card. 

Notes time. 

Initials. 

Throws in "out" 
box. 

Delivers. 

Stamps commu- 
nication. 

Stamps record 
card. 

Stamps index 
card. 

Stamps cross-ref- 
erence card. 

Stamps duplicate 
index card. 

Throws in "out" 
box. 

Delivers. 

Receives. 

Examines. 

Distributes. 

Searches index. 

Writes charge 
card. 

Throws in "in- 
dex box." 

Searches prior 
record cards. 

Attaches prior 
record cards. 

Throws in "out" 
box. 

Delivers. 

"Connecting" 
desk. 

Examines. 

Notes file num- 
ber. 

Throws in "out" 
box. 

Delivers. 



72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 8 



114 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 



PRESENT SYSTEM. 

CHART SHOWING ROUTE, IN THE MAIL AND RECORD DIVISION, OF A 
"RECEIVED BACK" CASE. 









Briefing and recording eec- 
















tion. 








Mail 




Desk 






Route 


Index 

section, 

record 

card 




mes- 
sen- 


Mail 
clerks. 


mes- 
sen- 


" Charge 
card" 
clerk. 


Prepar- 


Record- 


mes- 
sen- 


Explanation. 


ger. 




ger. 


ing "re- 
ceived 


ing "re- 
ceived 


ger. 


clerk. 










backs." 


backs.' 
























1. Receives. 


W 














2. Cuts envelope or wrapper. 


Q) 














3. Delivers. 


®^ 


® 












4. Opens. 

5. Examines. 














6. Stamps. 














7. Notes time. 




® 












8. Inserts in jacket. 




s5 












9. Throws in "out" box. 




@ 












10. Delivers. 




®-^ 


■~--<lg)^ 


~"~^~*® 








11. Examines. 

12. Writes charge card'. 

13. Writes tally card. 














14. Inserts in jacket. 
















15. Throws in "out" box. 
















16. Delivers. 
















17. "Calls off" record card. 










M 




1 


18. Attaches record card to pa- 

per. 

19. Inserts charge card in files. 

20. Throws in "out" box. 

21. Delivers. 

22. Examines. 

23. Stamps. 

24. Notes time. 

26. Numbers inclosures. 

26. Throws in "out" box. 

27. Delivers. 

28. Records. 

29. Examines for omissions. 

30. Stamps. 










— -^ 




31. Separates case from tally- 












z^^^m) 




card. 
















32. Notes time. 












^^ 




33. Inserts in jacket. 

34. Throws in "out" box. 

35. Delivers. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 115 



PRESENT SYSTEM. 

CHABT SHOWING ROUTE, IN THE MAIL AND RECORD DIVISION, OF 

"ADDITIONAL" CASES. 



Briefing and recording section. 




Explanation. 



1. Receives. 

2. Guts envelope or wrapper. 

3. Delivers. 

4. Opens. 

5. Examines. 

6. Notes time. 

7. Inserts in jacket. 

8. Throws in "out" box. 

9. Delivers. 

10. Searches index. 

11. Writes charge card. 

12. Throws in "index" box. 

13. Attaches record card. 

14. Places charge card in file. 
U. Throws in "out" box, 

16. Delivers, 

17. Examines. 

18. Stamps communication. 

19. Stamps record card. 

20. Prepares tally card. 

21. Notes case number on paper, 

22. Notes time on record card. 

23. Throws in "out" box. 

24. Delivers. 

25. Examines and instructs. 

26. Distributes. 

27. Examines. 

28. Records. 

29. Writes index card. 

30. Notes time. 

31. Throws in "out" box. 

32. Delivers. 

33. Examines. 

34. Stamps. 

35. Notes time. 

36. Separates case from tally card. 

37. Jackets case. 

38. Throws in "out" box. 

39. Delivers. 



116 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 



PROPOSED SYSTEM. 

OUTLINE SHOWING ROUTE, IN MAIL AND RECORD DIVISION, OF CASES 
FOR WHICH NO SEARCH FOR PREVIOUS PAPERS IS NECESSARY. 




Explanattom. 



1. Receives. 

2. Cuts envelope or wrapper. 

3. Delivers. 

4. Takes out contents. 

5. Examines. 

6. Receives stamps. 

7. Throws in distributing box. 

8. Delivers to relevant division. 



PROPOSED SYSTEM. 

OUTLINE, SHOWING ROUTE IN MAIL AND RECORD DIVISION OF CASES 
FOR WHICH SEARCH FOR PREVIOUS PAPERS IS MADE. 




Explanation. 



1. Receives. 

2. Cuts envelope or wrapper. 

3. Delivers. 

4. Takes out contents. 

5. Examines. 

6. Receives stamps. 

7. Throws in box. 
S. Delivers. 

9. Examines. 

10. Searches file. 

11. Writes charge card. 

12. Attaches incoming letter to case. 

13. Throws in dirtributing box. 

14. Delivers to relevant division. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 117 

Speaking generally in regard to the practices now prevailing in 
the preparation of correspondence in the Office of The Adjutant 
General,' it may be said that three principles appear to lie at the 
foundation of the present system, from which practically no varia- 
tion is permitted, regardless of the nature of the case or the liability 
to future embarrassment if certain routine practices were done 
away with. 

These principles are as follows : 

(1) Clerks are permitted to have under consideration only one 
case at a time, and that is disposed of together with the incidental 
routine for administrative record before a new case is taken up. 

(2) All steps taken in connection with a case and the record of 
the time of each step are noted upon the record. 

(3) All directions and matters of authoritative decision are 
placed upon the record card in order to show responsibility. 

A strict observance without variation of the above principles is 
responsible for the failure to eliminate unnecessary work in cases of 
routine character. It is not a question in these cases whether em- 
barrassment would likely result in the future from the elimination 
of routine unnecessary in a particular class of cases, but one of strict 
observance of a rule which has been laid down for all cases. In this 
respect correspondence clerks are given no discretion ; they simply 
follow the rule. 

In order to give an idea of the various steps taken in handling a 
piece of correspondence from the time it enters the office until it is 
disposed of, several representative cases have been selected at ran- 
dom and are hereafter described in detail. There are, of course, 
many classes of papers handled in The Adjutant General's Office, 
each of which, however, is treated in the same general way in regard 
to the work and the processes performed in connection therewith. 
No effort has been made to secure a case which goes through a round- 
about process. Average cases have been selected, and the detailed 
•statement of processes is set forth here to give accurate information 
in regard to the existing system, and not to hold the office up to 
ridicule by the selection of isolated and unusual cases. 

In the case which is first given as an illustration, we have en- 
deavored to choose one which lies midway between the minimum and 
maximum of clerical routine. In the method proposed there will 
actually be eliminated from the routine in connection with the han- 
dling of the case in question over 60 per cent of the clerical time 
spent under the present practice. We have no hesitation whatever 
in declaring that taking all classes of cases in the Office of The 
Adjutant General, in so far as their clerical or routine handling is 
concerned, they can be disposed of at the expenditure of 60 per 
cent less time than at present. In some cases a check mark will 



118 REPOKTS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

constitute all the action and clerical work necessary; in others, their 
complications will necessitate almost as much clerical routine as at 
present. But on the whole it is well within the limits of conserv- 
atism to estimate the saving in clerical routine at 60 per cent for all 
classes of cases. 

Although an illustration of the present method in comparison with 
the method proposed is lenglhy, it is believed it is the best way of 
forcibly bringing to attention the unnecessary processes which enter 
into the handling of communications of a perfunctory nature. 

To show the successive steps of the progress of a letter in a repre- 
sentative case from the time it is received in the Enlisted Men's 
Division until action thereon is completed, the following actual case 
is given: 

DISCHARGE FROM ARMY OF PVT. THOMAS J. RENTZ. 

On August 2, 1912, Pvt. Thomas J. Eentz, in the recruiting service, • 
stationed at Atlanta, Ga., addressed a letter (through military chan- 
nels) to The Adjutant General, requesting discharge by purchase in 
order to take a position in civil life. He wrote the following letter to 
the department : 

Recruiting Station, U. S. Army, 

(3 Carnegie Way) 
23 1/2 Whilehall St., Atlanta. Ga., Aug. 2 If) 12. 

The Adjutant General, U. S. Army, 

Washington, D. C. 
(Thro' the recruiting officer, U. S. A., Atlanta, Ga.) 
Sib: I respectfully request that I be granted my discharge from the Army 
by purchase, in accordance with G. O. No. 90, par. 2, W. D., 1911. 

I have an opportunity to better my condition by reentering civil life, and I 
desire to do so as early as possible, as I intend to get married, and my present 
pay is not sufficient to support a wife. 

I am offered a position with Story & Clark Piano Co., of this city, at a 
salary of $75.00 per month, with a good chance of promotion, as you will see 
by letter enclosed from the above-named firm. 

My prior service Is as follows : 3 years 102nd Co., C. A. C. My present en- 
listment expires April 25, 1914. 

Very respectfully, ' Thomas J. Rentz, 

Private O. 8. Infantry. 

The enlisted man's commanding oiRcer approved the request by 
indorsement on the back of the communication applying for dis- 
charge, the file number of the recruiting office at Atlanta was placed 
on the back of the first fold, and the subject of the letter briefed, in 
accordance with Army Eegulations. The following appears on the 
back of the communication : 

File with 1631953. Rec'd Atlanta, Ga. Aug. 2, 1912. 5892. 

Atlanta, Ga., August 2, 1912. 

Adjutant General's Office, War Department. Aug. 5, 1912. 1941619. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 119 

Rentz, Thomas J., Pvt. G. S. Inf. 

Eequests permission to purchase discharge. States service and reasons. 

S. O. Aug. 6/12. F. D. T. S. O. 184 Par. 10 Aug. 6, 1912. 

1 inclo. A. G. Received A. G. O. Aug. 4, 1912. 

[1st Endorsement. ] 

Recruiting Station U. S. Army, Atlanta, Ga., Aug. 2, 1912. 

Respectfully forwarded to The Adjutant General, U. S. Army, Washington, 
D. C. Approval recommended. 

I have interviewed Story & Clark Piano Co., and find that the position men- 
tioned is in good faith. 

Due soldier for clothing not drawn in kind, $87.27. 

Last paid to include July 31, 1912. Due the United States nothing. State- 
ment of service herein is correct. Cha.racter " Excellent." 

James A. Gaulogly, 
1st Lieut. C. A. Corps B. 0. 

Without going into detail in regard to the various steps and opera- 
tions in connection with the handling of this communication in the 
Mail and Eecord Division, it will suffice to show below a sample 
of the record written in that division, as follows : 

Received A. G. O., Aug. 4, 1912. 1631953. 

Adjutant General's Office, War Department. Aug. 5, 1912. 1941619. 

Subject: Thomas J. Rentz, Priv., G. S. Infty. From self. Rectg. Station, 
U. S. A. Atlanta, Ga. 

Date of communication : Aug. 2, 1912. 

Purport of communication : Requests discharge by purchase under G. O. 90, 
pai". 2, W. D., 1911, to enable him to accept a position in civil life. 

Forwd. Aug. 2/12, by the R. O. (1" Lt. J. A. Gallogly, C. A. C), recom- 
mending. 

Number of inclosures: 1. 

Book mark: (9.25 J. C. V.). 

Date of reply or final disposition : Aug. 6, 1912. 

Record card : Each clerk signs his initials to steps taken by him. 

This correspondence, after passing through the usual routine in 
the Mail and Record Division, was taken by the messenger service 
to the Enlisted Men's Division and thrown in the box on the desk 
of T. B. Bevans, who receives and distributes all mail sent to the 
division. 

The following outline shows the course of this piece of corre- 
spondence, tracing the various steps and processes only from the time 
the communication is received in the Enlisted Men's Division until 
it is signed by The Adjutant General. The continuous line indicates 
the course under the present system. The broken line indicates the 
course under the proposed system. 



120 KEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 



OUTLINE SHOWING ROUTINE OF LETTER REQUESTING DISCHARGE 
FROM THE ARMY OF AN ENLISTED MAN IN RECRUITING SERVICE. 

The continuous line shows the course under the present system, the broken line shows the courses 
under the proposed system. 



Enlisted 
Men's Di- 
vision. 




Explanation. 



Steps under present 
system. 



Steps under 
proposed system. 



1. Receives. 

2. Drafts memoran- 
dum. 

3. Transmits. 

4. Delivers. 

5. Receives and 
transmits. 

6. Receives. 

7. Examines. 

8. Drafts report. 

9. Transmits. 

10. Reviews. 

11. Transmits. 

12. Delivers. 

13. Examines. 

14. Transmits. 

15. Delivers. 
lt>. Examines. 

17. Indorses. 

18. Dflivers. 

19. Approves. 

20. Delivers. 

21. Indorses. 

22. Delivers. 

23. Examines. 

24. Reviews. 

25. Drafts order. 

26. Types order. 

27. Records action. 

28. Examines. 
29. Initials. 

30. Throws in "out' 
box. 

31. Collects. 

32. Transmits. 

33. Delivers. 

34. Signs. 

35. Delivers. 

36. Notes time. 

37. Examines. 

38. Writes card. 

39. Dispatches. 



1 (26) Receive 
correspon d- 
ence and drafts 
order. 

2 (29) Reviews 
and initials. 

3 (30) Throws 
in "out" box. 



4 (33) Delivers. 

5 (34) Signs. 



The details of the steps and processes follow. In the column on 
the left, is set forth the routine under the present system; in the 
column at the right, comments in respect of the present processes, and 
suggestions looking to a more simple and businesslike method of 
handling the correspondence. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 121 



Operation No. 1. 

Mr. Bevans, distributing clerk (sal- 
ary, $1,200), took the jacket from the 
box, removed the papers from the 
jacket, took off the rubber band hold- 
ing the papers together, wrote on the 
record card the time he received the 
case, and then unfolded Pvt. Rentz's 
letter and examined it. 



Operation No. 2. 

Mr. BeVans, noting that it would be 
necessary to have a report from the 
Rolls Division of the status of Pvt. 
Rentz, placed on the record card a 
request for such report, with a nota- 
tion of the time, as follows : 

" Rolls Division : For report. 

" Morton, T. H." 

Operation No. 3. 

Mr. Bevans then selected from a file 
containing jackets numbered according 
to the rooms with which he has need 
for communication a jacket containing 
the number of the room occupied by 
the Rolls Division. He placed a rub- 
ber band around the correspondence, 
put it within the jacket, and threw the 
package in his " out " mail box. 



Operation No. 1. 

Under the system proposed by us 
five clerks would handle all the corre- 
spondence now received in the Enlisted 
Men's Division, under the supervision 
of a clerk in charge. There is no ne- 
cessity in such a case of a distributing 
clerk examining the papers in the first 
place, since he is called upon to exer- 
cise no discretion as to whom the 
cases should be handed for treatment 
except in rare instances. These clerks 
should properly be in room No. 58, so 
as to be within easy access of the 
muster rolls which form the basis of 
their correspondence. They should be 
grouped around the clerk in charge of 
the section, who in that way could ex- 
ercise supervision over their work and 
pass papers to and fro for purposes 
of review and examination. 

This operation will be eliminated 
under the proposed method. The cases 
will be placed in one central box, from 
which they will be removed by the 
correspondence clerks without leaving 
their desks. This will save the time 
now consumed by the distributing clerk 
in examining all incoming cases. 

Operation No. 2. 

Under a consolidation of the Enlisted 
Men's Division with the Rolls Division 
it will be unnecessary to make a writ- 
ten request upon the latter division 
for a report. This operation will 
therefore be eliminated. 



Operation No. 3. 

Eliminated for reasons set forth in 
comment in relation to operation No. 2. 



122 KEPOETS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 



Operation No. 4. 

Tlie messenger carried the corre- 
spondence to the Rolls Division and 
threw it in the " in " box on the desk 
of Mr. Huckleberry, a reviewing clerk. 

Operation No. 5. 

Mr. Huckleberry (salary $1,200) ex- 
amined the papers to determine 
whether they needed special attention 
by particular clerks. This paper 
needed no special treatment, and was 
thrown by Mr. Huckleberry in a box 
on his desk containing miscellaneous 
cases, from which they are taken from 
time to time by searchers. 

Operation No. 6. 

Mr. Dimond, searcher (salary 
$1,200), walked from his desk in room 
No. 58 to the distributing box in room 
No. 60 and selected one case from the 
collection of cases therein for the pur- 
pose of making appropriate search. 

Operation No. 7. 

Mr. Dimond then examined the case 
to ascertain the nature and extent of 
the report desired and searched the 
records to obtain the requisite informa- 
tion. His search involved a consulta- 
tion of the original contract of enlist- 
ment of the enlisted man and the mus- 
ter roll of his company for May and 
June, 1912. 

Operation No. 8. 

Upon conclusion of Mr. Dimond's 
examination of the enlistment papers 
and muster roll he returned to his desk 
and wrote in longhand the following 
report on the record card : 

"E. M. Div. 

" Thomas J. Rentz enl. Mch. 1, 1908 ; 
and was dischg'd Feb. 28, 1911, by 
expr. of service, pvt. 102d Co. C. O. C. 
Char, excellent. 



Operation No. 4. 

Eliminated for reasons set forth un- 
der operation No. 2. 



Operation No. 5. 

Eliminated for reasons set forth un- 
der operation No. 2. 



Operation No. 6. 

Eliminated for reasons set forth in 
connection with operation No. 2. 



Operation No. 7. 

The cori'espondenoe clerk originally 
receiving the case will make his own 
search. 



Operation No. 8. 

The time taken in writing down in 
longhand on the record card the in- 
formation desired by the Enlisted 
Men's Division will be entirely saved. 
In the first place, more information 
has been recorded on the record card 
than is necessary to a proper handling 
of the case. There is nothing gained 
by showing the date of enlistment and 
discharge upon the first enlistment. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEKAL. 123 



" Reenl. Apr. 26, 1911, and was pres- 
ent June 30, 1912, pvt. Gen'l. Serv. 
Inf. at Atlanta, Ga. 

" Stafford. 
"G. C. D." 
" 2.57." 

Mr. Dimond then wrote below the 
indorsement the time of conclusion, 
" 2.57." 



Operation No. 9. 

After writing the above indorsement, 
Mr. Dimond blotted the indorsement, 
gathered the papers together, placed a 
rubber band around the same, and 
walked over to the desk of Mr. Sattes. 
to whom he delivered the papers for 
the purpose of review. 

Operation No. 10. 

Mr. Sattes, reviewing clerk (salary 
$1,600), examined the papers and re- 
port to determine whether the report 
was adequate to the case and whether 
it was correctly framed. 

Operation No. 11. 

Mr. Sattes gathered together the 
papers after his examination, put a 
rubber band around them, selected a 
reversible jacket from his box file and 
inclosed the papers in them, throwing 
the jacket in the " out " box. 

Operation No. 12. 

The jacket was transmitted by the 
messenger service to room No. 43 and 
thrown in the box on desk of T. B. 
Bevans. 



The only facts essential to handling 
this case are that of a previous enlist- 
ment for the full period and the length 
of time served under the second en- 
listment. All other information is 
superfluous. In this particular case, 
and it is a representative one, there 
is no item of information which need 
be written on the record card or on 
any other paper. Every item which is 
of value to the case is stated in the 
letter and verification is all that is 
necessary after consultation of the 
records. This could be attested by 
check marks on the letter requesting 
discharge. 

Operation No. 9. 

Eliminated for reasons set forth un- 
der operation No. 7. 



Operation No. 10. 

Eliminated for reasons set forth un- 
der operation No. 7. 



Operation No. 11. 

Eliminated for reasons set forth un- 
der oi>eration No. 7. 



Operation No. 12. 

Eliminated for reasons set forth un- 
der operation No. 7. 



124 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 



Operation No. 13. 

Mr. Bevaus examined the papers, 
wrote on the record card the time, 
" 3.20," he received them, and, noting 
that the man was in the recruiting 
service, wrote on the record card the 
following indorsement, with a notation 
of the time, " 3.25 " : 

" 3.20. 

" Recruiting Division : For remark. 
Morton. 

" 8.25. " F. A." 

Operation No. 14. 

Mr. Bevans then selected a jacket 
from his file and placed the papers 
therein for transmission to the Re- 
cruiting Division. 

OpePvATion No. 15. 

The messenger service transported 
the correspondence to the Recruiting 
Division and placed it in the box on 
the desk of Mr. Hughes. 

Operation No. 16. 

Mr. Hughes, clerk (salary, $1,200), 
examined the papers and wrote on the 
record card the following : 

" To Ool. Keruan, A. G., to ascertain 
if there is any objection. 

" 3.35. " J. D. H." 

Operation No. 17. 

Mr. Hughes then noted the time of 
his writing the above indorsement. 

Operation No. 18. 

Mr. Hughes sent the papers by spe- 
cial messenger to Col. Kernan, the 
adjutant general in charge of recruit- 
ing matters. 

Operation No. 19. 

Col. Kernan noted in writing his ap- 
proval on the record card as follows: 
" No objection. M., A. G." 



Operation No. 13. 

Eliminated for reasons set forth un- 
der operation No. 7. 



Operations 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 
21, 22, AND 23. 

In these operations the Recruiting 
Division has prepared a note to the 
adjutant general in charge of recruit- 
ing matters requesting whether he had 
any objection to the proposed discharge 
by purchase of Private Reijtz. This is 
a routine matter designed simply to 
keep The Adjutant General in touch 
with recruiting matters. Not once in 
the last two years has exception been 
taken to action by the Enlisted Men's 
Division in regard to discharge by pur- 
chase of a man in the recruiting serv- 
ice. The Adjutant General could keep 
in touch with this situation if the com- 
])leted draft discharging the man was 
simply passed over his desk for his 
initials. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 

Operation No. 20. 

The card and correspondence were 
taken back to the Recruiting Division 
by special messenger. 

Operation No. 21. 

Mr. Hughes wrote on the record card 
the following indorsement, with a no- 
tation of the time: 
" To E. M. Div. 

Shelton, 

J. D. H." 
4.00. 
4.05. 



Operation No. 22. 

Carried by the messenger service to 
the Enlisted Men's Division and placed 
in mail box of Mr. Bevans. 

Operation No. 23. 

Mr. Bevans examined the papers, 
noted on record card time of receipt, 
and handed them to Mr. "Wilson, as- 
sistant chief of the division. 

Operation No. 24. 

Mr. Wilson (salary $1,800) exam- 
ined the case to see whether all rele- 
vant requirements of laws and regula- 
tions governing discharge by purchase 
had been complied with. His exami- 
nation showing that the case had met 
all the requirements, he handed it to 
Mr. Tillman to prepare a special order. 

Operation No. . 25. 

Mr. Tillman (salary $1,400) pre- 
pared the following draft of an order: 
War Department, 
, Washington, August — , 1912. 

Memorandum for 
Special Orders, No. — . 

Par. Private Thomas J. Rentz, gen- 
eial service, Infantry, recruiting sta- 
tion, 3 Carnegie Way, Atlanta, Georgia, 
will be discharged from the Army by 



125 



Opebation No. 24; 

The case being taken out of the in- 
coming mail box direct by the corre- 
spondence clerk, in connection with his 
securing a supply of work sufficient 
to keep him occupied for at least sev- 
eral hours, this operation will be 
eliminated. 



Opebation No. 25. 
Same as under present practice. 



126 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 



the officer in charge of that station by 
purchase, under the provisions of 
General Orders, No. 90, War Depart- 
ment, 1911. (1941619, A. G. O.) 
By order of the Secretary of War: 



Adjutant Oeneral. 
Opeeation No. 26. 

After preparing the above draft, Mr. 
Tillman typed on the record card the 
following : 

"Approved : 

"A. G. 

"A. G. O. Aug. 6, 1912. 

" 9.30 F. D. T." 

Operation No. 27. 

Mr. Tillman then stamped on the 
record card with a rubber stamp the 
following : 

"Approved draft of order sent to 

Orders Division 19 . 

it 

*' S. O Par , 19 ." 

Operation No. 28. 

The draft of the order was then ex- 
amined by the clerk handling the case, 
the papers gathered together and per- 
sonally carried to the desk of the as- 
sistant chief of the division for re- 
view. 



Operation No. 29. 

Mr. Wilson examined the papers for 
typographical errors and accuracy of 
ruling or statement. 



Operation No. 30. 

Mr. Wilson placed the papers in the 
out " basket on hi« desk. 



0Pl!,RATI0N No. 26. 

Eliminated, due to discontinuance 
of record cards. The signature of The 
Adjutant General to the order itself 
will constitute his approval of the 
action. 



Operation No. 27. 

Eliminated, due to discontinuance of 
record cards. A carbon copy of the 
order itself will suffice for record pur- 
poses. 



Operation No. 28. 

The correspondence clerk should 
never be required, save in exceptional 
and special cases, to personally carry 
all his mail, case by case, to a review- 
ing clerk. This mail should be 
gathered at stated times during a day 
by a messenger or low-priced clerk. 
The time spent by the correspondence 
clerk in this operation would there- 
fore be eliminated. 

Operation No. 29. 

Same as under present practice. In 
this connection, however, it may be 
stated that it is generally advisable 
to place upon the stenographer the 
responsibility for having a typographi- 
cally correct draft. 

Operation No. 30. 

Same as under present practice. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 



127 



Operation No. 31. 

Mr. Bevans collected case, with any 
others which had accumulated in Mr. 
Wilson's basket, madfi notation of the 
class of each case handled for the ad- 
ministrative record, and then indorsed 
on the record card in each case the 
time of disposal. 

Operation No. 32. 

Mr, Bevanshanded accumulated mail 
to the messenger assigned to the divi- 
sion for delivery to Colonel Kerr for 
his signature. 

Operation No. 33. 

The messenger carried the papers 
to Colonel Kerr for approval. 

Operation No, 34. 

Col. Kerr signed the draft and also 
signed his initials on the record card 
following the word "approved," as 
shown below : 

" Approved. 

" J. S. K. 

"A. G. 

"A. G. O., Aug. 6, 1912. 

"9.30 F. D. T," 

Operation No. 35. 

The case was returned by a special 
messenger to the Enlisted Men's Divi- 
sion and placed on Mr. Bevans's desk. 

Operation No. 36. 

Mr. Bevans then inserted the time 
of sending to the Orders Division of 
the draft, as follows: 

"Approved draft of order sent to 
Orders Division Aug. 6, 1912, 1.15. 

"J. B. 

" S. O. 184, par. 10, Aug. 6, 1912." 



Operation No. 31. 

Eliminated. Messenger service 
should collect mail ready for signa- 
ture. 



Operation No. 32. 
Same as under present practice. 

Operation No. 33. 
Same as under present practice. 

Operation No. 34. 

Eliminated, on account of discon- 
tinuance of the record card. The fact 
of signing the original order will itself 
constitute the approval to the, action. 



Operation No. 35. 

Eliminated, for reason set forth 
under No. 34. 



Operation No. 36. 

Eliminated, for reason set forth 
under No. 34. 



128 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION OK ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 
Operation No. 37. Operation No. 37. 



Ml-. Bevaus examined the papers to 
see that they were complete, made a 
tally of the class of case disposed of, 
aud indorsed on the i-ecord card the 
time this operation was concluded. 

Operation No. 38. 

iMr. Bevans then sent the record 
card to the Mail and Record Division. 



Eliminated. It is quite unnecessary 
t" keep tally of every case disposed of. 



Operation No. 38. 

Eliminated, on account of discon- 
tinuance of record card. 



This case is one which experience and well-established precedents 
of the office have inade a perfunctory matter. Under the consolida- 
tion of the Enlisted Men's Division with the Eolls Division, the latter 
would come direct to the clerk, who would himself consult the record 
and write the order on the typewriter. The approval of the officer 
in charge of recruiting matters could be secured by passing the draft 
of the order over his desk. That is all there is to a simple case of 
this sort, and the expense of handling under the proposed method 
could amount to but a small fraction of that under the present prac- 
tice. This case is only one of very many, and merely illustrates that 
the rule in regard to recording every step taken in connection with a 
piece of correspondence, regardless of its nature or importance, is 
imposed upon all the divisions of The Adjutant General's Office. It 
is a question, in this class of cases, whether the letter even should be 
filed at all or a record kept of the order other than that which is re- 
tained in the Orders Division, and which is there indexed, so that 
reference to the order in relation to the individual could at any time 
be found if a call were made for the order, which, of course, would 
be extremely unlikely. 

What is there to this case which requires so much detail in clerical 
procedure ? ' Here is a man enlisted in the Army, who, having an 
opportunity to take a civil position, applied for discharge by pur- 
chase, in accordance with the Army regulations. His superior officer 
approves the request. Now, what is necessary to pass this case safely 
through the department? This: (1) An examination of the man's 
record, as shown by the muster roll ; (2) drafting of the order of dis- 
charge in final form for signature; (3) submission for initialing to 
the office in charge of recruiting matters (the man being in that 
service) ; (4) transmission to The Adjutant General for signature; 
(5) dispatch of the communication. 

It is safe to say that the present method takes 10 times as long as 
that proposed and contains no reasonable safeguard which is not 
provided for by the proposed method. Let us examine the case. In 
the first place, the incoming letter is briefed on the back. Unneces- 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTAIiT GENERAL. 129 

sary, if the communication is filed flat. .Secondly, a brief of the let - 
ter is written on the record card. Unnecessary, since the original 
papers can be used instead of a substitute, with liability of the sub- 
stitute being incomplete or incorrect. Thirdly, the distributing clerk 
writes a request on the Eolls Division for a report, where the papers 
have to pass through four hands. Most of this detail can be cut out 
by having the correspondence clerk make his own search. Fourthly, 
in advance of preparing any action, the papers are submitted to The 
Adjutant General for approval. Unnecessary, since the men in the 
Enlisted Men's Division are familiar with the precedents in cases 
like the one in question, and The Adjutant General's approval and 
signature under modern practice can just as well be secured at the 
same time, thereby saving the writing of the request for his approval 
and the messenger service back and forth. 

There is still left for consideration the question of whether the 
clerks of the present Enlisted Men's Division, who now only draft 
correspondence affecting the station or status of enlisted men from 
records and memoranda prepared by clerks of the Rolls Division, 
can, with the same degree of expertness, themselves examine the 
muster rolls to determine the facts upon which their letters are based. 
It is maintained that the clerks who conduct correspondence upon 
questions affecting enlisted men are trained to that work, and to 
interrupt it by causing them to search records would retard their 
composition of correspondence. We do not share this view. On 
the contrary, we believe that their work would be greatly facilitated 
by the very fact of themselves looking up the records which directly 
concern the cases they are handling. And these are our reasons for 
this opinion : 

The following operations or processes Avill be eliminated under 
the new method in connection with this class of cases: First, the 
distributing clerk in the Enlisted Men's Division is relieved of 
drafting the request on the Rolls Division for the information 
necessary to base the reply in the case, and of preparing the corre- 
spondence for the messenger service. Second, the messenger service 
is relieved of transporting the correspondence to and from divisions. 
Third, the distributing clerk in the Rolls Division is relieved of 
the examination of the case and assignment to particular correspond- 
ence clerks. Fourth, the searcher in the Rolls Division is relieved 
of drafting the report on the record card which shows the essential 
facts taken from the muster rolls during his examination in order 
to enable the correspondence clerk in the Enlisted Men's Division 
to prepare his reply and of folding the correspondence for the mes- 
senger service. Fifth, the distributing or reviewing clerk is relieved 
of examining the correspondence to see that the searcher has cor- 
72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 9 



130 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

rectly stated the information in his report and that the report covers 
the case. Sixth, the distributing clerk in the Enlisted Men's Divi- 
sion is relieved of examining the case when it is returned to identify 
it, and assigning the case to a particular clerk who is to prepare the 
reply. Seventh, the correspondence clerk in the Enlisted Men's 
Division is relieved of the work of reading the case to identify it, 
as well as the report on the record card of the result of the search 
made concerning the enlisted man's history. Eighth, under the 
existing method the correspondence is examined three times by as 
many different individuals in order to ascertain its subject matter. 
Under the method proposed the correspondence will be examined but 
once. 

All the above work eliminated is simply to be set off against the 
possible additional time taken by the fact that the correspondence 
clerk himself is to examine the muster rolls instead of the clerks 
who make that their exclusive work. 

We now come back to our contention that the work of the clerks 
of the present Enlisted Men's Division will be facilitated instead 
of retarded by having them look up the records concerning their 
own cases. 

While it must be conceded that employees whose work is limited 
to the searching of records will become more expert in that partic- 
ular line of work than those who must vary their regular work — 
the writing of letters — still it is not believed that the searching 
of records is so difficult or technical a matter that the correspondence 
clerks of the present Enlisted Men's Division will not easily become 
proficient in searching for the material they desire to serve as the 
basis for replies or the preparation of the decisions in particular 
cases. In fact it is believed that by reason of the correspondence 
clerk knowing exactly to what extent he desires information from 
the muster rolls and how to limit his search, and the further fact 
that after he has consulted the muster rolls he has almost drafted 
in his mind the answer he is to make in the case, the preparation 
of such an answer will be much more quickly accomplished than if 
the correspondence clerk has to read a report showing the record of 
the person concerned, which report has been made by a man un- 
familiar with the particular case, and therefore not so closely per- 
tinent to the case as it would be if the correspondence clerk himself 
gathered the facts. It admits of no argument that a letter is com- 
posed more readily and more effectively if the correspondence clerk 
preparing it has already in his mind the essential facts which enter 
into the communication. In order to get the essential facts in his 
mind he must read a statement setting forth those facts, which has 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GEISTEKAL. 131 

been prepared by someone else, and just as much time as it takes 
to read that report and arrange its essential facts in his mind is 
time lost. 

Furthermore, in searching the records if the searcher has in his 
mind not only the nature of the inquiry but a knowledge of the ex- 
tent to which information is to be put into a letter in answer to that 
inquiry, he has a considerable advantage over the man who has to 
read the letter as one of many classes of communications which he 
handles and by reason of not being an expert in enlisted men's af- 
fairs can not be expected to know precisely the extent to which he 
must collect information from the muster rolls and other papers 
concerning enlisted men, and to such extent as he is delayed in 
learning the purport of the incoming communication and gathers 
information in excess of that which is necessary to furnish the in- 
quirer with the necessary information, just so much time is lost by 
the searcher. As already stated, these factors can not be easily meas- 
ured in time or monetary value, but that they are worthy of careful 
consideration is obvious. 

Opening and closing of auxiliary recruiting stations^ district of 

Terre Haute^ Ind. 

This was a case where on account of unsatisfactory recruiting 
results the officer in charge requested the department's authority to 
close the auxiliary recruiting station at Kobinson, 111., and open an 
auxiliary station at Sullivan, Ind., and that an auxiliary station be 
opened at Linton, Ind. The principal matters necessary to enable 
the department to decide a question such as this one are a geographi- 
cal knowledge of the territory where it is recommended that recruit- 
ing operations be initiated and of the probability of good recruiting 
results being obtained at the new station. 

Without going into details as to each step followed by this piece of 
correspondence, but taking it up in a general way only in so far as 
it is handled in the Recruiting Division, in order to show the work 
of an unnecessary character which is done in connection with the 
handling of this simple case, a general statement of the course and 
action upon the communication is here made. A brief of the commu- 
nication was made on the back of the first fold, and in addition 
thereto the purport of the communication from Capt. Mitchell 
was stated on the record card. The original communication of 
Capt. Mitchell was 133 words in length, whereas the " brief " on the 
record card was 115 words in length. The clerk handling the case 
first ascertained the number of recruits secured at the various towns 
for the past three months and placed upon the record card in hand- 



132° EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY' AND EFFICIENCY. 

writing a memorandum to Col. Kernan, setting forth the following 
record of these facts: 
To Col. Kernan, A. G. 
AiDplicauts accepted in the Terre Haute district, as follows : 

Jan. Feb. Mar. 

Champaign, 111 15 7 

Danville, 111 15 9 7 

Mattoon, 111 9 8 1 

Eockville, 111. (opened Mar. 12)i 

Worthiugtou, Ind. (opened Mar. 12) 

Robinson, 111. (opened Feb. 12) 1 

Sullivan, Ind. (en route to Robinson, Feb. 12) 5 

The aux. station Robinson, 111., 46 miles from Terre Haute, which R. O. de- 
sires to close, was opened Feby. 12/12. One applicant accepted to March 31/12. 

Sullivan, Ind., en route to Robinson, produced 5 accepted applicants from 
date of opening — Feby. 12" to Mar. 31. 

R. O. desires to continue the Sullivan station as an aux. upon closing at 
Robinson. 

R. O. also desires to open an aux. station at Linton, Ind., 34 miles from 
Terre Haute. 

See sketch. 
1.45. A. T. 

In addition to the above memorandum the clerk prepared a sketch 
showing the distance between the towns and their relative locations. 
It will be observed that the reading matter below the table showing 
the number of applicants accepted is simply a repetition of the facts 
stated in the brief of Capt. Mitchell's letter. The above memoran- 
dum was brought to the attention of Col. Kernan, and by his direc- 
tion the recommendations of Capt. Mitchell were approved, with 
the exception of that in regard to opening an auxiliary station at 
Linton, Ind. The clerk handling the case thereupon drafted in long- 
hand the following communication : 

Referring to No. 1897720 write the letter recorded below. 
No. of inclosures to accompany letter : O. 
Apl. 5, 10.50. A. T., Correspondence Clerk. 

. Examiner. 

Done Apr. 5, 1912, by J. G. 11.15. 

LETTER. 

Capt. H. D. Mitchell, Inf. R. O., 

No. 709 WaMsh Avenue, Terre Haute,- Ind. 

Sir : By direction of the Secretary of War, you are advised in response to 
your letter of the 2nd instant, as follows : 

You are authorized, as recommended, to close the auxiliary recruiting station 
at Robinson, 111., and upon closing that station to continue the " intermediate " 
station at Sullivan, Ind., as an auxiliary station. 

The Secretary of War directs as necessary in the military service that you 
proceed on recruiting duty from Terre Haute, Ind., to Sullivan, Ind., or inter- 
mediate points as may be required while an auxiliary station is maintained at 
Sullivan, and that you return after each trip to Terre Haute: Provided,' That 
not exceeding in all 4 trips a month be made under these instructions. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAI.,. 133 

Your recommendation that an auxiliary recruiting station be opened at 
Linton, Ind., is not approved at this time. Application for authority to open 
an auxiliary station at that point may be renewed when active recruiting is 
fully resumed in your district. 

Very respy., F. J. Keenan, 

Adjutant General. 

Copies furnished: The Quartermaster Genl. (2), the Inspector General. 
Reviewed by E. L. 

Communications of tlie same type as the above have been written 
thousands of times in this office, and a printed form could be used 
with a saving of most of the time taken to prepare this communica- 
tion. Nevertheless the hand-written draft is submitted for approval, 
and then a final co-pj is engrossed in the form of a letter to Capt. 
Mitchell. On April 19 Capt. Mitchell addressed the department 
again, recommending that authority be granted for opening aux- 
iliary stations at Linton, Ind., and Kankakee, 111., and that the sta- 
tions at Rockville and Worthington, Ind., be closed. This letter 
was likewise briefed on the record card. The original letter was 
115 words in length, and the brief of the same on the record card 
80 words in length. When this communication was received on the 
desk of the correspondence clerk he prepared a memorandum ad- 
dressed to the chief clerk in the Paymaster General's Office for the 
signature of the chief clerk to The Adjutant General in order to 
ascertain the exact distance between the places involved. A copy 
of this memorandum and the information inserted therein is shown 
below : 

Wae Department, 
The Adjutant General's Office, 

Ajiril 22nd, 1912. 
1897720. 

memorandum. 
The Chief Clerk, 

Paymaster GeneraVs Office. 
Please give the following distances : 
Terre Haute, Ind., to Kankakee, 111. 128 miles. 
Danville, 111., to Kankakee, 111. 74 miles. J. B. 
Respy, 



J. B. R. 




R. 




J. Frech, 


Chief Cleric. 


Per C. W. S. 





39. 

P. M. G. O., April 23, 1912. 

Respectfully returned to the chief clerk, A. G. O. answers noted above. 

R. O. Kloeber, CJiief Clerk. 
Per J. B. R. 

When the information as to the distance between the towns was received, the 
clerk handling the case prepared the following memorandum for Col. Kernan : 

To Col. Kernan, A. G. 

R. O., Terre Haute, Ind., desires to close the aux. stations at Rockville, 111., 
23 miles, and Worthington, Ind., 40 miles. 



134 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

For results accomplished at Rockville and Wortliington, from Jan. 1st to 
Marcli 30, 1912, see page 2 tliis card. No applicants accepted at either station 
during first 10 days in April. 

R. O. desires to open aux. stations at Linton, Ind., and at Kankakee, 111. 

Linton is 43 miles from Terre Haute, and is in that district. 

Kankakee is 128 miles from Terre Haute, 74 miles from Danville — from which 
place R. O. desires to visit it — and but 56 miles from Chicago. It naturally per- 
tains to the district of Chicago. Only one outside station, Milwaukee, Wis., is 
now in operation in the 3 Chicago districts. 

See sketch. 

See also memo, from P. M, G. O. A. T. 

1. 

Apl. 23. 

In connection with the above memorandum a sketch of the sur- 
rounding territory was also made. This memorandum and the sketch 
were brought to the attention of Col. Kernan, and he wrote the fol- 
lowing instructions upon the record card : 

Authorize the closing of the two, as requested, & the opening of one at Lin- 
ton. Inform that the other place is not in his Dist. W. K. A. G. 

In accordance with the above instructions, the following letter to 
Capt. Mitchell was drafted on the record card : 

Referring to No. 1S97720/A write the letter recorded below. 
No. of inclosures to accompany letter : O. 
3.05 A. T., correspondence clerk. 

, examiner. 

Done Apr. 23, 1912, by J. G. 3.20 

LETTER. 

Capt. H. D. Mitchell, Fiest Infantry, Recrttiting Officer, 

709 WaMsJi Ave., Terre Haute, Ind. 

Sir : In response to your letter of the 19th instant, I have the honor to advise 
you, by direction of The Adjutant General of the Army, as follows : 

You are authorized, as recommended, to close the auxiliary recruiting stations 
at Rockville and Worthington, Ind., and to open an auxiliary station at 
Linton, Ind. 

The Secretary of War directs as necessary in the military service that you 
proceed on recruiting duty from Terre Haute, Ind., to Linton, Ind., or inter- 
mediate points as may be required while an auxiliary station is maintained at 
Linton and that you return after each trip to Terre Haute, Provided, That not 
exceeding in all 4 trips a month be made under these instructions. 

Your recommendation that you be authorized to open an auxiliary station 
at Kankakee, 111., is not approved. Kankakee, being nearer to Chicago than to 
either Terre Haute or Danville, naturally pertains to one of the districts of 
Chicago. 

Very respectfully, 

J. J. Kernan, Adjutant General. 

Copies furnished : 

QMG (2). 

IG. 

Apr. 23, 1912. 

Reviewed by W. H. T. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 135 

It will be observed that this letter follows the same language as 
the communication preceding it to Capt. Mitchell and that a form 
would materially reduce the work. After approval of the draft, a 
final copy was engrossed in the form of a letter to Capt. Mitchell. 

In connection with this case the consultation of any good atlas 
would show the geographical location of the towns concerning which 
recommendations were made for the establishment or discontinuance 
of the previous stations thereat, and serve the same purpose as a 
sketch, which necessarily must be prepared at the expense of a great 
amount of time. It seems quite unnecessary for the Paymaster 
General's Office to be addressed to determine the exact mileage be- 
tween the points concerned. This could be determined with near 
enough approximation to suit the case by a glance at the map. A 
variation of a few miles in the distance would have no effect upon the 
decision whether or not a recruiting station should be established or 
discontinued. 

D. UNNECESSARY COST OE PREPARATION AND DISPATCH OF TELEGRAMS AND 

CABLEGRAMS. 

In this discussion the word " telegram " is used in referring to land 
messages and the word " cablegram " in referring to transoceanic 
messages. Only those telegrams and cablegrams which are sent from 
The Adjutant General's Office in Washington are considered in this 
report. 

Telegrams. — Telegrams are sent by The Adjutant General's Office 
to division and department headquarters, military posts, to officers, 
and to a large number of other persons with whom the office transacts 
business. The largest class of telegrams are those sent to recruiting 
officers, and the next largest class are those sent regarding the move- 
ment of troops. No attempt is made to enumerate the other classes 
of telegrams sent by this office, since they cover practically all sub- 
jects coming within the scope of this office's activities. 

Methods of preparing and recording. — Telegrams are typewritten 
on telegraph forms in the various divisions of The Adjutant General's 
Office in connection with the business of such divisions, and are signed 
by The Adjutant General or an officer on his staff. In the Rolls 
Division, however, where telegrams are sent on statements of service, 
they are signed with The Adjutant General's name by the chief of 
the division. A carbon copy is made when writing telegrams. 

After telegrams are signed they are sent with the carbon copies to 
the chief clerk's office, where the carbon copy is stamped with a rubber 
stamp reading as follows : 

Original of foregoing telegram sent in War Department telegraph office. 



136 REPORTS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EPFICIENCY. 

The date, time, and signature of signing" officer also are noted there- 
on, telegrams then being sent to the telegraph office in the building 
for dispatching. 

The recording of telegrams is made on a record card, the recording 
and filing of carbon copies following the same general procedure as 
in other communications. 

Telegrams are not directed to be sent by night service and no 
coding of telegrams is made in any instance for economy. 

Cost of telegrmns. — The cost of telegrams sent by The Adjutant 
General's Office from Washington during each year from 1907 to 
1911, inclusive, was tabulated from vouchers filed in the office of the 
Auditor for the War Department. The cost is as follows : 

1907 $3, 959. 34 

1908 6, 727. 72 

190) 6, 504. 47 

1910 5, 895. 34 

1911 9, 386. 84 

Ontical discussion with constructive suggestions. — In order to 
ascertain the nature of the telegraph business of The Adjutant Gen- 
eral's Office and the manner in which that business is conducted a 
detailed examination was made of the telegrams filed during August, 
1911, with the Postal Telegraph-Cable Co. The number of mes- 
sages so examined was 1,046, and the cost of them was $370.17. 
This amount is approximately 4 per cent of the total expenditure 
for telegrams during 1911. It seemed to be unnecessary to examine 
critically any larger percentage of telegrams, since it was ascertained 
that the classes of messages are practically the same throughout the 
whole year. These messages were examined for the purpose of de- 
termining the following facts : 

{a) The necessity for sending a telegram. 

(5) The use of unnecessary words in a telegram. 

(c) The dispatch of several messages to one officer during a single 
day in place of the dispatch of a consolidated message. 

{d) The dispatch of telegrams at night rates. 

(e) The use of a code for enciphering telegrams. 

The results of the critical examination of the 1,046 messages filed 
with the Postal Telegraph-Cable Co. during August, 1911, are 
shown in the following table. Of these messages 370 were re- 
worded for 1;Jie purpose of ascertaining the approximate rate at which 
these messages could have been sent if properly prepared for trans- 
mission. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE- OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 137 



Classes. 


Number 

of 
telegrams 
rerated. 


Actual 
cost. 


Cost 

after 

rerating. 


Estimated savings. 


Amount. 


Percent. 


Total 


370 ! S177.90 

1 


S104. 48 


S73. 42 








Unabridged telegrams 


56 33.67 
231 9.^ .^fi 


24.71 

49.66 

19.24 

1 10. 87 


8.96 
43.70 

9.89 
10.87 


26 6 


Ringlfi tplpPTams tn sqTTiR nfRoifil Haiiy 


•16 8 


Telegrams sent at day rates instead of night rates 

Telegrams sent in English instead of in cipher 


63 
20 


29.13 
21.74 


34.0 
50.0 



1 Estimated at 50 per cent of actual cost. 

In rerating the 370 messages considered in the preceding table a 
very liberal policy was adopted and the benefit of every doubt was 
given to The Adjutant General's Office. Furthermore, the policy 
was adopted of spending only a reasonable amount of time in the 
preparation of the messages so as to avoid performing the work in 
such a manner as to increase clerical cost. The examination of these 
messages shows that by the adoption of even a few office rules and. 
without any increase in clerical work, a large saving in telegraph 
tolls could be effected. The saving shown in the above table is $73.42 
which is nearly 20 per cent of the cost of all messages which were 
criticall}'' examined. 

The largest saving to be effected is in revising the practice of send- 
ing several telegrams to the same official daily. Most telegrams of this 
class are sent to recruiting officers. The adoption of office methods 
for the consolidation of several messages to one officer into one mes- 
sage could be easily effected and would not delay the transaction of 
business connected with the recruiting service. Such a consolidation 
of daily messages is effected in sending cablegrams but appears to 
have been disregarded in the case of telegrams, apparently for the 
reason that the telegraph rates are so much lower than the cable rates. 

Another large saving to be effected is in the case of telegrams con- 
taining unnecessary words. In this connection, special attention is 
invited to the use of such phrases at the beginning of a telegram as 
" Reference Division Commander's letter first instant," " Reference 
telegram commanding officer, September eleventh," " Your telegram 
sixth reference vacancy effecting first officer Dix," and " Referring 
your indorsement fifteenth instant, number seventy-six naught nine." 
It seems obvious that the use of such long plirases as these, containing 
anywhere from 6 to 10 words, is entirel}^ unnecessary in connection 
with telegraphing and consequently involves a needless expense. This 
expense is an item of considerable importance, especially in connec- 
tion with the large number of telegrams going to the Pacific coast. 

It should be noted that in practically all the telegrams transmitted 
by The Adjutant General's Office the use of the phrase " The Adju- 
tant General approves ," or " By order of The Adjutant Gen- 



138 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EPFIOIENOY. 

eral " appears at the beginning of the message or at the close, as the 
case may be, notwithstanding the fact that the telegram is signed by 
The Adjutant General himself or one of his staff. It is apparent that 
the use of these phrases is not essential to a proper regard of the tele- 
gram by the officer who receives it; and that, in the aggTegate, these 
words increase considerably the cost of the telegrams sent by The 
Adjutant General's Office. It is evident also that the use of these 
phrases is purely formal, since the message would carry the same 
importance without them, as evidenced by the following telegram, 
the contents of which are repeated in order to show the purely per- 
functory use of one of the phrases mentioned : 

WASHlisTGTON, AUQUSt 31, 1911. 

Receuitinq Officbs, 

Pioneer Building, Seattle, Wash.: 
Records indicate that Potts had wife and two children March last year. 
By order The Adjutant General : 

Hall, 
Adjutant General. 

With reference to transmitting telegrams to recruiting officers, 
mention should be made of the lack of any uniformity in addressing 
the recruiting officer as briefly as possible and at the same time to 
have the address the same in all cases. That is, under the present 
practice several telegrams may be sent to a recruiting officer, at the 
same place, and within a few hours of each other, and the address 
may be differently worded on each message. In one instance it was 
found that the recruiting officer was addressed in one telegram as 
" Eecruiting Officer, Patterson Building, Main and Hudson Streets, 
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma," and in another telegram the same officer 
was addressed "Recruiting Officer, Patterson Building, Oklahoma, 
Oklahoma.'" a difference of four words. In this connection, it is sug- 
gested that one or two words might be utilized for the address of 
many of the officers of the service and thereby reduce very mateanally 
the cost of the telegraph service of the Government. For instance, in 
the office of the Chief Signal Officer there appears to be a practice of 
addressing telegrams to signal officers as follows : " Signal, Seattle, 
Washington." 

Another large saving can be effected by sending messages at night 
rates instead of at day rates. No night message was found in the 
1,046 which were critically examined, nor in the many thousands of 
other messages which were handled in connection with this inquiry. 
Other branches of the War Department, as well as other departments, 
have adopted regulations which provide that specified classes of 
messages which are frequently sent, or messages which are sent so 
late in the day as to preclude their receipt during office hours shall be 
sent at night rates. No figures are available to show the savings thus 
effected in these offices and departments, but from observation of 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 139 

the large quantity of messages sent at night rates it is obvious that 
a large sum has been saved to the Government service by those de- 
partments which are making an effort to conduct their business with 
economy as well as with efficiency. 

Of the messages which were critically examined it was found that 
20 were long messages sent to commanding officers concerning the 
movements of troops. Such messages should be in cipher both for 
economy and for affording better protection to the War Department 
in the conduct of important work. 

Sample messages illustrating each class of saving, as shown in the 
preceding table, are given herewith. Unabridged messages, or mes- 
sages wherein unnecessary words are used, are shown by the following 
illustrations : 

August 18, 1011. 
General Superintendent, Army Transport Service, 

San Francisco, California. 
As requested your telegram sisteentli instant to Quartermaster General you 
are authorized transfer Captain Heidt, Quartermaster, and Lieutenant Stayer, 
Medical Corps, from Transport Buford to Transport Logan. By order Secretary 
War: 

Alvord, 
Adjutant General. 



August 26, 1911. 
Commanding Officer, Ninth Cavalry, 

Fort D. A. Russell, Wyoming. 
Advise this ofllce by telegraph vrhether or not you w^ill approve detail of 
Lieutenant Brant, Ninth Cavalry, as professor military science and tactics 
Pennsylvania Military College, Chester, Pennsylvania. By order Secretary 
War. 

Alvord, 
Adjutant General. 



August 12, 1911. 
Recruiting Officer, 

I Street, Fresno, Cal. 
The Adjutant General authorizes acceptance Fisher as requested if qualified. 
Discharged expiration service June eleven year troop and character mentioned 
private. First enlistment. 

HAI.L, 

Adjutant General. 

As illustrating the present practice of sending several telegrams 
daily to the same person, the following telegrams are shown : 

August 21, 1911. 
Recruiting Officer, 

Indiana Building, 203 East Twelfth Street, Kansas City, Missouri. 
Send Private Allen, C, Sixth Field Artillery imder guard to proper station, 
entire cost to be charged against soldier. By order Secretary War. 

Hall, 
Adjutant General. 



140 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION" ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

August 21, 1911. 
Recruiting Officer, 

Indiana B wilding, 203 East Twelfth Street, Kansas City, Missouri: 
Secretary of War directs Privates Clayton Dyer and John Greiner, C, Sixth 
Field Artillery, sent under guard to proper station, and cost reported to 
battery commander as charge against soldiers. 

Hall, 
Adjutant General. 



August 21, 1911. 
Recruiting Officer, 

Indiana Building, 203 East Twelfth Street, Kansas City, Missouri: 
Secretary War directs that Private Fred S. McKenzie, O, Sixth Field Artillery, 
be sent under guard to proper station, and cost reported to battery commander 
as charge against soldier. 

Hall, 
Adjutant General. 



August 21, 1911. 
Recruiting Officer, 

Indiana Building, Kansas City, Mo.: 
The Adjutant General authorizes acceptance Allen as requested. 

Hall, 
Adjutant General. 



August 21, 1911. 
Recruiting Officer, 

Indiana Building, Kansas City, Mo.: 
The Adjutant General authorizes acceptance Dicker son for Coast Artillery, 
B^'ort Howard. 

Roy Dickerson, mustered in July eleven, eighteen hundred ninety-eight, 
mustered out May thirty-one following year, private, G, Fifth United States 
Volunteer Infantry. Roy T. Dickerson enlisted September eleven, eighteen 
hundred ninety-nine, discharged January twenty-four, nineteen hundred one, 
corporal, K, Forty-fifth United States Volunteer Infantry ; good. 

Hall, 
Adjutant General. 

Another instance of several telegrams being sent to one officer in 
one day is as follows : 

August 9, 1911. 
Recruiting Officer, 

Third and Olive, St. Louis, Mo.: 
The Adjutant General authorizes acceptance Woodruff. Note deficiencies. 

Hall, 
Adjutant General. 



August 9, 1911. 
Recruiting Officer, 

Third and Olive, St. Louis, Mo.: 
The Adjutant General authorizes acceptance Finney for Twenty-fourth In- 
fantry, Fort Ontario. 

Alvord, 
Adjutant General. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 141 

August 9, 1911. 
Recruiting Officer, 

Third and Olive, St. Louis, Mo.: 
Tlie Adjutant General autliorizes acceptance Hood for First Cavalry, Fort 
Yellowstone. 

Alvord, 
Adjutant General. 



August 9, 1911. 
Recruiting Officer, 

Third and Olive, St. Louis, Mo.: 
The Adjutant General autliorizes acceptance Dowdy, as requested. 

Alvord, 
Adjutant GeneraL 



August 9, 1911. 
Recruiting Officer, 

Third and Olive, St. Louis, Mo.: 
Tlie Adjutant General authorizes acceptance Johnson, Twenty-fourth In- 
fantry, Ontario. 

Alvord, 
Adjutant General. 

Samples of telegrams sent as day messages which should have been 
sent as night messages are shown herewith : 

August 16, 1911. 

Commanding General, Western Division, 

Sa/n Francisco, Gal. 
Order issued June fifth directing Colonel Charles Richards, Medical Corps, 
upon arrival San Francisco, proceed to Walter Reed General Hospital, District 
of Columbia, for duty in command that hospital. By order Secretary War: 

Alvord, 
Adjutant General. 



August 14, 1911. 
Recruiting Officer, 

Indiana Building, Kansas City, Mo. 
The Adjutant General authorizes acceptance Comstock as requested. 

Hall, 
Adjutant General. 

The above telegrams were filed at 4 :30 and 5 p. m. 

The following telegrams illustrate those sent in English which 
should have. been sent in cipher: 

August 29, 1911. 
Commanding General, Central Division, 

Chicago, III. 

Tenth Infantry has been selected for service in Panama. The regiment will 
sail on transport Eilpatrick from Galveston. Quarters for officers and men 
will be ready about September fifteenth. No accommodations for families yet. 
You are authorized to send a detachment of thirty men and such number of 



142 EEPOETS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

officers as the regimental commander deems necessary, not exceeding one for 
each company, to paclj and adjust property accountability. Baggage from Fort 
Benjamin Harrison will be shipped to Newport News and put aboard transport 
before it sails for Galveston. The regimental quartermaster or some other 
officer selected by the colonel will be ordered to precede the regiment to 
Panama. Telegraph name of officer. Authorized tentage for permanent camp 
should be taken. List of other supplies needed communicated by mail. This 
telegram has been repeated to regimental commander. 
By order Secretary War : 

Alvobd, 
Adjutant General. 



August 25, 1911. 
Commanding Officer, 

Fort Monroe, Virginia. 
Following-named officers detailed to witness experimental firing against San 
Marcos on twenty-eighth instant, and ordered report on vessels of fleet in 
Hampton Roads morning twenty-seventh : Major Alston Hamilton and Captains 
Harrison Hall, William F. Hase, John O. Steger and OfCnere Hope. The officers 
named and also Captains Matthews and Hopkins, are also detailed to report 
on September first to commander in chief, Atlantic Fleet, for purpose witness- 
ing regular battle practice of fleet off Capes of Chesapeake. Inform them and 
instruct them accordingly and to submit to this office report of observations on 
completion duty. Order issues here. 
By order Secretary War : 

Alvoed, 
Adjutant General. 



August 24, 1911. 
Commanding General, Western Division, 

San Francisco, California. 

Following telegram to-day to commanding general, Central Division, repeated 
for your information. Quote. Reference telegram this office this date, inform 
commanding officer. Third Battalion, Second Infantry, Fort D. A. Russell, 
Wyoming, that Second Battalion, Twentieth Infantry, will sail from Honolulu 
for San Francisco, on transport leaving Manila, September fifteenth, nineteen 
eleven, thus leaving Fort Shafter available for Third Battalion, Second In- 
fantry. End quote. 

By order Secretary War : 

AlVOBD, 

Adjutant General. 

The percentage of saving effected by rerating the 1,046 messages 
which were critically examined was 20 per cent. As has been stated, 
a very liberal policy was adopted toward The Adjutant General's 
Office in computing savings. It is believed that a considerable larger 
percentage of saving in telegraph tolls can easily be effected by the 
adoption of proper regulations and by the proper supervision over 
the preparation and dispatch of messages. For the purpose of show- 
ing the approximate savings, the percentage of saving effected by 
the critical study has been applied to the total cost of telegrams for 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 143 

each of the five years from 1907 to 1911. The estimated savings for 
these years are as follows : 

1907 $790 

190S 1,345 

1909 1,300 

1910 1, 179 

1911 1,877 

The average saving for these years is approximately $1,250. 

Cablegrams. — A large number of cablegrams are sent by The Ad- 
jutant General's Office to the commanding officers at Manila and 
Honolulu. Another large class consists of messages sent to military 
attaches in foreign countries. 

Methods of preparing and dispatching cablegrams. — Draft of 
cablegrams to be sent is written out on a form which is signed by an 
adjutant general as approved and sent to the cable clerk in the Mail 
and Kecord Division, who enciphers into code, writing cipher mes- 
sage on this form in space provided below verbatim message. This 
form is later sent back to division from which it emanated, for filing 
purposes. 

Cables to the Philippines, Honolulu, and Panama, as the case may 
be, are consolidated on cablegram form, the idea of this consolidation 
being the sending of one cable daily, or as often as necessary, instead 
of a larger number during the day to one point. The verbatim cable 
is also written on this form, and then detached and sent by mail as 
confirmation of code cable. A carbon copy is made (these forms 
being typewritten) and filed in chronological order by the cable 
clerk. 

Cables received for sending are copied verbatim in longhand in a 
book kept for that purpose, this book being afterwards sent to The 
Adjutant General, who initials each cable. Cables as coded and sent 
are also copied in longhand in a book, which is taken to the telegraph 
office with cable to have the time of receipt at telegraph office stamped 
thereon. 

The cable clerk translates cables received on a cablegram received 
form, the received cables for the day being shown thereon. This 
form is typewritten and a carbon copy made, both being filed by the 
cable clerk in chronological order, with the original cables. 

As cables are received, translated copies or extracts therefrom are 
typewritten by the cable clerk on white letter paper for transmission 
to the division to which the cable relates. A¥hen cables received re- 
late to the deaths of enlisted men and deaths of officers, there are 
nine such copies sent to various offices and divisions of the War De- 
partment, and in the case of cables relating to the arrival and dis- 
patch of transports at Manila 10 additional copies also are made for 
transmission to the press. As far as possible these copies are made 



144 REPOKTS OF COMMISSION OlST ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

by carbon, and one carbon copy is retained by the cable clerk and filed 
chronologically with notation thereon as to whom copies have been 
sent. The other copies are sent to the Mail and Record Division 
with a slip on which is a notation of the cable and its purport, this 
slip being returned to the cable clerk with a file number thereon to 
^hich cable relates, for the information of the cable clerk. Cables 
as received and translated are entered in longhand in a book kept for 
this purpose. This book, and book in which verbatim cables sent are 
entered, are cross-referenced to serve as a follow-up system for the 
noting of the prompt reply to cables sent and received, which duty 
devolves upon the cable clerk. 

The following codes are used by the War Department : 

War Department Telegraph Code — phrases by words. 

The Cipher of the War Department — phrases by figures. 

Special Coded Words for certain commissary stores. 

The monthly bills of the telegraph and cable companies are checked 
up by the cable clerk against the returned original telegrams and 
cables for verification of same. 

The cable clerk. in the Mail and Record Division, whose duties and 
work are described herein, is Mr. H. S. Wright, salary of $1,600, 
who is assisted at certain times by Mr. John Johnston, salary of 
$1,400, who estimates that about 20 per cent of his time is consumed 
by this work. 

Cost of cablegrams. — The cost of cablegrams sent from Washing- 
ton by The Adjutant General's Office during the years 1907 to 1911 
was computed from vouchers on files in the office of the Auditor for 
the War Department. The cost of each of these years is as follows : 

1907 $7, 887. 41 

1908 9, 455. 22 

1909 8, 237. 30 

1910 9, 185. 28 

1911 8, 999. 66 

Gntical discussion with constructive suggestions. — In order to as- 
certain the methods employed in preparing and dispatching cable- 
grams, a critical examination was made of the messages sent during 
April, May, September, and October, 1910, and August and Septem- 
ber, 1911. The cost of the messages examined for April and May, 
1910, which fall in the fiscal year 1910, was $1,612.40. The cost of 
the messages examined for the months of September and October, 
1910,. which fall in the fiscal year 1911, was $1,549.53, and the cost of 
the messages examined for August and September, 1911, which fall 
in the fiscal year 1912 was $1,007.93. The messages examined for the 
fiscal years 1910 and 1911 cost over 17 per cent of the total messages 
transmitted in each of those years. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 145 

These messages were examined for the purpose of ascertaining 
whether the War Department codes had been used in transmitting 
messages which should be enciphered and for the purpose of ascer- 
taining the method used in enciphering messages. It was ascer- 
tained that a small number of messages were sent by The Adjutant 
General's Office in English which should have been sent in cipher. 
These messages were addressed to the commanding general at Hono- 
lulu and to military attaches. The cost of such messages sent in each 
month for which a critical examination was made is as follows : 

April, 1910 $9. 02 

September, 1910 6. 05 

October, 1910 19. 23 

August, 1911 10.14 

September, 1911 14.67 

The cost of messages sent in English which should have been sent 
in cipher was slightly in excess of 1 per cent of the cost of all mes- 
sages which were critically examined. 

The cipher messages sent by The Adjutant General's Office con- 
tain code words from a War Department code, figure groups from a 
War Department code, together with a number of proper names and 
occasionally ordinary English words. No attempt has been made by 
this office to adopt any one of the many devices in common use for 
combining two code words into one compound artificial word of 10 
letters or less. It is the common practice with commercial concerns, 
in the Bureau of Insular Affairs, in the Isthmian Canal Commission, 
and in the State Department to use a method of enciphering cable- 
grams which will permit of two code words being enciphered as one 
word. Such a method reduces the cable tolls by approximately 50 
per cent over the method used in The Adjutant General's Office of 
placing the code words directly in the messages in the form in which 
the words appear in the code. 

The method of enciphering which has been used for several years 
in the Bureau of Insular Affairs and in the Isthmian Canal Commis- 
sion is wholly adapted to the use of The Adjutant General's Office. 
War Department codes are used in both the Bureau of Insular Affairs 
and the Canal Commission, so that the feasibility of applying the 
proposed method of enciphering to the War Department codes has 
been demonstrated by an experience extending over several years. 
The Bureau of Insular Affairs and the Canal Commission have re- 
duced their cable bills approximately 50 per cent through the adop- 
tion of their present method of enciphering cablegrams. This method 
involves a very slight amount of additional work on the part of the 
cipher clerks. -In their opinion it is possible to perform daily ap- 
proximately the same amount of work with their present method of 
enciphering as can be performed by the use of the War Department 

72734°— H. Doc. 1252. 62-3 10 



146 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSIOM" ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIEISTCY. 

code now followed by The Adjutant General's Office. The only- 
initial expense connected with the adoption 6i the proposed method 
of enciphering is the purchase of a rubber stamp and the clerical 
work of stamping- a small table on some of the pages in the War 
Department code. 

Unnecessary expense is now incurred by The Adjutant General's 
Office in giving the full title, initials, and street address of military 
attaches in a large number of the messages sent to them. 

By adopting the methods of enciphering cablegrams now used in 
the Bureau of Insular Affairs and the Isthmian Canal Commission, 
and by restricting the address of cablegrams to only necessary words, 
a saving in cablegrams of over 46 per cent of the total cost can be 
effected. The saving which could have been effected during the fiscal 
year 1910 by the use of an economical method of enciphering mes- 
sages and by omitting needless words from the address was $4,390, 
or approximately 48 per cent of the total cost for cablegrams. The 
corresponding saving for the fiscal year 1911 was $4,130 or approxi- 
mately 46 per cent of the total cable cost. These savings are com- 
puted on the basis of the savings which were ascertained by critical 
examination of the messages sent during April and May, 1910, and 
September and October, 1910. Applying the average saving for 
these periods to the cost of cablegrams for 1907, 1908, and 1909 
shows an annual saving of $3,675, $4,406, and $3,838, respectively. 
The average annual saving for the years 1907 to 1911 is $4,088. In 
view of this large annual saving which can be effected at practically 
no initial cost and with no increase in clerical services, there seems 
to be no justification for The Adjutant General's Office to have con- 
tinued to expend approximately twice as much as it should for 
cablegrams. The continuance of the present method in The Adju- 
tant General's Office is all the more reprehensible because of the fact 
that the Bureau of Insular Affairs and the Isthmian Canal Commis- 
sion have been successfully using the more economical method and 
because of the further fact that some of the officials of The Adju- 
tant General's Office are acquainted with this economical method. 

A small saving in the clerical work now performed on enciphering 
and recording cablegrams could be effected by the adoption of the 
following suggestion: Instead of the clerical work of copying in 
longhand in a book all cablegrams dispatched, both as written and as 
coded, it is recommended that an additional carbon copy be made of 
cablegrams and translations now being made on Form A. G. O. 216, 
and that the carbon copy of code messages be taken to the telegraph 
office to be receipted, and that the carbon copy of the translation of 
cablegrams be sent to The Adjutant General's Office to be initialed 
by him. This extra carbon copy of Form A. G. O. 216 will serve 
as a substitute for the two books now kept, and, being made at the 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 14? 

time of writing original cable, will insure greater accuracy and save 
the time of the cable clerk to an appreciable extent. 

With respect to cablegrams received, it is the opinion of this com- 
mission that an additional carbon copy of Form A. G. O. 238 on 
which cables as translated are written will serve the purpose of the 
book record, will save the clerical work of writing in longhand, and 
insure greater accuracy. The carbon copies of translated cables sent 
and received, made on Forms A. G. O. 216 and 238, can be filed in 
chronological order, thus being kept in the same order as books for 
which they will be the substitute. These carbon copies, where a 
reply is expected, can be held in a " suspense " file pending same, 
after which they can be filed, as stated, chronologically. This fol- 
low-up method will be found more ef&cient and quicker for reference 
purposes than the method of referring back to consult messages in a 
book to see whether properly noted with date of reply. 

E. HIGH COST OF PREPARATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF CIRCULARS DE- 
SCRIPTIVE OF DESERTERS. 

The present practice of sending a descriptive circular for each 
man deserting from the Army to military posts, recruiting offices, 
chiefs of police, private detectives, and other persons has been ex- 
tended beyond all reasonable limits. By simply revising the mailing 
list so that it will include only the names of such persons as may be 
reasonably sure of being interested in the descriptive circulars, it will 
be possible to not only effect a very large saving but also to avoid 
sending circulars to persons having no use for them. The prepara- 
tion of a proper mailing list of names to which circulars should be 
sent would in many cases do away with the necessity of printing a 
description of the deserter and enable the office to use a form. In 
this form statements which are made with respect to each desertion 
should be printed and spaces should be provided for inserting the 
personal description of the individual soldier who is being circu- 
larized. 

This subject is discussed at length in the report on the Tenth 
Street branch contained in Section IV, and it therefore seems un- 
necessary to discuss the subject further in this part of the report. 

F. HIGH COST OF FURNISHING INFORMATION FROM OLD MILITARY 

RECORDS. 

One of the largest classes of work performed by The Adjutant 
General's Office is that of furnishing information from old military 
records, the largest number of requests for information being re- 
ceived from the Pension Office and the office of the Auditor for the 



148 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

War Department. Five divisions of the office and parts of two other 
divisions are devoting their entire time to this work. These divi- 
sions, together with the number of clerks working on old records, 
are as follows: 

1. Regimental Records Division 26 

2. Arcliives Division 19 

8. Medical Division 23 

4. Tenth Street branch 9 

5. Seventeenth Street branch 4 

6. Examining section of the Mail and Record Division 5 

7. A part of the Correspondence and Examining Division 13 

The salaries paid to the employees of these divisions working on 
old records are $137,000. These divisions occupy approximately 80 
rooms in the State, War, and Navy Building, the larger part of the 
old Ford's Theater Building on Tenth Street, the building at 610 
Seventeenth Street, and a portion of the Army Medical Museum. 

The files of records and the furnishing of information will be dis- 
cussed with respect to the location of the files, the arrangement of 
records in the files, and the methods employed in furnishing informa- 
tion. 

Location. — A part of the military records, as distinguished from 
the medical records, of officers and men formerly in the military 
service are filed in the State, War, and Navy Building, a part in the 
Ford's Theater Building and a part in the building at 610 Seven- 
teenth Street. While it is realized that The Adjutant General's Of- 
fice is handicapped by the quarters provided for it, yet this can not be 
considered a satisfactory explanation of the fact that at the present 
time old military records which are seldom consulted (as a large 
part of those in the Archives Division and a part of those in the 
Regimental Records Division) are located in valuable space in the 
State, War, and Navy Building, while other records pertaining to 
current military affairs (as the identification records at the Tenth 
Street branch and the current medical records in the Army Medical 
Museum) are filed in buildings located at a distance from the State, 
War, and Navy Building. Furthermore, the arrangement of the file 
cases in the rooms of the State, War, and Navy Building is such that 
the space is only partially utilized. By a simple rearrangement of 
the filing cases and by building the cases higher, so as to contain 10 
rows of boxes instead of 7 as at present time, it would be possible to 
place these file cases in very much less space than is now occupied. 

In the discussion of office quarters in a later section of this report 
the question of the location of these files is further discussed and a 
recommendation is made for the placing of all old military records 
in a fire-proof file building to be rented for that purpose. 



BUSINESS METHODS OP OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEKAL. 149 

Arrangement of records. — The present arrangement of the records 
in the files is such that it is necessary to refer a case from one di- 
vision to another and in many instances from one biiihling to 
another in order to prepare a complete statement of the military and 
medical history of a former officer or enlisted man. For example, 
the military record cards for soldiers in the Civil War are filed in 
part in the Regimental Records Division in the State, War, and 
Navy Building and in part in the Tenth Street branch. These rec- 
ords are all of the same class and logically should be filed together. 
Under the present arrangement a request for record inf9rmation con- 
cerning a former officer or enlisted man is sent to the Regimental 
Records Division, and in a large number of cases (approximately 
30,000 a year) the request must be referred to the Tenth Street 
branch for completion. The case is then referred back to the Regi- 
mental Records Division with such records as were found at the 
Tenth Street branch, and these records are then permanently filed in 
the Regimental Records Division. All the unnecessary work inci- 
dent to referring cases to the Tenth Street branch and returning 
them to the Regimental Records Division would be eliminated if the 
records were properly filed in one file in the Regimental Records 
Division. 

The medical records, as distinguished from the military records, 
are now filed in a separate division, part of which is located in the 
State, War, and Navy Building and part in the Army Medical Mu- 
seum. It is thus necessary in preparing a statement of military and 
medical history to refer the case for action to the Regimental Records 
Division, to the Tenth Street branch (in a large number of cases), to 
that part of the Medical Division in the State, War, and Navy 
Building, and, in many cases, to that part of the Medical Division 
in the Army Medical Museum. The separation of the. medical rec- 
ords from the military records is based upon the hypothesis that since 
the medical records pertain to a special subject they should be filed 
separately from other records concerning men in the Army. It is 
contended by the commission that this distinction is unnecessary 
since the two classes of records must be consulted in order to procure 
a complete statement of a man's service in the Army. The Adjutant 
General's Office has adopted the plan of filing in one file the military 
and medical cards for soldiers in the Spanish War and the Philip- 
pine insurrection. It fails, however, to take advantage of having the 
two classes of records in one file, as it now requires the medical cards 
to be withdrawn from this consolidated file and sent to the Medical 
Division for the preparation of that part of the statement of service 
pertaining to medical history. 



150 EEPOETS OF COMMISSIOlSr ON ECOlSrOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

By consolidating the records so as to bring together in one file all 
records pertaining to the service of one man a great saving in the 
clerical work of furnishing information from the records could be 
effected. This subject is discussed in detail for each of the divisions 
having the custody of old military records and it is therefore unnec- 
essary to go into further detail here. 

Methods of furnishing information. — The Adjutant General's 
Office has adopted the policy of assigning one case at a time to the 
clerk who is to handle it, in all cases classified as " regular corre- 
spondence cases." In handling the " statement of service cases '' 
several may be assigned to a clerk at one time, but this practice is not 
uniformly followed. The reason for the present method is to enable 
the office to keep track of each individual case, and to insure that no 
delay occurs in handling it. There is no question as to the desir- 
ability of conducting business promptly, but the policy of expediting 
action on cases has been carried to an absurd extreme in The Adju- 
tant General's Office. The result of the present method is to limit 
the number of cases which can be handled by a clerk in a day, as a 
large amount of time is lost in waiting for a case to be received for 
action. A much larger quantity of work could be accomplished in a 
day if the chief of each division assigned a number of cases to a clerk 
at one time, and if attention was given to planning the work, bO as 
to insure its completion without taking a large number of unneces- 
sary steps. The present method of assigning work to clerks search- 
ing the files is discussed at length in the report for the Regimental 
Kecords Division in Section IV. 

The information furnished from military records concerning the 
service of former officers and enlisted men is of such a nature and 
is so recorded that it is possible to state it satisfactorily and accurately 
on printed forms. Such forms are now used in furnishing informa- 
tion to the Pension Office and the Auditor for the War Department 
in the larger number of cases. There are, however, several classes of 
requests for statements of military service in connection with which 
printed forms are not now used, but in which they could be used to 
advantage, such as requests for statements concerning men who were 
in the Revolutionary War and War of 1812, and requests from Con- 
gressmen, associations, and societies concerning the service of men 
who were in the Civil War. A large saving of time and expense 
could be effected by extending the use of printed forms whenever 
practicable. 

G. DEFECTS IN METHODS OF ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL. 

In the introductory part of this report attention was called in a 
general way to the practice of the office when an error occurs in 
connection with the clerical work. 



BUSIISrESS METHODS OP OFFICE OE THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 151 

As an example of overelaboration in the matter of administrative 
control of the clerical force of the office, and what appears to be the 
unvarying policy to go into the utmost detail in all matters, regard- 
less of their importance or of the time or expense involved, it may 
be interesting to describe this procedure at some length. 

When a clerical error has been made the " errorist " is required to 
submit to the chief clerk of the office, througli the chief of his division, 
a full report in writing setting forth an explanation of the error. 
The nature of the error report and of the administrative practice 
in connection therewith will be disclosed by a perusal of the following 
forms and memoranda, which are self-explanatory. 

The Adjutant General's Office, 

191-. 

Mr. : 

Referring to case No. , — , 191- in whicli , I am directed 

by The Adjutant General to request you to state {a) the cause of the apparent 
error; or, if the cause is not known, (6) the probable cause; or (c) a theory 
as to the cause. 

The purpose of investigating errors is to learn their specific cause or causes, 
with the view of adopting measures to reduce the possibility of their occurrence, 
or to entirely prevent them, according as such remedy may be found feasible. 

Having this end in view, you are also requested to {d) suggest a remedy 
for, or guard against, or means of prevention of, this kind of error. 



Per 

Respectfully returned . 

(A. G. 0.215) 



60 C4 B2 03 A Adm. 

War Department, 
The Adjutant General's Office, 

Washington, April 22, 1909. 
Memorandum. 

Clause (d) of the printed request for explanation of error (form 215) asks 
for a suggestion of a remedy for, or guard against, or means of prevention of, the. 
kind of error under investigation. 

When the cause of the error under investigation is due to 

1 inexperience, 

2 or particular ignorance, 

3 or misunderstanding, 

4 or forgeifulness of a rule or of a principle, 

5 or lack of adequate care, 

6 or undue haste, 

7 or insufficient attentiveness, 

8 or neglect on the part of the explainer, 

the adoption and application of the remedy is solely within the power and con- 
trol of the explainer. 

In such event, and also in any event when the explainer of an error himself 
discovers or recognizes that a feasible and unobjectionable remedy is entirely 



152 EBPOETS OF COMMISSIOISr ON ECOlSrOMy AND EFFICIENCY. 

witliiu his own control, the printed clause (d) of form 215 is obviously literally 
inadequate, and it should consequently be interpreted and answered as though 
it read as follows: 

"Having this end in view, you are also requested (d) to state, if practicable, 
a remedy for, or guard against, or means of prevention of this kind of error, 
and if the stated remedy is within your own- control you are requested to 
state (e) whether you have adopted it since the occurrence of this error, or (/) 
whether you have now determined to adopt it." 

Without this information the record of the investigation would be obviously 
incomplete. 

J. Fkech. 
(A. G. O. 105) 



60 C4 B2 04 Adm. 

Wae Depaktment, 
The Adjutant General's Office, 

Washington, April 29, 19] 2. 
Memorandum, 

When a suggested feasible remedy, unobjectionable from an economical or 
other point of view, tending to minimize recurrence of a class of error is be- 
yond the control of the errorist, but is within the control or authority of his 
immediate official superior, or the chief of the relevant division, a statement 
should be added by the proper official superior showing whether or not the 
remedy has been adopted; because, without such statement, the record of the 
Investigation would be incomplete, in that it does not show whether the sug- 
gested remedy has been adopted, and therefore inquiry in this regard would 
need to be instituted, thus unnecessarily lengthening the record of the investi- 
gation. 

J. Feech, Chief Clerk. 
(A. G. O. 105) 



60 C4 B2 A2 Adm. 

Wak Department, 
The Adjutant General's Office, 

Washington, May 16, 1910. 
Memorandum. 

List and exposition of some topics that it is useful for a chief of division to 
have in mind when weighing the question of propriety or completeness of an 
error report (submitted to him by an employee of his division) before forward- 
ing it as a satisfactory report. 
An error report that is — 

frank, 

complete, 

precise, 

relevant, 

explicit, 

material, 

adequately analytic, 

courteous, and 

accurate, 
is likery to be a proper and satisfactory report. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 153 

An ibiproper or defective error report by the errorist is probably either — 

(1) Insincere, i. e., it does not disclose some one or more known facts neces- 
sary to discuss the cause of the error, which facts are known only to the error- 
ist and are not stated or are distorted, by reason of a groundless fear that their 
admission may redound to the discredit of the errorist; or 

(2) Incomplete, by the omission of a statement regarding (a) the cause of 
the error, or (b) the cause of the nontimely discovery of having made the error, 
or (c) a suggestion of a feasible remedy tending to prevent recurrence of the 
species of error, if the remedy is beyond the control of the errorist, or (d) the 
adoption, or the determination to adopt, a remedy tending to prevent recur- 
rence, if the remedy is in the control of the errorist ; or 

(3) Unprecise in part, in that it contains one or more ambiguous material 
statements; or 

(4) Irrelevant in part, in that it contains some matter foreign to the known 
object of the request for the report ; or 

(5) Inexplicit, in that it implies the existence of certain material facts with- 
out assuming the responsibility of asserting the existence of those material 
facts ; or 

(6) Immaterial in part, in that it contains unimportant or platitudinous 
statements which simply waste the time and attention of the reader ; or 

(7) InsuflBciently analytic, in that the report does not indicate that any seri- 
ous or scientific study was given to the question of finding a cause or a rem- 
edy ; or 

(8) Discourteous, in that some statement in the report violates a principle of 
propel deference to an official superior or proper comity toward a coordinate 
employee; or 

(9) Inaccurate, in that the report states a possibility as though it were a 
probability or states a probability as though it were a certainty. 

J. Fbech, Chief Clerk. 
(A. G. O. 124) 



85D3B2A2B 

Subject: Observance of comity towards coordinate employees and divisions. 

Wak Department, 
The Adjutant Geneeal's Office, 

Washington, May 11, 1910. 

Mr. , 

Mail and Record Division. 
Sir : Your statement in a report forming part of a written office discussion 
of the 10th instant, that " the Correspondence Division is apparently incapable 
of distinguishing between an institution known as the National Home for 
D. V. S. and an entirely different institution under the control of the U. S. Post 
Office Department and known as ' National Soldiers' Home Post Office ' " is a 
censorious criticism of the intellectual ability of the C. & E. Division. 

If that statement was permitted by me to remain in that written criticism 
it would imply that the M. & R. Division sanctioned that censorious criticism 
at least tacitly if not explicitly, and when it reached the C. & E. Division would 
properly by viewed by that division as a violation of official comity, thus 
tending to cause the uniformly harmonious relations existing between the two 
(iivisions to be strained or disrupted, because it would be but natural for a 
division so treated to feel a desire to retaliate. 



154 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION 01^ ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

I have advertently used the phrase tending to cause, because it is very prob- 
able that the C & E. Division under the M^ell-known existing practice of the 
office in dealing with questions of violations of comity, would i-eport the 
offensive language to superior authority, and undoubtedly thus obtain, in a 
proper manner, satisfactory redress for the injury, because it would then 
undoubtedly become necessary for the M. & R. Division respectfully to make 
satisfactory amends for its unauthorized expression of censure. 

It is fair to assume that when j^ou wrote the statement regarding a coordinate 
division of the office you were not aware of the fact that it is a censorious 
criticism, it being written in the heaA^y pressure of business customary at your 
desk. 

Following is a copy of the memorandum, by the chief clerk of the 
office dated September 22, 1909, which is relevant to this question : 

1. A censorious criticism of an act of a division, a section, or an employee, 
comes properly only from an official superior of that division, section, or em- 
ployee, because no other than such superior is vested with authority or has 
jurisdiction over the official acts of that division, section, or employee, or is 
empowered to regulate those acts. 

2. A censorious criticism by any division or section or employee that is 
coordinate with the division or section or employee that is censured, is a 
violation of that species of courtesy known as comity (courtesy between coordi- 
nates or between persons independent of each other). 

3. An act that is a violation of the principle of comity is an encroachment 
on the independence of the person against whom the act is aimed, and is 
properly and likely to be viewed by him as an attempt to inflict an indignity 
upon him, such act being in effect an attack upon his dignity. 

4. When an act that is a violation of comity is not premeditated, and not 
deliberate, this fact can not be easily determined by the person against whom 
it is directed, because nothing but particular ignorance or forgetfulness on the 
part of the actor would cause him to so commit it ; and as particular ignorance 
and forgetfulness can be easily simulated, the person aggrieved has no certain 
guide to the motive for the action until, if ever, he has a favorable opportunity 
to ask the necessary questions. 

5. Consequently, it is important for one to become adequately conversant 
with the principle of comity, otherwise one may frequently give offense unwit- 
tingly, and not always find opportunity to explain that it was due to particular 
ignorance or forgetfulness and not to design. 

Following are some relevant extracts from record of prior investi- 
gations of other cases : 

(October 1, 1904.) 

6. As the two divisions are coordinate, and as consequently neither is the 
subordinate of the other, this makes the censorious judgment by the one divi- 
sion on the other division an extra-jurisdictional one. 

7. The principle of comity forbids the expressing by one division of censure 
on another division, they being coordinates. 

8. The expressing, by one in the office, of censure on a division of the office, 
is only properly done authoritatively by one having authority over the division. 

9. The object of the principle of comity between coordinate divisions is to 
create and preserve the harmony that ought always to exist between them. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 155 

March 19, 190G. 

10. The language which Mr. A admits he used towards Mr. B is cast in 
words unmistakably implying official authority to give * * * deserved 
reproof or censure. 

11. As Mr. A is not an official superior to Mr. B, the use of the admitted 
language constitutes assumption of undelegated authority over a coordinate 
employee, the exercise of which in an office is subversive of the good order 
and discipline of the office, being a violation of the principle of comity. 

12. Words having the form of * * * a reproof uttered by one not author- 
ized to administer that reproof are in the nature, and are likely to have the 
effect, of insolence towards the person addressed. 

13. It is conceded that Mr. A did not with deliberation intend to assume 
undelegated authority, and that he did not mean to be discourteous, and that 
his assumption and discourtesy are due to mere impulsiveness ; but this very 
fact that he does not realize sometimes, as in the present instance, that he does 
assume undelegated authority and is discourteous in fact makes the habit a 
d.ifficult one to cure. 

The following extract from a work entitled Innes' Human Nature 
contains some relevant principles which it is deemed useful to quote 
here: 

14. Language may sometimes be used injuriously, in a great measure, through 
inadvertence, where there was no deliberate bad design. In such a case I have 
known persons apt to be offended at being reproved for such language merely 
because they were conscious of no bad intention. This, however, was highly 
unreasonable. Actions must be judged of by their obvious nature and tendency, 
and not merely by their alleged design. 

15. In this case the want of bad intentions does not prevent the language 
used from being injurious. 

The following extract is from Jeven (Morality, Vol. II, p. 280) : 

16. Owing to partial or particular ignorance of duty, men do in all sincerity 
acts to others that are in the eyes of all better instructed persons real wrongs, 

The following extract is from Kerl (Composition, 211) : 

17. When you are in doubt as to the propriety of writing something, experi- 
ence will teach you that it is nearly always better to omit it altogether. It is 
often better to say not enough than to say too much. If you are excited, it 
is better to defer writing until you are cool. Feeling may pass away, but 
the ink remains ; and this may set you in a ridiculous light afterwards. It is 
best to be temperate in all things ; but sometimes it is best to be polite even 
when justice and your feelings prompt you to be otherwise. Discretion will 
carry a person farther in this world than genius. Indeed, if a word, once 
uttered, flies irrevocably, surely no one can be too careful about what he says 
in ink. In short, let nothing in your letters be in bad taste, and always pre- 
serve your temper, your presence of mind, your self-respect, and your dignity. 

18. If the liability to violate comity is so great, and if violation of comity 
is so grave an offense, it may well be asked what can or ought to be done by a 
division or a section or an employee (say A) v<^ithout risking a violation of 
comity, when (A) thinks that some mode or procedure of any other coordinate 
division or section or employee (say B) avoidably and unfavorably affects the 
work or proper convenience of A — that is, what can properly be done by A so 
as to tend to bring about the seemingly needed change in the procedure of B. 



156 RBPOBTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

19. When a division or section or employee (say A) tliinks tliat some mode of 
procedure of some other coordinate division or section or employee (say B) 
avoidably and unfavorably affects the work or the proper convenience of A, and 
therefore thinks that some step ought to be taken tending to cause a seemingly 
desirable change in that mode of procedure of B, then A has the choice of at 
least tvpo alternative courses, neither of vphich involves a violation of comity. 

20. The first pourse is, let A properly (i. e., without expressing censorious 
comment) represent to B the basal facts constituting the conceived evil, and 
with commendable diffidence or modesty add, if possible, a suggestion of what 
A deems to be a feasible remedy. 

21. If this method is for some reason not feasible, or if this method fails, the 
other course is, let A properly (i. e., without expressing censorious comment) 
report to A's immediate official superior the basal facts constituting the con- 
ceived evil, and add, if possible, a suggestion of what A deems to be a feasible 
remedy. 

22. Each of these two methods is consistent with the principles of comity 
(courtesy between coordinates). 

23. In paragraph 8 of War Department Rules and Regulations of May 8, 1898, 
it is prescribed that "A courteous demeanor must be maintained toward all 
persons." 

24. The notion courtesy is a genus comprising three species, viz, comity (or 
courtesy between coordinates) ; deference (or courtesy from subordinate to 
superordinate, or inferior to superior, or employee to employer, and the like), 
and graciousness or condescension (courtesy from superordinate to subordinate). 

25. Careful reflection should enable any intelligent person to judge from his 
own observation and experience that each of these three species of courtesy is 
distinct from the other two. 

It is advised that you carefully study the principles stated in the foregoing 
memorandum. 

A copy of this communication has been kept in order that you can retain this 
communication for your information and guidance in future. 
Very respectfully, 

T. C. Oaemick, 
Chief, M. & R. Division. 

The foregoing copy of a communication containing some extracts from other 
sources, addressed to an employee of the M. & R. Division of this office by the 
chief of that division, embodies statements of some ethical principles relating 
to the questions of exercise of courtesy and of violation of courtesy by one 
division or section or employee toward another division or section or employee, 
neither of whom is vested with official authority over the other, and who may 
consequently, from one point of view, be viewed as being coordinate with each 
other. 

As explained in the communication, the species of courtesy to which it relates 
is designated by the term comity. 

It is desired that the chief of each of the other divisions of this office care- 
fully read the communication and weigh each of the principles or general 
propositions stated in it, regardless of the source, and state whether in his 
opinion every one of these principles or general propositions is deemed by him 
to be sound and useful, or if one or more are deemed by him to be unsound or 
not useful that he state the reason why he thinks so. 

J. Feech, Chief Clerk. 

May 14, 1910. 
1 have thoughtfully read the communication from the Chief of the M. & R. 
Division and fully concur in the principles set forth therein. Their application 



BTJSIISrESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEKAL. 157 

and practice in tlie transaction of business between coordinate divisions or 
sections or employees would doubtless secure beneficial results by promoting 
harmony, good will, and a clear understanding among all concerned. 

J. W. KiRKLEY. 

I have carefully read the communication from the Chief of the M. & R. 
Division and am of opinion that the principles or general propositions stated 
therein are all sound and useful. 

C. W. Shelton. 

The foregoing communication has been carefully read and the principles or 
general propositions therein set forth are deemed sound, useful, and practi- 
cable. They meet my favorable commendation and will doubtless prove very 
beneficial in their application to the work of the office. 

J. Wm. Palmer, 

I have very carefully read the foregoing communication from the Chief of 
the M. & R. Division, and am of the opinion that every principle set forth 
therein is sound and useful. If human nature were so molded as instinctively 
or readily to see and adapt itself to those principles of comity, all unpleasant 
differences likely to arise between coordinates in a great official family like 
the A. G. O. would be harmonized by this application of the golden rule — 
" Do unto others as you would be done by " — which is the key to the principles 
cited in the communication from Mr. Carmick. 

R. W. Kerb, 

The foregoing communication of the Chief of the Mail and Record Division 
has been read. 

I am of the opinion that all of the principles set forth are sound and useful, 

F. H. Stafford, 

I have carefully read the foregoing communication with much interest and 
find the principle enunciated therein to be sound and useful and will prove 
beneficial to all concerned. 

F. B. Heitman, 

I concur with Mr. Heitman. 

H. W. KOHB, 

I have read the foregoing copy of communication of May 11 from the Chief 
of the M, & R. Division. I am of the opinion that all of the principles therein 
announced are sound and useful, 

H. C. Wood. 

The foregoing communication has been read by me with interest, weighing 
carefully each of the principles or general propositions stated therein. 

It appears to me that there can be no question that each of these principles 
or propositions is sound, and that the practical application of them will be 
very useful in any public office. 

R. McDonald. 

I have carefully read the foregoing communication, and fully concur in the 
several opinions stated hereon that the principles set forth are all sound and 
useful. 

J. N. Manning. 

I have carefully read the foregoing communication from the Chief of the 
Mail and Record Division and in my opinion the principles or general proposi^ 



158 KEPOETS OF COMMISSION" ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

tions stated therein are sound and useful. I heartily concur in the views ex- 
pressed by Mr. Kerr regarding the same. 

H. A. Johnson. 

I have carefully read the communication and in my opinion every one of 
those principles or general propositions is sound and useful. 

W. E. Hakley. 

I have carefully read the clear statement of principles and general proposi- 
tions set forth in the foregoing communication. A practical application of the 
principles enunciated and general propositions advanced, together with the line 
of action suggested, will insure harmonious relations, efficient service, and the 
conduct of official business upon the high plane of properly recognized duty 
and responsibility. 

O. B. Brown. 

The foregoing communication of the Chief of the M. & R. Division has been 
carefully read. I am of the opinion that all the principles set forth therein are 
sound and useful. 

J. B. Morton. 

I have read carefully the statement of principles contained in this corre- 
spondence. In my opinion those principles are both sound and useful. 

R. J. Donnelly. 
The foregoing communication of the Chief of the Mail and Record Division 
has been carefully read, and in my opinion the principles set forth therein are 
sound and useful. 

Claude R. Zappone. 

3. UNNECESSARY WORK PERFORMED. 

At the present time The Adjutant General's Office is performing 
{a) several classes of work which it is believed could be performed 
more advantageously and more economically elsewhere and which 
should be transferred from the office; and (6) several other classes 
of work for which there does not appear to be sufficient justification 
and which should be discontinued. 

Work to he transferred. — The work of the first type consists of— 

1. Printing, now done at the Tenth Street branch. 

2. Binding, now done at the Seventeenth Street branch. 

B. Manufacture of index cards and mail jackets, now done at the 
Seventeenth Street branch. 

4. Manufacture of filing equipment and repair of equipment, now 
done at the Seventeenth Street branch. 

As at present conducted, each of these classes of work is performed 
by expensive hand methods, owing to the lack of proper equipment 
and plant. Moreover, the printing is of inferior quality, largely be- 
cause the type and equipment are antiquated and nearly worn out. 
A further disadvantage is found in the slowness with which the 
work is performed. 

Detailed discussions of the disadvantages of the present attempt to 
conduct these classes of work, together with recommendations and 
estimates of possible savings, are given in Section IV in the reports 
for those divisions of the office performing the work. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 159 

Work to he discontinued. — The work of the second type, namely, 
that which does not appear to be justified, consists of — 

1. Preparation of a new edition of an index to general orders for 
the years 1861 to 1880, now being- conducted by the publication 
branch. 

2. Preparation of a report on the organization and casualties of 
the Union and Confederate Armies. 

A new edition of an index to general orders for the years 1861 to 
1880 is, in the opinion of the commission, wholly unnecessary. In- 
quiries made at several offices where such an index might be needed 
tend to prove that another index is unnecessary. The general orders 
for each year have been bound and indexed, and in addition a con- 
solidated index for the period 1861 to 1880 was published several 
years ago. These two complete indexes serve every need, and no 
justification for spending approximately $14,000 in preparing another 
edition of the consolidated index has been found. A detailed con- 
sideration of this subject is presented in Section IV, 

The Adjutant General's Office has not shown any adequate 
authority for undertaking a work of such magnitude as the prepara- 
tion of a report on the organization and casualties of the Union and 
Confederate Armies. This work is far from being completed and 
will cost many thousands of dollars to finish. It is considered very 
important that the question of its completion be referred to the Sec- 
retary of War for action. For a further discussion, see Section IV. 

4. UNSUITABLE CONDITION AND LOCATION OF OFFICE QUARTERS. 

As previously explained this report was originally planned to be 
limited to office methods. As the inquiry proceeded, however, it was 
found that the work of the office was being carried on in several 
buildings which are not only in bad condition but are ill suited to 
the purpose. It seemed desirable, therefore, to extend the inquiry so 
as to include the location of and the office space occupied by The 
Adjutant General's Office. 

The quarters occupied are the following: 
■ («) State, War, and Navy Building (in part). 

(5) Ford's Theater Building and Annex, 509 to 515 Tenth Street 
NW. 

(c) Building at 610 Seventeenth Street NW. 

{d) Building at 1712 G Street NW. 

(e) Army Medical Museum (in part). 

In reporting upon the condition of these buildings consideration is 
given to the following subjects : 

{a) Location and adaptability for use. 

(5) Condition of the buildings from the standpoint of fire risks. 

(c) Condition of electric wiring. 



160 EEPOETS OP COMMISSIOlSr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

{d) General sanitary condition. 

{e) Condition of plumbing fixtures. 

(/) Lighting system. 

In order that the report might be prepared by men having a tech- 
nical knowledge of the subjects, the commission requested the Com- 
missioners of the District of Columbia to detail inspectors to visit 
the buildings listed. In accordance with this request the District 
commissioners detailed the fire marshal, the assistant electrical engi- 
neer, and inspector from the office of the health officer of the District, 
and the inspector of plumbing. The report on lighting was prepared 
by an expert detailed to the commission from the Post Office Depart- 
ment. 

The subject of location is discussed in one section of this report, in 
which consideration is given to the five buildings occupied by The 
Adjutant General's Office and to the relation of these buildings to the 
other buildings occupied for office purposes by the War Department. 
The other subjects of inquiry concerning office quarters are considered 
in connection with each of the four buildings, other than the State, 
War, and Navy Building, occupied by The Adjutant General's Ofiice. 

Location. — At the present time The Adjutant General's Office is lo- ' 
cated in the following buildings : 

State, War, and Navy Building. 

Old Ford's Theater Building and Annex, 509 to 515 Tenth Street . 
NW. 

Building at 610 Seventeenth Street NW. 

Building at 1712 G Street NW. 

Army Medical Museum. 

The divisions which are located in the State, War, and Navy Build- 
ing are widely scattered and are not located to good advantage. In 
this building 181 rooms are used by The Adjutant General's Ofiice, of 
which number 103 rooms are used for quartering the administrative 
and current work divisions of the office, and 78 rooms are used for fil- 
ing old records and archives. 

Administrative and cun-'ent work divisions. — The consolidation of 
the administrative and current work divisions which has been pro- 
posed will facilitate the moving of divisions to better locations and 
considerably relieve the congestion which now exists. It will also per- 
mit location of the new Enlisted Men's Division and new Officers' 
Division in close proximity to the Mail and Record Division. The 
best arrangement, in our opinion, to facilitate the work of these di- 
visions would be to place the new Ofiicers' Division on one side of the 
Mail and Record Division and the new Enlisted Men's Division on 
the other. It has already been recommended that the personal files of 
the Mail and Record Division be divided into two sections ; those con- 
taining the personal papers of officers and those containing the cor- 
respondence in relation to enlisted men, so that the file in relation to 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTAXT GENEKAL. 161 

enlisted men shall be on that side of the Mail and Record Division 
nearest to the new Enlisted Men's Division and the officers' record 
nearest to the Officers' Division. These offices, it is believed, could be 
arranged on one side of the corridor and be fronted by the new Cor- 
respondence Division, composed of the present Correspondence and 
Examining and Miscellaneous Divisions and the Administration 
Division, to which the Orders Division is recommended to be trans- 
ferred. A logical arrangement of these divisions, such as is recom- 
mended, would eliminate a great deal of the long-distance messenger 
services, make the files much more accessible than they are now, and 
so group offices which are in constant contact with each other as to 
greatly reduce the large amount of interdivisional correspondence 
which is now had between these offices. 

Archives. — In some instances the records in the custody of a divi- 
sion are widely scattered, the most conspicuous case of this kind 
being the Archives Division, which occupies rooms in the subbase- 
ment, basement, fourth floor, fifth floor, and attic. The following 
table shows the number of rooms utilized in the State, War, and 
Navy Building and in other buildings occupied by The Adjutant 
General's Office for filing old records, the number of such rooms 
which are suitable for office use, the area (square feet) of rooms and 
of space occupied by files, the number of employees working on 
records, and the approximate number of times per year which the 
old records are consulted for the purpose of furnishing information 
therefrom : 

Offices and rooms of The Adiutant Oeneral's Office, War Department. 





Number of rooms. 


Area of 
rooms. 


Floor space occu- 
pied by- 


Num- 
ber of 
em- 
ploy- 
ees. 


Num- 
ber of 

searches 


Buildings. 


Suit- 
Total, able for 
offices. 

1 


Suit- 
able for 
files. 


File 

cases.i 


Open 

shelves .2 


made 
in files 
annu- 
ally. 


State, War, and Navy: 

Regimental Records 


40 
33 
4 

1 


36 
13 
4 

1 


4 
20 


Sq.ft. 
21,293 
19,289 
2,660 

584 


Sq.ft. 

4,873 

1,850 

534 

80 


Sq.ft. 

238 

877 

8 


26 
19 
13 

5 


90 412 


Archives 


18,000 
10 800 


Medical 


Examining section, Mail and 
Records Division 


2 000 










Tenth Street branch 


78 

39 

4 

34 


54 


24 


43,816 
9,650 

11,950 
5,516 


7,337 

2,500 

60 

1,000 


1,123 


63 
13 
3 

14 


121,212 

45,905 

1 500 


Army Medical Museum 


3 


1 


687 


Seventeenth Street branch 


500 














95 


57 


25 


70,932 


10,897 


1,810 


93 


169,117 



1 Computed on basis of shelving built 12 feet high and with 18 inches space between shelves. 

2 Computed on basis of 84 drawers to a case occupj'ing floor space of 6§ square feet to a case. 

3 Not suitable for offices or files. 

72734°— H. Doc. 1252. 62-3 11 



162 KEPORTS OP COMMISSIOK OX ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The above table shows that 78 rooms in the State, War, and Navy 
Building are used for filing old records of volunteers and of dis- 
continued military organizations. The result of using such a large 
amount of valuable space in the State, War, and Navy Building for 
filing these old records has been to prevent the housing in this build- 
ing of bureaus and offices of the War Department which are con- 
ducting business connected with current military affairs. The filing 
of old records in this building has also forced some of the offices 
and bureaus which are located in this building to occupy rooms ill 
adapted to their needs, has prevented a logical arrangement of the 
rooms used by a single office or bureau, and has caused overcrowding. 
In many instances the rooms assigned to an office or bureau are 
widely separated, thus greatly inconveniencing the conduct of the 
work of the department. The Navy Department, as well as some 
bureaus in the War Department, are in urgent need of more space 
in the State, War, and Navy Building, some bureaus being crowded 
to such an extent that it is difficult to conduct current business 
advantageously. 

Not only are valuable office rooms in the State, War, and Navy 
Building used for filing old records, but in a large number of rooms 
on the fourth floor, occupied by the Eegimental Records Division, 
the arrangement of file cases is such as to waste a large amount of 
floor space. These file cases contain the military-record cards for 
volunteer troops in the Revolutionary War, Indian Wars, War with 
Mexico, and Civil War. A standard file case containing seven rows 
of file boxes is used for filing these record cards. The case, includ- 
ing the ornamental top, is 8 feet 6 inches high, but the upper tier 
of file boxes is sufficiently low for a man of average height to reach 
it while standing on the floor. The cases are arranged in the rooms 
so as to allow a large amount of space in the aisles between the 
cases and so as to provide excellent natural light to reach each file 
case. The aisle space between cases will average not less than G 
feet in width. As is shown in the table above referred to, 36 rooms 
in this division are well suited for use as office rooms, each having 
excellent natural light and being well situated. The character of 
the rooms, together with the arrangement of the filing equipment, 
suggests a private library rather than files of old war records. In 
fact, these military-record cards of volunteer troops in the Civil War 
and earlier wars are in all probability occupying more expensive 
space than is occupied by any large governmental file or library in 
Washington. Taking into consideration the value of land, the 
cost of the construction of the building, and the need for space, it 
may be stated that these old records are occupying much more costly 
space than is used for filing books in the Library of Congress. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 163 

Of the 14 buildings in Washington outside of the State, War, 
and Navy Building occupied by the War Department for office pur- 
poses, only two can be considered as at all well adapted to the pur- 
poses for which used. The remaining 12 buildings are in some 
cases unsafe from the standpoint of fire risk and from the stand- 
point of sanitary condition. Moreover, these buildings are widely 
separated, thus materially interfering with the prompt and efficient 
conduct of business. A table showing the office buildings in Wash- 
ington other than the State, War, and Navy Building and the Navy 
Annex occupied by the War and Navy Departments, together with 
the office occupying them, the space and number of employees in 
each building, the purpose for which the building is used, and the 
annual rental are given in the following table : 



Location of build- 
ings. 


Name of ofBce occupying. 


For what purpose 
used. 


Annual 
rental. 


Floor 
area. 


Floor 
area oc- 
cupied 
by files 
or special 
equip- 
ment. 


Num- 
ber of 
em- 
ployees. 


WAR DEPAETMENT. 

609 and 511 Tenth 

Street NW. 
1725 F Street NW... 


Adjutant General's Of- 
fice. 

War Department print- 
ing oflice. 

Adjutant General's Of- 
fice, Medical Division. 

Ordnance Department 


Oflice, printing, 

files, etc. 
Printing plant 

Oflices and store- 
rooms. 
... do . 


0) 

0) 

(1) 

3 $720 

1,500 
2,000 

8,680 
800 

1,500 

2,100 

2,500 
2,500 
7,200 


Sq.ft. 
26,952 

3,179 

11,950 

7,256 

4,168 

3,240 


2 2,500 


144 
24 


7th and B Streets 

SW. 
Rear Winder Build- 


747 
500 
151 
250 


10 

4 


ing. 
1800 F Street NW... 


Bureau of Insular Af- 
fairs. 
do 


Offices 


26 


920-922 E Street NW 


Storage records 

Army Medical Dis- 
pensary. 

Medical School 

Publication 
branch. 

Office and carpen- 
ter shop. 

Office and test 
room. 

Offices 




1720 H Street NW... 


Surgeon General's Oflice. 

Army Medical School . . . 
Adjutant General's Of- 
fice. 
do 


7 


721 13th Street NW.. 


15,270 
1,828 

5,516 

4,627 

6,772 

5,599 

24,280 




22 


1712 G Street NW... 




14 


610 17th Street NW.. 


1,000 

161 

530 

154 

1,034 


14 


1710-1712 Pennsyl- 
vania Avenue. 
532 17th Street N W . 




29 


Depot quartermaster 

Militia Affairs 


55 


702 17th Street NW 


. . do 


33 


1729 New York Ave- 


War Department, Sup- 
plyDivision,Post Pay- 
master, Quartermas- 
ter, Public Buildings 
and Grounds, Com- 
mission of Fine Arts, 
Signal Ofa.ce, and Ad- 
jutant General's Oflice. 


do 


86 


nue NW. 






Total 






29,500 


120,637 


7,020 


468 











1 Owned by Government. 

2 Files only. 

8 This building is owned by the Government and the rent is paid to the Treasury Department. 



164 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 



Location of build- 
ings. 


Name of office occupying. 


For what purpose 
used. 


Annual 
rental. 


Floor 
area. 


Floor 
area oc- 
cupied 
by files 
or special 
equip- 
ment. 


Num- 
ber of 
em- 
ployees. 


NAVY DEPARTMENT. 

Woodward Build- 


DisbmsLng Ofiice 

Navy Pay Office 


Office 


1,200 

1,500 
1,296 

2,702 


Sq.ft. 

840 

1,036 
1,005 

2,009 


47 

78 
147 

152 


7 


ing, 15th and H 
Streets NW. 
Do 


do 


8 


Union Trust Build- 


Navy Allotment Office. . 


do 


9 


ing, 15th and H 
Streets NW. 
Southern Building, 


Paymaster, Marine 
Corps. 


do 


21 


15thandH Streets 
NW. 






Total 






6,698 


4,890 


424 


45 











It is very important that a complete rearrangement of the offices 
and bureaus of the War Department should be made at the expiration 
of the present fiscal year when the leases for the buildings enumerated 
in the above list will expire. Those offices and bureaus the work of 
which is connected with current military affairs should be located in 
the State, War, and Navy Building. Moreover, the offices and 
bureaus should be so placed in that building as to facilitate the work 
of each office and to facilitate the cooperation of the several offices 
and bureaus. A proper arrangement will correct the present condi- 
tions under which the rooms occupied by a single office are widely 
scattered. 

All the old military records in The Adjutant General's Office, to- 
gether with the employees having the custody of and working on 
these records, should be transferred from the State, War, and Navy 
Building to a modern fireproof structure suitable for filing such 
records. Old military records now filed in the Ford's Theater Build- 
ing, Army Medical Museum, and Seventeenth Street branch of The 
Adjutant General's Office should also be transferred to the building 
referred to in the preceding sentence. Such a transfer would bring 
together in one building all old records which are now scattered 
throughout the State, War, and Navy Building and other buildings. 
It will then be possible to rearrange the files, consolidating into one 
file such papers as logically belong together but which in some cases 
are now divided into several separate files. The transfer of the old 
military records from the State, War, and Navy Building will make 
available sufficient space in that building for the accommodation of 
those offices of the War and Navy Departments now located in rented 
quarters but which should be housed in the State, War, and Navy 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 165 

Building and will also make available sufficient space for the proper 
accommodation of those offices in both the War and Navy Depart- 
ments which are now overcrowded. The following table shows the 
area of floor space in the State, War, and Navy Building which will 
be vacated by the proposed location of old military records in a new 
file building, the amount of such space suitable for office use, and the 
amount of space needed for accommodating those offices of the War 
Department located outside of the State, War, and Navy Building 
but which should be transferred to that building: 

Floor area avilable in the State, War, and Navy Building. 



Name of office or division. 



Regimental records, Adjutant General's Office 

Archives, Adjutant General's Office 

Medical, Adjutant General's Office 

Examining section, Adjutant General's Office (Mail and Record Division) 



Space 
available 
for office 
purposes. 



19, 133 

3,951 

2,650 

584 



26,318 



Space 
available 
for filing 
purposes. 



2,160 
15,338 



17,498 



Floor area required in the State, War, and Navy Department Building to accom- 
modate offices and hureaiis now located in other buildings. 



Name of office or bureau. 



Floor area 
required 
for office 
purposes. 



Floor area 

required 

for files or 

storage. 



Bureau of Insular Affairs 

Publication branch. Adjutant General's Office. 

Identity section. Adjutant General's Office 

Signal Corps 

Depot quartermaster 

Militia affairs 



LEMON BUILDING. 



War Department, Supply Division 

PubUc Buildings and Grounds 

Quartermaster General 

Post paymaster 

Adjutant General's Office 

Signal Corps 

Commission on Fine Arts 

Commission on Confederate Soldiers' Graves 



2,555 
700 



2,300 
5,330 
4,501 



2,493 
2,315 
4,934 
2,983 



367 
367 



28,845 



2,327 

1,190 

427 



4, 225 

802 

1,974 



1,475 
350 



12,770 



See note attached. 



It has been ascertained that a modern fireproof structure suitable 
for the safe housing of all the old military records in The Adjutant 
General's Office and suitable for the accommodation of the employees 



166 EEPORTS OF COMMISSIOlSr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

who must work upon those records can be rented for not to exceed 25 
cents per square foot of available floor area. The actual floor space 
now occupied for filing these old records is approximately 12,800 
square feet, as has already been shown. As has been stated, there 
is a considerable waste of space in the present method of filing 
records, so that an estimate based upon the present space occupied 
would not only provide for the proper housing of all these records, 
but would also provide a considerable amount of additional space. 
A computation based upon 25 cents per square foot and upon the 
floor area now used for filing these old records, with an allowance 
for working space equivalent to twice the area covered by files, indi- 
cates that the annual rental of a building suitable for the proper 
housing of these records would be approximately $10,000 a year. 
From a table given above, it is seen that the present rental of the 
inadequate and scattered office buildings now being used by the War 
Department is $29,500. 

It is thus seen that some of the old ill-adapted buildings now used 
can be given up and the offices located in these buildings transferred 
to the State, War, and Navy Building, where they can be better 
accommodated than at present, and that all military records can be 
better filed than at present, with a probable decrease in rental cost 
for the department as a whole. 

The initial cost of putting these recommendations into effect would 
not exceed $10,000. This estimate is based upon figures furnished to 
the commission by a transfer company which has prepared its esti- 
mate upon figures furnished to it by the commission. 

ford's theatek building and annex. 

Fire risks.— ^\\e, Tenth Street branch of The Adjutant General'-i 
Office occupies the old Ford Theater Building, together with an old 
brick building immediately south thereof known as the "Annex." 
These buildings are connected by doorways cut through the party 
walls. In the Ford's Theater Building a large quantity of com- 
bustible matter is stored on the first floor. The second and third 
floors are occupied by clerks, and on these floors is stored a consid- 
erable quantity of combustible matter, including a large number of 
photographic films, which are highly inflammable. In the opinion 
of the fire marshal it would be difficult for the clerks on the second 
and third floors to escape in case of fire. The attic is constructed 
of wood, and if it caught on fire the fire would spread quickly all 
through the building. The electric wiring in this building is in bad 
condition and is liable to cause a fire at any time. The protection 
against fire and the equipment provided for fighting fire consist of 
(a) a fire hose which, upon inspection, was found to be leaky and 
which throws a stream of water insufficient to reach from one end 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 167 

of the building to the other; (h) hand grenades of an old type and, 
in the opinion of the fire marshal, of little value in fighting fire; and 
(c) a fire escape, access to which is difficult because the windows lead- 
ing thereto are high and partly obstructed by radiators placed in 
front of them. The report of the fire marshal is summarized in the 
statement that the building is, " in my opinion, unfit and unsafe for 
its present use, and should be torn down and a modem fireproof 
building provided." 

Electric wiring. — The report of the electrical engineer detailed to 
the commission is summarized as follows : 

The defects therein (that is, in the electric wiring) are too nuuierons to men- 
tion in detail, but the general conditions may be summed up as follows: There 
is a large amount of open wiring; there are wires run in wooden molding, long 
and dangerous cord extensions, open fuse devices, bare wires, circuits very 
much overloaded and overfused, and many other defects. Were such condi- 
tions as exist in this building found in any private building in the District of 
Columbia, the entire insulation would be condemned as defective and dangerous. 

Inspection hy health oiflce. — The inspector detailed by the health 
officer summarizes his report as follows : 

The stairways and landings were unclean and dusty. * * * ^he structural 
condition of this building is not good, and it is maintained in an unclean condi- 
tion. In my judgment, the building is inadequately ventilated and is not sup- 
plied with sufficient natural light. I again call attention to the fact that men 
are employed at printing presses located in a toilet room, and that without 
proper ventilation. 

The toilet room referred to in the preceding sentence is located on 
the first floor of the old Ford Theater Building and is occupied by 
the printing section. Five employees are regularly employed in this 
room, which contains three water-closets, four washbowls and a slop 
sink. The floor around the closet bowls is covered with sheet iron 
which, at the time of inspection, was in foul condition. The room is 
lighted during working hours by artificial means and is not ade- 
quately ventilated. The statement of the fact that five employees 
are regularly working in a 4:oilet room is a sufficient criticism of this 
deplorable condition. 

Condition of drinking water. — The commission requested the Bu- 
reau of Chemistry to make a bacteriological examination of the drink- 
ing water contained in the water coolers in the Tenth Street branch. 
Samples of water from the hydrant were also examined. The Bureau 
of Chemistry reported as follows: 

The results of the examination show the water coolers in the chief clerk's 
office (i. e., office of clerk in charge of Tenth Street branch) and the rear cooler 
on the second floor to be badly contaminated from filth. The cooler in the photo- 
graphic room is also of a suspicious nature. All of the waste cans show decided 
filth. In no case do any of the coolers show as good results as did either the 
hydrant water or the ice used in the coolers. 



168 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY, . 

Plumbing. — The report of the inspector of plumbing is summarized 
as follows: 

On account of the several openings directly between the soil lines and the 
interior of the building a peppermint or smolie test would be of little value. 
These openings permit sewer air to enter the building freely at all times, and 
inasmuch as evidence indicates that the main soil stacli is partially obstructed 
at the foot, it is believed more or less sewer air is forced into the various rooms 
every time a large fixture is discharged. The long runs of waste pipe between 
the fixtures and the traps have large fouling surfaces and can not be considered 
sanitary. Straight-hopper closets or washout closets, the latrine method of 
connecting up batteries of closets, horn-vented fixtures, the discharging of fixture 
waste over a cesspool trap, etc., are not considered sanitary and would not be 
allowed by the District of Columbia regulations. If this building was the 
property of an individual and complaint was made to the District authorities, 
notice would be served upon the owner requiring a more or less complete remod- 
eling and the replacing of these obsolete fixtures with fixtures of approved type. 
The toilet rooms in this building have wood floors and wooden water-closet 
inclosures, which should not be allowed in a public building where many persons 
are employed. The number of fixtures is ample for the number of employees. 

Lighting system. — The building is lighted by a plant located in 
the basement of the Ford's Theater Building and operated by The 
Adjutant General's OflSce. The equipment consists of two high-pres- 
sure boilers, an engine and generator, and one obsolete type of belt- 
driven unit. The switchboard is equipped with both modern and 
obsolete instruments which do not give correct readings. The amme- 
ter at 160 amperes showed excessive heat and the dial was discolored 
and charred. The lamps are of an old style and the majority of 
them give insufficient light. 

The cost to The Adjutant General's Office for generating light is 
between 9 and 10 cents per kilowatt hour, while the cost per kilowatt 
hour of current furnished by the electric-light company is 6 cents. 
Unnecessary expense is incurred at this branch through burning a 
large number of lamps when the light is not needed. A section of 
one floor containing hatracks is lighted by' 16 lamps, which burn con- 
tinuously, although these hatracks are visited only three times daily 
and frequently are supplied with adequate natural light. 

The commission arranged for the temporary installation of new 
lights in one section of the second floor. A 250-watt lamp was placed 
in the center of four rectangular spaces, these lamps taking the place 
of thirty-two 16-candlepower lamps. A similar installation on the 
whole of this floor would result in a reduction in current of 821 watts 
and in an increase in light of 400 candlepower. It is thus seen that 
with a proper lighting system a considerable saving in cost could be 
effected, while at the same time proper and sufficient light could be 
furnished. 

The conditions in this building may be summarized as follows : It 
is unsafe from the standpoint of fire risks, the electric wiring is not 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF TUE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 169 

properly protected, the sanitary condition is bad, the plumbing fix- 
tures are in bad repair and allow sewer gas to constantly escape 
into the building, and the lighting is inadequate and unnecessarily 
expensive. 

Building at 610 Seventeenth Street NW. — This building is a five- 
story brick structure of old design and is occupied by the Seventeenth 
Street branch of The Adjutant General's Office, comprising the 
following sections : 

{a) Files of Confederate prisoner-of-war records and of duplicate 
military records. 

(5) Binding section. 

(c) Section repairing mutilated documents. 

{d) Carpenter shop. 

The condition of the building as reported by the inspectors is de- 
scribed in full in Section IV of this report and may be here sum- 
marized as follows: 

1. The protection against fire is inadequate. There are no fire 
escapes and the stairways are of wooden construction. The use of 
gas between files of combustible records and papers is dangerous. 
In order to insure proper protection from fire, two 3-gallon fire extin- 
guishers should be provided for each floor. 

2. The electric wiring and equipment are not properly protected. 
The District of Columbia inspector found it necessary to make 
18 specific recommendations for the removal of present dangerous 
conditions. Most of the recommendations pertain to the motors and 
equipment in the carpenter shop. 

3. General sanitary condition was reported as fair, with the excep- 
tion of some of the toilets, which were reported by both the inspector 
from the health department and the plumbing inspector as being in 
an insanitary condition. The plumbing fixtures are of an old type 
and in bad condition, and, in the opinion of the plumbing inspector, 
" the plumbing work in this building should be entirely remodeled."- 

Building at 1112 G Street NW. — This building is a three-story 
brick dwelling house. It is occupied by the publication branch of 
The Adjutant General's Office, which consists of a clerical force of 
about 16 employees. 

The condition of the building as reported by the inspectors is 
stated in detail in Section IV of this report, and may be here sum- 
marized as follows: 

1. The building is not properly protected against fire. 

2. There is only a limited amount of electric wiring in the building and a 
minor recommendation only was made concerning it. 

3. The sanitary condition is bad. The inspector found drinking water in 
corroded metal coolers, the walls and ceiling dusty, the fixtures in the toilet 
rooms in a foul condition, and a basement toilet with a broken bowl, causing 
the floor to be in a filthy condition. 



SECTION IV. 

Criticisms and Constructive Recommendations with Respect to 
THE Work of Each Division of the Office. 

In Section III attention has been given to the general conditions 
which are thought to be adverse to doing the work of the office of 
The Adjutant General at Washington with greatest economy and 
efficiency, and to constructive suggestions which go to this more gen- 
eral aspect of the subject of this report. The purpose of Section IV 
is to consider each of the operating subdivisions and point out 
wherein it is thought improvement may be made in the particular 
work carried on there. The method of presentation is first to state 
the conclusions of the commission in form of specific recommenda- 
tions, then to give the reasons for making them. 

administration division.' 

In another part of this report the transfer to this division of the 
present Distribution and Orders Divisions and parts of the work of 
the publication branch and Regimental Records Division is recom- 
mended and discussed in detail. 

Summary of recommendations. — It is recommended: 

1. That the present elaborate method of investigating errors and 
breaches of discipline be changed to a more simple and direct one. 

2. That the supervision in this division of the preparation and 
distribution of descriptive circulars of deserters from the Army be 

. discontinued. 

3. That the conduct in this division of correspondence connected 
with the personal-identification system be discontinued. 

4. That the salary of the chief clerk of the office be $2,500 per 
annum. 

5. That on completion of the reorganization of The Adjutant 
General's Office, in accordance with the recommendations contained 
in Section III of this report, the subclerical force be reduced 50 per 
cent. 

With the adoption of the foregoing recommendations the present 
force of 11 clerical and 98 subclerical employees, with salaries aggre- 
gating $91,170 per annum, can be reduced to 11 clerks and 55 subcleri- 
cal employees, with a total annual salary expense of $60,420, thereby 
saving $30,750 per annum. 
170 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 171 

1. That the present elaborate method of investigating errors and 

breaches of discipline be changed to a more simple and direct one. 

The present method of investigating errors and breaches of dis- 
cipline on the part of employees is not only elaborate, but so 
extremely analytical as to obscure the primary purpose of the 
investigation. 

When clerical errors are made, employees are requested to state 
"(a) the cause of the apparent error, or, if the cause is not known, 
{b) the probable cause, or {c) a theory as to the cause," and also to 
"(c?) suggest a remedy for, or guard against, or means of prevention 
of this kind of error." 

This last clause, (<^), is followed by a request that, if the stated 
remedy is within the employee's own control, he state {e) whether he 
has adopted it since the occurrence of the error, or (/) whether he 
has now determined to adopt it. Not only does this method tend to 
obscure the primary purpose of the investigation, but retards the 
development of an esprit de corps so desirable in an office as large 
as The Adjutant General's. An illustration of this phase of admin- 
istrative policy has been given at length in Section III of this report. 

That a more simple method should be adopted, which will not only 
require less time on the part of employees and their official superiors 
but will promote the spirit of cooperation, is recommended. 

2. That the supervision in this division of the preparation and dis- 

tribution of descriptive circulars of deserters from the Army be 
discontinued. 

Some years ago, when the practice was commenced of advertising 
deserters from the Army by the distribution of descriptive circulars. 
The Adjutant General ordered that " proof " of the circulars pass 
over his desk for approval. This was done for the purpose of keep- 
ing in touch with the new method. The order was never rescinded, 
although there are now very few of the cases that are put on the desk 
of The Adjutant General. Supervision over the preparation of de- 
scriptive circulars is now exercised in the identity section, and any 
work in this connection repeated in the Administration Division is 
an unnecessary duplication and should be discontinued. 

3. That the conduct in this division of correspondence connected with 

the personal identification system^ be discontinued. 

As all work connected with the identification records is now per- 
formed in the identity section, it seems more logical for the corre- 
spondence in connection with them to be conducted there. 



172 REPORTS OF COMMISSION Ois' ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

4. That the salary of the chief clerk of the office he made $2^500 per 

annum. 

The salary of the chief clerk of this office is $2,000. Many chiefs 
of divisions of The Adjutant General's Office are receiving $2,000. 
as are also two employees in the Administration Division. The chief 
clerks of some other Government offices with smaller forces and less 
difficult work are receiving more than $2,000. The Adjutant Gen- 
eral's Office is by far the largest of the offices in the War Department, 
having about 610 employees. It is believed that the chief clerk of 
this office, having great responsibility, should receive at least $2,500 
per annum. 

5. That^ on completion of the I'eorg animation of The Adjutant Gen- 

eraVs Office in accordance with the recomTne'ndations contained 
in Section III of this report, the subclerical force he reduced 50 
per cent. 

The messenger force of The Adjutant General's Office is at present 
assigned to three classes of work, namely, the "five-minute mail 
route " service, the special or room service, and the general or mis- 
cellaneous service. There are 12 messengers assigned to the " five- 
minute mail route " service, and until the several divisions of the 
office can be so grouped that the route will be shortened we do not 
recommend a reduction in this force. 

Forty-seven messengers are engaged in the special or room service, 
of whom seven are assigned to The Adjutant General and his assist- 
ants and 40 to the divisions. This large force is unnecessary and 
will be especially so after the reorganization of the office has been 
effected. The Adjutant General has four assistants, and one mes- 
senger for each officer should be sufficient. There are now 18 divi- 
sions in the office and under the reorganization there will be 8. By 
assigning three messengers to the proposed Administration Division, 
three to the Mail and Kecord Division, and one each to the other six 
divisions it is believed that adequate service will be provided. 

The performance of char work by the messenger force will be 
discussed in a report in course of preparation, which will contain 
recommendations affecting all offices and bureaus located in the 
State, War, and Navy Building. 

The general or miscellaneous messenger service performs such vari- 
ous functions as assisting the skilled mechanic, repairing typewriters 
and operating the addressograph, and substituting for mail route or 
room messengers who may be on leave or sick. Eight messengers 
and five watchmen are at present assigned to this work. An allow- 
ance of six substitutes for the 29 mail route and room messengers 
recommended is ample provision for absences caused by sick and 
ordinary leave. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 173 

As it has been recommended that the work of the skilled meclianie 
be transferred, there will be need for but two other messengers for 
this class or group, namely, one messenger to repair typewriters and 
operate the addressograph and one assistant messenger to do the 
printing to be transferred from the Regimental Records Division. 

The advisability of this large reduction will be apparent when it 
is remembered that 22 messengers are now required to do the work 
of those divisions and branches which are scattered. With the con- 
solidation of files and related work the messenger work will be re- 
duced 50 per cent. 

Four employees are assigned to duty as watchmen, of whom one is 
an assistant messenger and three regularly designated watchmen. 
Three are at the Tenth Street branch, and one at the Seventeenth 
Street branch, who also cares for the building at 1710 Gr Street NW. 
Five to be assigned to the proposed new file building are all that will 
be necessary on the reorganization of the office. 

As the adoption of our recommendations will involve an extensive 
rearrangement of the files and furniture, the present force of labor- 
ers, 17, will doubtless be needed to effect the change. However, 
the final requirements of the office will permit of a material reduc- 
tion from the present force. , Three for the proposed file building 
and six for the State, War, and Navy Building should be ample. 

The present force at the Tenth Street branch buildings, consisting 
of an engineer, assistant engineer, and two firemen, can be trans- 
ferred to the proposed file building, maintaining the present salary 
expense for this work. 

Savings. — The following table shows the present organization and 
salary roll of the division with the subclerical force divided according 
to the classes of work to which that force is assigned : 

CLERICAL FORCE. 

1 Chief clerk $2,000 

2 chiefs of divisions 4,000 

4 clerks, class 4 7, 200 

3 clerks, class 3 4,800 

1 clerk, class 2 1,400 



11 Total 19,400 

STJBCLEEiqAI' FOKCE. 

Messengers : 

" Five-minute mail service " — 

1 messenger $840 

10 assistant messengers ($720) 7,200 

1 messenger boy 360 

12 Total $8,400 



174 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Messengers — Continued. 

Special messenger service — 
Officers— 

3 messengers (840) $2,520 

4 assistant messengers ($720) 2,880 

7 Total $5,400 

Divisions — 

4 messengers ($840) 3,360 

36 assistant messengers ($720) 25,920 

40 Total 29,280 

General messenger service — 

7 assistant messengers ($720) 5,040 

1 messenger assisting skilled mechanic. 840 
1 messenger repairing typewriters 840 

9 Total 6,720 

68 Grand total for messenger force $49, 800 

Miscellaneous : 

1 engineer and superintendent 1, 650 

1 assistant messenger 900 

2 firemen ($720) 1,440 

1 skilled mechanic 1,000 

8 v^^atchmen ($720) 5,760 

17 laborers ($660) 11,220 

30 Total 21,970 

98 Grand total for subclerical force $71, 770 

Total salary expense for division 91, 170 

Note. — One assistant messenger is assigned as watchman at the Seventeenth 
Street building and five watchmen are assigned to duty as assistant messengers. 

With the adoption of our recommendations the force necessary for 
this division will be as follows : 

CLERICAL FOECE. 

1 chief clerk $2, 500 

2 chiefs of division as assistants 4, 000 

4 clerks, class 4 7,200 

3 clerks, class 3 4,800 

1 clerk, class 2 1,400 

11 Total 19,900 

SUBCLEEICAL FOBCE. 

Messengers : 

" Five-minute mail service " — 

1 messenger $840 

10 assistant messengers ($720) 7,200 

1 messenger boy 360 

12 Total $8, 400 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 175 

Messengers — Continued. 

Special messenger service — 
Officers — 

2 messengers ($840) $1,680 

3 assistant messengers ($720) 2,160 

5 Total $3,840 

Divisions — • 

5 messengers ($840) 4,200 

7 assistant messengers ($720) 5,040 

12 Total 9, 240 

General messenger service — 

8 assistant messengers ($720) 5,760 

37 Grand total for messenger force $27, 240 

Miscellaneous : 

1 engineer 1,400 

1 assistant engineer 900 

2 firemen ($720) 1,440 

5 watchmen ($720) 3,600 

9 laborers ($660) 5,940 

18 Total 13,280 

55 Grand total for snbclerical force $40,520 

Total salary expense for division 60,420 

This is a reduction in the subclerical force of 43 persons and in 
the salary cost for the whole division of $30,750. 

Methods of keeping time^ records and of preparing pay rolls. — ^The 
commission is preparing a general report on the subject of time rec- 
ords and pay rolls for the consideration of all departments. The re- 
port will probably be completed in about one month after this report 
is submitted, and will contain suggested forms for the keeping of 
time records and preparation of pay rolls, together with recommenda- 
tions on the .method of filing. 

PUBLICATION BRANCH. 

Summary of recommendations. — 1. That the building now occupied 
by the branch be vacated upon the expiration of the present lease. 

2. That the present organization be discontinued. 

3. That the work of furnishing information from the " Official Rec- 
ords of the Union and Confederate Armies " be transferred to the 
Archives Division. 

4. That the work of completing the publication of the " Official 
Records of the Union and Confederate Armies " be transferred to the 
Archives Division. 

5. That the file of ordnance reports for the period 1861-1863, con- 
sisting of 80 volumes of original records, be transferred to the 
Archives Division. 



176 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

6. That the work of verifying inscriptions for memorials be trans- 
ferred to the Archives Division, 

7. That the question of completing the compilation of the report 
showing the geographical and tactical organization, engagements^, and 
casualties of the Union and Confederate Armies be referred to the 

' Secretary of War for decision. 

8. That if the work described in the foregoing recommendation is 
to be continued it be transferred to the Archives Division and that a 
sufficient force be assigned to it to insure its completion within a rea- 
sonable period of time. 

9. That the work of compiling a subject index of War Department 
general orders and circulars from 1860 to 1880 be discontinued at 
once. 

10. That proof reader be transferred to the Administration Divi- 
sion and given charge of all proof reading for The Adjutant Gen- 
eral's Office. 

With the adoption of the foregoing recommendations, the present 
force of employees will be available for assignment to other work, 
with the exception of the proof reader and of the force engaged on 
the work described in recommendations Nos. 7 and 8, if that work 
is to be continued. The present force on the latter class of work is 
equivalent to the full time of five clerks with a total annual salary 
expense of $7,400. This amount added to the salary of the proof 
reader, $1,400, makes a total of $8,800, which will be required after 
the adoption of the recommendations. A saving of $14,000 is thus 
effected. 

The annual rental of the building is $800 and the cost of fuel ap- 
proximately $150, the total of which can be saved and made available 
for meeting a part of the expense of the new file building. 

1. It is recommended thai the building now occupied by the branch 
be vacated at the expiration of the present lease. 

The publication branch is located in a building at 1712 G Street 
NW. This building has three stories and basement, contains nine 
rooms, and is an old dwelling house. The annual rental for this 
building is $800, and it is believed that buildings in the immediate 
neighborhood, of the same size and architecture and in as good con- 
dition, could be rented for approximately $500 per annum. An 
annual lease is taken for this building. 

The office quarters are considered with respect to the following 
subjects : 

{a) Fire risks. 

{b) Electric wiring. 

{c) General sanitary condition. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 177 

{d) Plumbing. 

(e) Lighting. 

(/) Heating. 

Fire risks. — The general engineer headquarters of the fire depart- 
ment, in accordance with the request of the commission, detailed Mr. 
P. W. Nicholson, fire marshal, to inspect these premises. 

The fire marshal found this building constructed of combustible 
material ; the first and second floors occupied by a clerical force with 
the usual amount of wooden office furniture, wood office cases and 
paper records all of combustible material ; a portion of the basement 
used for the storage of firewood; an open wood stairway from the 
first to the third floor, and that the building was not properly pro- 
tected against fire. The report of the fire marshal is appended. 

October 12, 1912. 
Mr. Frank J. Wagner, 

Chief Engineer, District of Columbia Fire Department. 
Sir : lu conformity with the order of the Commissioners of the District of 
Columbia, and in compliance with the request of Mr. M. O. Chance, secretary 
of the Px'esident's" Commission on Economy and Efficiency, accompanied by 
Mr. W. H. Fowle, a representative of the commission, I have the honor to report 
that I visited and made an examination of premises 1712 G Street NW., 
occupied by the Publication Division of The Adjutant General's Office, and 
found it to be a three-story brick building formerly occupied as a dwelling and 
built of combustible material ; the first, second, and third floors are occupied 
by the clerical force, which consis s of about 14 persons (male and female), 
with the usual amount of wood office furniture, wood file cases, and paper rec- 
ords, all of which are of combustible material, the basement, a portion of 
which is used for the storage of firewood and heating plant. There is an open 
wood stairway from first to third floors, also a rear stairway extending from 
first to second floors which is also of wood construction. In fact, the two stair- 
ways are practically together. On each floor there is a fire ax and three hand 
grenades, which are unreliable. The building is not properly protected. There 
should be at least one 3-gallon fire extinguisher on each floor and one in 
basement. As a matter of fact, this is an old building formerly used as a 
dwelling, and taking into consideration the number of people employed here 
the rooms are entirely too small. The ventilation and sanitary conditions 
are, in my opinion, poor. Therefore I consider that this building is not adapted 
for office purposes and should be abandoned, and a building of modern fireproof 
construction be provided and metal filing cabinets provided. 

Very respectfully, 

P. W. Nicholson, Fire Marshal. 

Wiring. — -In compliance with a request of the commission, the 
electrical equipment of this building was inspected by an engineer 
of the office of the electrical department. Engineer Commissioner 
of the District of Columbia. 

His report is as follows : 

The wires in this building are for bells, telephones, and fire-alarm box only. 
As to the fire-alarm box, the only modification recommended is that the cable 
running to this box be placed in rigid conduit. If this is desired, please notify 
72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 12 



178 REPOKTS OF COMMISSION" ON BCON"OMY AND EFFICIENCY, 

the electrical engineer, District of Columbia, in order lliat arrangjements may 
be made for clianges or repairs. 

No further report is made on the equipment in this building, as this depart- 
ment has no regulations governing the other installations. The bells, includ- 
ing fire-alarm gongs, are under the control of the building department, District 
of Columbia. 

Sanitary condition. — The commission called upon the Commis- 
sioners of the District of Columbia and requested that they detail 
a sanitary inspector to make a report of the conditions of these 
premises. He found several of the rooms to be unclean, the drinking- 
water contained in corroded metal coolers, and the cooler stand to be 
very unclean. He further found the woodwork of the building 
to be dusty; the bowl in one of the closets to be corroded, unclean, 
and very foul; the water-closet bowl in the basement broken, and the 
floor filthy; the bathtub and stationary washstand in an insanitary 
condition ;• and the drainage in the areaway bad. In the rear of the 
basement a water-closet was found with the bowl broken in half, and 
as no flush tank was provided the odor was very bad. 

The detail report of the sanitary inspector is appended hereto. 

October 29, 1912. 
William C. Woodward, M. D., 

Health Officer, District of ColiimMa. 

Sir; I have the honor to present the following special report relative to the 
inspection of premises 1712 G Street NW., known as the G Street branch of 
The Adjutant General's Office, War Department. 

This is a semidetached three-story and basement, bay-window brick build- 
ing of the ordinary dwelling design, and is provided with natural light on the 
north, west, and east. 

It is heated by means of a hot-air furnace, latrobes, kitchen range, gas stove, 
and open grates, which apparently afford adequate facilities: 

There are a sufficient number of windows and doors (such as are found in 
ordinary dwellings) to give proper light and ventilation. It is artificially 
lighted by gas, some of the fixtures of which are in need of repair. 

Separate and sufficient water-closet facilities are provided for the male and 
female employees. There is no crowded condition as regards employees in any 
room of the building. 

Third floor. — The only room on this floor occupied regularly was found 
to be unclean, as was also the hallway. 

The drinking water, in which ice is used, is contained in a corroded metal 
cooler. The stand upon which it rested was unclean, as was also the bucket 
which receives the waste water. This condition relative to drinking water 
and appliances, existed, though in, a less degree, throughout the building. 

Second floor. — The woodwork was dusty as was also the records. The toilet 
room ori this floor contains a water-closet, stationaiy washstand, and an old- 
style boxed bathtub. The fixtures were in fair condition with exception of 
the bowl, which was corroded, discolored, and unclean. The ceiling paper in 
this room was also discolored, evidently caused by previous dampness. 

First floor. — The walls and ceiling of the rooms on this fioor were generally 
unclean, occasioned by the presence of dust and cobwebs. The wall paper in 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 179 

the hall is toru at places and contained dust. In the toilet room on this floor 
the water-closet, bowl, and marble base were foul. 

Basement. — In places the wainscoting and floor showed a condition of dry 
rot. The front room, used for storing firewood, etc., is unclean and in dis- 
order. The walls of the hallway were dusty and the paper torn. 

The kitchen floor under the sink was dilapidated. The pantry floor, walls, 
and ceiling were unclean. The bowl of the water-closet in the basement was 
broken, and the floor was in filthy condition. 

The bathtub and stationary washstand are wood, incased, and in an in- 
sanitary condition. 

Yard and areaway. — The tops to the cesspools in the front and side area- 
ways are broken. The yard and side areaway surface drainage is bad. The 
rear yard at a point drains directly against the wall of the building, and the 
paving of the side areaway at places is broken and contains depressions. 

The building as a whole, from a sanitary viewpoint, is maintained in poor 
condition. 

Date of inspection, October 10. 1912. 

J. Frank Butts, Sanitary Inspector. 

Plumbing. — At the request of the commission the District Commis- 
sioners detailed the inspector of plumbing to make a report on the 
conditions of the plumbing in this building, which is appended hereto. 

[Memorandum of inspection of plumbing in the G Street branch of The Adjutant General's 

Office, 1712 G street NW.j 

Third floor.— Sinls. O. K. 

Second floor. — Copper-lined bathtub, cracked siphon jet water-closet bowl, 
marble wash basin. 

Fi7'st floor. — Wash down water-closet bowl in old pantry, which is broken and 
leaky ; very dirty marble floor slab under same. 

Basement. — Cocks over wash trays and sink leaking. Broken cesspool in rear 
area. Two-piece iron and china hopper in outside closet badly broken. In front 
of basement unused copper-lined bathtub and marble basin inclosed in wood- 
work. Front area cesspool broken. 

Peppermint test. — O. K. 

General. — All vents low, so that they can be used as waste in case main soil 
or waste line becomes obstructed. 

All unused fixtures should be removed and outlets properly sealed, and fix- 
tures in use should be cleaned and repaired where necessary. 

Lighting. — The natural light in this building is limited and the 
artificial light inadequate. The building is at present lighted by gas, 
the jets are of an old design, poorly distributed, and in most instances 
arranged in chandeliers in the center of the room. The cost of gas is 
included in the rent. 

Heating. — This building is heated primarily by furnace, augmented 
by latrobe, open fire grate, kitchen stove, and a small gas stove. The 
heating arrangement is expensive and unsatisfactory. The registers 
are small and one room, 18 feet by 12 feet, has only one small register 
placed in the wall 5 feet from the floor. In answer to questions asked 
by representatives of the commission, it was ascertained that coal 



180 KEPOETS OF COMMISSIOlSr ON ECOITOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

gas frequently escapes into the rooms occupied by the employees. 
Although this building is not occupied at night, a fire has to be kept 
during cold winter nights in the kitchen stove and latrobe, in addition 
to the furnace, in order to keep the water pipes from freezing. An 
average of 17 tons of coal and 6 cords of wood are consumed per 
annum in heating this building. ■ 

2. // is Teconnmended that the present organization he discontinued. 

The work for which this branch was originally organized has been 
largely completed. As a result, the branch is now engaged upon a 
number of distinct and unrelated undertakings which apparently have 
been given to this branch in order to maintain it as a separate organi- 
zation. These several undertakings logically belong in other divisions 
of The Adjutant General's Office. In the following detailed criticisms 
and suggestions definite recommendations are made for the transfer 
of each of several undertakings to its proper division in The Adjutant 
General's Office. The adoption of these recommendations Avill abolish 
the publication branch as a distinct unit of organization, and will 
effect a saving in the administrative and overhead costs of this branch. 
Such saving should equal at least the full time of the clerk in charge 
and would be approximately $1,800 per annum. 

3. It is recommended tJiat the work of furnishing information from 

the " Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies " be 
transferred to the Archives Division. 

The publication branch reported that one of its classes of work is 
answering, by reference to the publication entitled " Official Records 
of the Union and Confederate Armies," inquiries calling for historical 
and statistical data concerning the Civil War. The Archives Division 
is engaged in the same class of work and the inquiries answered by 
the latter division frequently require a reference to be made to the 
" Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies." Of the 
communications which are assigned to the Publication Division, ap- 
proximately 75 per cent require reference not only to the published 
records but also to the original records in the custody of the Archives 
Division, and to a small extent to those in the Regimental Records 
Division or some other division of The Adjutant General's Office. In 
these latter cases the publication branch furnishes such information 
as can be procured from the published records and then refers the case 
to the Archives or other appropriate division for a search of original 
records. In these cases it is seen that an unnecessary handling of the 
case is made since information from the published records can be sup- 
plied by the Archives Division as well as most of the information re- 



BUSINESS METHODS OP OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 181 

quired from the original records. It is wholly unnecessary and is a 
loss of time to have two divisions furnishing data from the same pub- 
lication and in essentially the same class of cases. 

The work of furnishing historical data logically belongs in the 
Archives Division where the larger part of such information must 
be procured. It is recommended that such work now performed in 
the publication branch be transferred to the Archives Division. The 
transfer of this work to the Archives Division will not make it nec- 
essary to increase the force employed in that division. As has been 
pointed out in the critical report of the Archives Division, the num- 
ber of employees in that division is kept sufficiently large to handle 
promptly the largest day's work, so that there is a large amount of 
lost time during the greater portion of the year. The number of cases 
referred to the publication branch for the preparation of historical 
or statistical reports is comparatively small, there being only 360 cases 
of all classes received in this division per annum. 

4. It is recommended that the work of completing the publication of 

'■'Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies " he 
transferred' to the Archives Division. 

The publication branch reported that it is engaged upon complet- 
ing two unpublished volumes of the " Official Records of the Union 
and Confederate Armies." Upon inquiry it is found that the orig- 
inal intention was to publish two volumes in addition to those already 
published. It was designed that any material which should be dis- 
covered subsequent to the publication of the report could be incorpo- 
rated in these two volumes. No work is being done toward the com- 
pilation of these volumes other than holding such material as has 
been collected since the publication of the official records and the 
adding to that material any other which may come to the attention 
of the officials or employees of The Adjutant General's Office. No 
research work is being done in order to collect material for these 
volumes and to complete their compilation. Inasmuch as the com- 
pilation of historical data is closely related to the work now per- 
formed by the Archives Division, it is recommended that this work 
be transferred to that division. The transfer of this work to the 
Archives Division will not make it necessary to increase the force 
employed in that division. 

5. It is recommended that the file of ordnance reports he transferred 

to the Archives Divisio7i. 

It was ascertained that the publication branch is also making use 
of some orio'inal militarv records in its custodv for answerina: re- 



182 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EPPICIENCY. 

quests for information. These original records consist of 80 vol- 
umes of ordnance reports for the period 1861 to 1863. The balance 
of these reports are filed, with all similar records, in the Archives Di- 
vision in the State, War, and Navy Building. No reason could be 
given for filing this small number of original reports in the publica- 
tion branch instead of in the Archives Division, where they properly 
belong. As has already been stated in the general comments on this 
branch, the building is far from being fireproof, and no original or 
other valuable records should be filed in it. Because the building is 
not fireproof, any records which might be borrowed hj the publi- 
cation branch from the State, War, and Navy Building for use in 
connection with its business must be returned at the close of business 
each day. The inconsistency of compelling the return each day of 
records temporarily borrowed from the State, War, and Navy Build- 
ing and of keeping permanently in the publication branch some 
original records is unexplainable. It is recommended that these 80 
volumes be transferred to the Archives Division. 

6. It is recommended that the %oork of verifying inscriptions for 
memorials he transferred to the Archives Division. 

The publication branch reports that one of its classes of work is 
the verification of the text of all inscriptions for monuments, tablets, 
or other memorials to military commands or individuals to be placed 
in national military parks. The draft of the proposed inscription is 
referred to this branch for verification from the Mail and Record 
Division. In 90 per cent of these cases the proposed inscription can 
be verified by reference to the published " Official Records of the 
Union and Confederate Armies." In the remaining 10 per cent of 
the cases it is necessary to call upon the Archives or some other divi- 
sion of The Adjutant General's Office for additional information. 
This work is of the same nature as that already considered in the 
section dealing with furnishing information from " Official Records 
of the Union and Confederate Armies." 

It is a loss of time to refer communications of this nature to the 
publication branch, especially when they require reference to the 
Archives Division or any other division for supplemental informa- 
tion. There is a loss to the office in having a single class of work, 
such as furnishing information of historical nature, divided up illogi- 
cally among several divisions. This work properly belongs in the 
Archives Division and it is therefore recommended that it be trans- 
ferred to that division. The transfer of this work to the Archives 
Division will not make it necessary to increase the force employed in 
that division. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 183 

7. It is recoTnmended that the question of completing the compilation 
of the report showing the geographical and technical organiza- 
tion, engagements, and casualties of the Union and Confederate 
Armies he referred to the Secretary of War and that some (defi- 
nite policy as to this work te adopted. 

At the time of the preparation of this report two men were as- 
signed to the work of compiling the report, showing the organization, 
engagements, and casualties of the Union and Confederate Armies. 
One of these men receives a salary of $1,800, and his principal duty, 
as explained to us, is making arrangements for the borrowing of 
original Confederate records in the possession of individuals. The 
other clerk engaged upon this work receives $1,600 a year. These 
two men are old and somewhat enfeebled, so that they are able to 
make very little progress in their work. At former periods a larger 
part of the publication branch has been engaged in the preparation 
of this report. The clerk in charge reported that the annual salary 
cost of this work during 1912 was as follows : 

1 clerk of class 4; full time $1,800 

1 clerk of class 4; 10 per cent of time 180 

1 clerk of class 4; 25 per cent of time 450 

1 clerk of class 3; full time 1,600 

4 clerks of class 2 ; 25 per cent of time 1, 400 

1 clerk of class 1; 20 per cent of time 240 

1 clerk of class 1 ; 50 per cent of time 600 

4 clerks of class 1; 25 per cent of time 1.200 

Total 7,470 

The work has not yet progressed sufficiently for the publication 
branch to make any estimate as to the time required for its comple- 
tion. The work of compiling this report appears to be considered 
of small importance, and as now administered it consists of merely 
a nominal assignment of work to two superannuated employees. 

In reply to an inquiry as to the authority for this work, the fol- 
lowing statement was furnished by the chief clerk of The Adjutant 
General's Office : 

No record of authority for tlie preparation of the compilation showing the 
geographical and tactical organization, engagements, and casualties of the 
Union and Confederate Armies has been found. The former chief of the publi- 
cation branch died January 3, 1912. It is understood that samples of the pro- 
posed work were submitted to the Secretary of War about 1901 by the Chief 
of the Record and Pension Office, and that the Secretary of War authorized the 
preparation of the compilation. 

This is a wholly unsatisfactory statement of authority for the 
performance of so extensive and expensive piece of work. Further- 
more, it is noted that "'samples of proposed work were submitted to 



184 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON" ECONOMY AND EPPICIENCY, 

the Secretary of War about 1901 by the Chief of the Record and 
Pension Office, and that the Secretary of War authorized the prepa- 
lation of the compilation," while the actual work of compilation was 
not commenced until five years later, or 1906, as reported to us. 

It is recommended that the question of completing this work be 
referred to the Secretary of War and that some definite policy as to 
this work be adopted. If the work is worth doing, it is suggested 
that definite arrangements be made for its completion within a 
reasonable time. If the work is not worth completing, it should be 
laid aside and the two men now on it assigned to other work. 

8. It is recommended that, if the work descHbed in the foregoing 

recommendation is to be continued, it be transferred to the 
Archives Division and that a sufficient force be assigned to it as 
ii'lll insure its completion within a reasonable period of time. 

If this work is continued, it is recommended that it be transferred 
to the Archives Division and that such number of employees be 
assigned to this work as will be able to complete it within a reason- 
able length of time. It is necessary that several of these employees 
have had experience in handling and searching original War De- 
jiartment records, so that they may have the knowledge necessary for 
the proper direction of the work. A large part of the work could 
be performed to advantage by young clerks receiving salaries of 
$900 to $1,200. Such clerks could perform this work in a satisfac- 
tory manner and in much more rapid time than it could be done by 
the older employees of The Adjutant General's Office receiving 
higher salaries. The employees assigned to this work should be 
organized into a distinct section of the Archives Division. 

9. It is recommended that the work of compiling a subject index of 

War Department general orders and circulars be discontinued 
(it once. 

The principal work of the publication branch at the present time 
is the compilation of the subject index of War Department general 
orders and circulars from 1860 to 1911. As has been stated in the 
descriptive report, the index for the period 1881 to 1911 has been 
completed, so that the work now in progress covers the period from 
1860 to 1880. 

The purpose of the subject index has been stated in the following 
language by the chief clerk of The Adjutant General's Office: 

Witli respect to the purpose and use of the subject index, it may be stated 
that it is much needed in aid of current administratiive and other worli of 
the offices and persons supplied with it. as it enables one to find readily and 



BUBIXESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GEISTEEAL. 185 

qnick'Jy all orders and circulars issued within the period involved and per- 
taining to any particular subject, so that those orders and circulars may be 
consulted in the consideration of the subject without requiring the laborious 
and time-consuming work of searching the separate indexes of the many 
volumes of orders and circulars issued within that period. In other words, 
it serves the same purpose for all the volumes that the index of any one 
volume serves for that particular volume. 

That part of the index which covers the period from 1881 to 
1911 has been printed in an edition of 2,500 volumes, which have 
been distributed as follows: 

OtBce Secretary of War 5 

Office Chief of Staff 10 

Inspector General's Office 5 

Judge Advocate General's Office 10 

Quartermaster General's Office 100 

Commissary General's Office 100 

Surgeon General's Office 60 

Paymaster General's Office 70 

Office of Chief of Ordnance 70 

Chief Signal Office 15 

Coast Artillery j 5 

Army War College 30 

Bureau of Insular Affairs , 5 

Division of Militia Affairs 5 

Philippines Division 300 

Eastern Division , 320 

Western Division 310 

Central Division 300 

Executive departments : 

State 3 

Treasury--, 5 

Navy 10 

Interior 3 

Post Office 3 

Agriculture ^ 2 

Commerce and Labor . 3 

Justice : 3 

Library of Congress 3 

Senate Library 1 

House Library 1 

War Department Library 2 

Auditor for War Department 5 

Senate Committee on Military Affairs 2 

House Committee on Military Affairs : 2 

Tota:i 1, 768 

Leaving on hand 732 

While this subject index may be of value to The Adjutant General's 
Offi:'t. to the Chief of Staff's Office, and several other offices in the 
War Department and to the commanding officers of the several divi- 



186 REPORTS OF COMMISSiOlN 01^ EOOKOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

sicus of the i^rmy, it is of little or no value to many of the offices and 
departments to which copies have been sent. Inquiries made at some 
of these offices disclosed the fact that the index was not used at all, 
and a search Avas required in order to locate the copies which had 
been furnished by The Adjutant General's Office, but which had been 
laid away as being of no use. 

The general orders and circulars for each year in the period 1860 
to 1911 have been bound, so as to bring together in one volume the 
orders and circulars for a single year. Each of these volumes is 
thoroughly indexed so as to show the names of the officers and men 
and the subjects referred to in the orders and circulars. Further- 
more, a consolidated index for the period from January 1, 1809, to 
December 31, 1860, was published by The Adjutant General's Office 
in 1886; a consolidated index for the period from January 1, 1861, 
to December 31, 1880^ was published by the same office in 1882 ; and a 
consolidated index for the period January 1, 1881, to December 31, 
1900, was published by the same office in 1901. It is thus seen that 
the preparation of an index for the period 1860 to 1880 is a duplica- 
tion of work and that the preparation of a consolidated index from 
1881 to 1911 is a duplication of work so far as the years 1881 to 1900 
are concerned. Moreover, the preparation of any consolidated index 
is a duplication of work, inasmuch as the orders for any one year 
are thoroughly indexed. 

Investigation into the use made of indexes to general orders and 
circulars has developed the fact that there are so few instances in 
which a consolidated index is of value to the War Department, 
Auditor for the War Department's office, and other offices making 
references to general orders and circulars that there is no justification 
for incurring the heavy expense necessary to prepare a new edition 
of a consolidated index for the period 1860 to 1911. The indexes to 
the orders and circulars issued each year, together with the consoli- 
dated index which was published by The Adjutant General's Office 
in 1882, are without any question wholly adequate for the period 1860 
to 1900. 

It has been reported by the clerk in charge of the publication 
. branch that the clerical cost of preparing the index for the period 
1860 to 1880 is approximately $11,500. It is probable that the 
actual cost of clerical work is considerably in excess of this amount. 
The work on the index was commenced in April, 1912, and it is esti- 
mated that it will be completed in April or May, 1913. The clerks 
who are engaged in the preparation of this index, their salaries, and 
the amount of their salaries chargeable to the compilation of this 
index, as estimated by the clerk in charge of the publication branch, 
are as follows: 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GEISTEEAL. 187 



Name of employee. 



Salary. 



Salary 
charge- 
able to 
prepara- 
tion of 
index. 



E.A. Woodward 

J. S. McCoy 

George W. Cox 

Robert A. Kantz 

Wm. R.Lee 

John N. Bovee 

Watson B. Mundelle 

Roy Zapf 

Mrs. Emma Leckie 

Miss Caroline L. Harrold 
Miss Juha P. Humphrey 

Miss Mary F. Guss 

Miss Francis O. Smalley. 



$1,800 
1,800 
1,400 
1,400 
1,400 
1,400 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 



$1,530 

1, 350 

350 

l-;050 

490' 

1,050 

90a 

480 

900 

780 

90a 

780- 

goo- 



11,460 



The cost of printing the consolidated index for the period 1860 to 
1880 will be approximately $3,211, which was the cost of printing the 
similar index for the period 1881 to 1911. 

In view of the facts that the general orders and circulars for each 
year are thoroughly indexed, that a consolidated index has already 
been prepared for the period 1860 to 1880, and that there is only a 
small need for a consolidated index, it is recommended that this work 
of preparing a revised edition of the consolidated index be discon- 
tinued at once. Since the clerical work on the index is only about 
one-half completed, the discontinuance of this work at this time will 
effect a saving of over $5,000 in salaries. Furthermore, there will be 
a saving of approximately $3,200 to be gained from eliminating the 
printing of the proposed index upon which the publication branch 
is now working. 

Since it has been recommended to discontinue the work upon the 
consolidated index for 1860 to 1880, it is unnecessary to make any 
recommendations as to improved work methods which might be 
adopted in connection with the conduct of this work. It might be 
pointed out, however, that this work of indexing general orders logi- 
cally belonged in the Orders Division, which is engaged in indexing 
current Army orders. Moreover, a criticism might be made of the 
method employed in preparing the material for the index. The pres- 
ent method involves unnecessary work in that hand-written and type- 
written lists of the material to be included in the index are prepared. 
By modifying the present method of revising the entries on the slips 
it would be possible to omit the preparation of the hand-written list 
and to prepare the typewritten list directly from the edited slips. 



188 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION OK ECONOMY AND EPPICIEFCY. 

Criticism might also be made in this place of the number of vol- 
umes of the consolidated index for the years 1881 to 1911 which were 
published. Of the edition of 2,500 volumes, 1,768 have been dis- 
tributed and 732 remain in stock. A much larger number of volumes 
were distributed to many offices than could possibly be used by those 
offices. Moreover, copies were sent to other offices which have no need 
for such a publication. If the edition had been limited to a thousand 
volumes, which would have been as large as could possibly be justi- 
fied, the printing cost would have been reduced by at least $800. 

10. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE WORK OF PROOF READING BE TRANS- 
FERRED TO THE ADMINISTRATION DIVISION. 

The proof reading done in this branch of The Adjutant General's 
Office comprises work on reports compiled in other divisions of The 
Adjutant General's Office. Two clerks are employed on proof read- 
]ng, each receiving a salary of $1,400 per annum, and each devoting 
about one-half of his time to this work. The greater part of the 
proof reading that is sent to this division should be done in con- 
junction with the office where the data is compiled, or with some one 
having a technical knowledge of the subject matter. For instance, 
in proof reading such material as the competitive examination ques- 
tions for West Point Military Academy, the annual report of The 
Adjutant General, the official register of the officers and cadets of the 
Military Academy, the report of the Board of Visitors at the Mili- 
tary Academy, and proceedings of the general courts-martial, it 
would be of advantage to have as copyholder an employee from the 
■division preparing the material or an employee having knowledge of 
the subject matter. 

The clerk who does the major part of the proof reading is well 
adapted to this work, having had a number of years' experience as a 
proof reader at the Government Printing Office. As much of this 
proof reading is of a technical nature and requires a man not only 
with experience as a proof reader, but with education and experience 
in the War Department, it is recommended that the clerk with 
experience as a proof reader be transferred to the Administration 
Division and given charge of all of the proof reading for The Adju- 
tant General's Office, instead of giving only a portion of his time to 
thi? Avork and being located in a building at a distance from the 
offices in which the original data is prepared. It is further recom- 
mended that in proof reading all technical and involved reports, an 
employee having technical knowledge of the subject matter be tem- 
porarily assigned to hold copy. 



BUSIISrESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 189 
COST OF WORK AND SAVINGS. 

Cost of work. — The commission has not received satisfactory tig- 
ures upon which to base an accurate statement of cost of the several 
lines of work conducted in the publication branch. This seems to be" 
due in part to the fact that some of the work is being conducted in a 
loose fashion and not according to any well-defined plan. In view 
of the fact that the salary roll for this branch is $22,800 per annum, 
it is highly important that the work should be thoroughly planned 
and the assignments of work definitely made. 

The salary cost of the several lines of work is estimated as follows, 
using for these estimates the statement submitted by the clerk in 
charge : 

1. General admiuistration, including keeping time and property records, 

preparing requisitions, and supervising cleaning of building $1, 190 

2. Searching records for information in answer to requests for informa- 

tion and for verification of proposed inscriptions for monuments, 
memorials, etc 420 

3. Preparation of report shovping organization, engagements, and casual- 

ties of the Union and Confederate armies 7, 470 

4. Preparation of subject index of general orders and circulars It, 460 

5. Proof reading 1, 120 

6. Twpevpriting, unassigned 54^0 

Total 22.800 

Savings. — TKe recommendations for this division provide for abol- 
ishing or transferring all work, with the result that the employees of 
the division may be assigned to other work, with the exception of 
the proof reader at $1,400 and of those employees engaged in the 
preparation of the report showing " Organization, engagements, -and 
casualties of the Union and Confederate armies," provided the War 
Department decides to continue this latter class of work. Assuming 
that the work on this report will be continued, the employees of this 
division to be retained on their present work are as follows : 

Proof reading : 1 clerk, class 2 ?1, 400 

Preparation of report : 

1 clerk, class 4 $1,800 

1 clerk, class 3 1,600 

2 clerks, class 2 2, 800 

1 clerk, class 1 1,200 

■■ 7,400 

Total 8,800 



190 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION" ON ECOISTOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

One of the clerks of class 2 in the above list is in place of four 
clerks now devoting part of their time to this work, as follows : 

1 clerk of class 4, 10 per cent of time $180 

1 clerk of class 4, 25 per cent of time 450 

1 clerk of class 1, 20 per cent of time , 240 

1 clerk of class 1, 50 per cent of time 600 

Total 1', 470 

The annual saving in salaries will accordingly be. $14,000, or the 
difference between $22,800, the salary roll, and $8,800, the salaries of 
employees to be continued on present work. It is to be noted that 
the amount allowed for proof reading is $1,400, although the clerk 
in charge estimated the cost of this work at $1,120. 

An additional annual saving will be effected by vacating the build- 
ing now occupied by the publication branch. The annual rent is 
$800 and the cost of fuel approximately $150, the total of which can 
be saved. The other costs of operating this building may be con- 
sidered as offsets to the cost of housing the six employees to be con- 
tinued on present work. 

The total annual saving effected by the recommendations for this 
branch are thus approximately $14,950. The reduction in the num- 
ber of employees is 10. 

Distribution Division. 

In another section of this report the transfer of this division to 
the Administrative Division is recommended and discussed in detail. 

The work of this division, consisting of the keeping and dispatch- 
ing of books, forms, circulars, orders, and regulations, would seem 
to be conducted in a fairly efficient manner. 

Orders Division. 

In another section of this report the transfer of this division to the 
Administration Division is recommended and discussed in detail. 

SUMMARY of RECOMMENDATIONS. 

1. That drafts of orders be prepared on sheets of paper 8 by 10^ 
inches in size. 

2. That retained copies of orders be filed flat. 

3. That the divisions drafting the order prepare "call-up" cards 
in duplicate, one to be retained in the division drafting the order and 
the other in the Orders Division. 

4. That the window envelope be used. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 191 

5. That the practice of indorsing on the consolidated order the 
names of all persons to whom extracts are sent be discontinued. 

With the adoption of the foregoing recommendations the present 
force of emploj^ees can be reduced to six clerks, with a total annual 
salary expense of $7,600, thereby saving $2,800 per annum. 

The original drafts of orders are received by this division written 
on paper varying in size from 8^ inches wide by 4 inches long to 8^ 
inches in width by 6 feet in length. When the order has been printed 
the original drafts are fastened together with a '• Dennison " fastener 
and at the close of the day are folded and filed in a document file. 
It is often necessary to consult the drafts and, under the present 
method of filing them, it is an awkward and tedious operation. 

It is recommended that the original drafts be prepared in the 
issuing division upon sheets of paper 8 inches wide by 10| inches long 
and when more than one sheet is required for a particular order that 
additional sheets of the same size be used. The adoption of the above 
recommendation would admit of these papers being filed flat, in 
which condition they would be more accessible. 

When a general order or bulletin is issued 11,000 copies are printed 
and sent to the Distribution Division; these are all sent out except 
from 900 to 1,000 copies. The Distribution Division retains approxi- 
mately 40 copies for the files in that office, and the remainder is sent 
to the Orders Division for filing. The Orders Division keeps a file 
of these general orders and bulletins for a period of five years, and 
at the end of each year the matter which has been in the file more 
than five years is transferred to the Distribution Division, where the 
permanent file of such records is maintained. Thus both the Orders 
Division and Distribution Division are keeping complete files of these 
records for a period of five years. This practice is wholly unneces- 
sary and is the cause of a waste of valuable filing space. 
• The excess copies of these documents, namely, 900 to 1,000 of each 
issue, occupy a great area of filing space. The number could be 
reduced by at least one-half and still amply supply all requirements, 
and with the discontinuance of the duplicate file in the Distribution 
Division, would make available one desirable office room in the State, 
War, and 'Navj Building. 

There is some duplication in regard to the system followed of keep- 
ing track of the status of a general order which has been prepared 
for printing. A card is made out in the division in which the order 
is drafted, which card is held in the Mail and Record Division and 
called up at stated times, and in addition practically the same card is 
again written in the Orders Division and retained on file in that 
division for calling up from time to time. We recommend that when 
the draft of the order is prepared the division from which the order 
originates make a card in duplicate; one to be retained in the divi- 



192 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSIOISr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

sioii, and the second to be transmitted to the Orders Division with 
the draft of the order. The card retained in the division which pre- 
pares the draft of the order will serve as a check upon the Orders 
Division only, and the Mail and Eecord Division will be relieved of 
calling the matter up from time to time to determine the status of an 
order in process of preparation. The direct supervision, however, 
will rest with the Orders Division, where naturally it belongs. That 
division will file chronologically the duplicate card containing the 
subject matter of the order, and by that means keep in close touch 
with orders in process of printing. As there are only an average of 
10 or 15 orders outstanding, that is to say, in process of printing, 
it will be an easy matter for the Orders Division to keep track closely 
of all orders being prepared there. This will also eliminate the 
roundabout method of tracing up the course of an order and wholly 
relieve the Mail and Kecord Division of routine work in connection 
with that business. When in the opinion of the chief of the Orders 
Division an inquiry should be made as to the status of a particular 
order, such can be done by means of a simple form. 

When the extract of special orders is written, the names of the of- 
ficers, enlisted men, and others to whom these extracts are to be mailed 
are written thereon. When the printed supply of extracts has been 
received by the Orders Division, an addressing clerk writes at the 
bottom of each printed extract which is to be sent to a particular of- 
ficer or individual the name of that oflEicer or individual. The ad- 
dressing clerk then addresses the envelopes from the addresses writ- 
ten on the margin of the original draft of the order. When the en- 
velopes have been addressed, a combined copy of the special order for 
that particular day is then used to record the name and address of 
«ach person to whom a cop}^ of the extract has been sent. 

Thus it will be seen that the name of each individual to whom or- 
ders are sent is written four times ; first, on the typewritten draft of 
the order; secondly, on the envelope; thirdly, at the bottom of the 
printed extract ; and fourthly, on the combined order. The danger of 
error is of course enhanced with each writing of the name and ad- 
dress and a careful comparison is necessary in order to preclude 
against error in transmission of the printed extracts. 

It is believed that considerable time could be saved, and greater 
accuracy secured, if the window envelope were employed, so that the 
address at the bottom of the printed extract could also serve as the 
address of the piece of mail matter inclosed in a window envelope. 

We also recommend the discontinuance of the permanent record of 
names and addresses to which copies of the orders are sent, on the 
ground that they are used only to establish the fact that an order has 
actually been sent to a particular address. This object will be sub- 



BXTSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTAITT GENERAL. 193 

served by the preservation of the draft of the order itself, which con- 
tains this information. 

SAVINGS. 

There are now eight employees in this division, with salaries aggre- 
gating $10,400 per annum. With the adoption of our recommenda- 
tions this force can be reduced to — 

1 clerk, class 3 ^ $1,600 

1 clerk, class 2 : 1,400 

3 clerks, class 1, with salaries aggregating 3, 600 

1 clerk at $1,000 ^ 1,000 

6 employees at a total annual salary expense of 7, 600 

A reduction in force of two persons and in salary cost of $2,800. 

Mail and Record Division. 

SUMMARY or RECOMMENDATIONS. 

It is recommended : 

1. That incoming correspondence, after being received-stamped, be 
divided into two classes, (1) new cases, and (2) that in connection 
with which there would appear to be previous papers. 

2. That the first class of correspondence be distributed for direct 
transmission to the relevant division without recording it in any way. 

3. That the second class of correspondence be sent to the files for 
previous papers to be attached and then transmitted directly to the 
relevant division. 

4. That the work now performed by the examining section in 
reviewing statements of service be discontinued. 

5. That the name of The Adjutant General be affixed to statements 
of service by means of a stamp. 

6. That the auditor's office be advised when second or subsequent 
calls for statements of service are received, at the same time furnish- 
ing all available information, and that the practice of sending an 
employee to search and examine the files in the auditor's office be 
discontinued. ^ 

7. That notation be made on the military record card jackets in 
the Regimental Records Division in those statement-of-service cases 
from the auditor and the Commissioner of Pensions which have not 
been so noted, approximately 180,000. 

8. That the consultation of record cards of previous statement-of- 
service cases be discontinued. 

9. That the file of beneficiary record cards be discontinued. 

The principal recommendations affecting the Mail and Record 
Division have already been set forth and discussed in detail in that 
72784°— H. Doe. 1252, 62-3 13 



194 KEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

section of our report containing suggestions on the general business 
system of The Adjutant General's Office, and there remains, there- 
fore, but little to be said in regard to the work of this division. The 
adoption of our recommendations would make of the present Mail 
and Record Division a file room, primarily, to which would be added 
the incidental work of receiving, opening, and distributing incoming 
and dispatching outgoing mail. 

With the adoption of our recommendations in regard to the han- 
dling and filing of correspondence the present force of 105 employees 
with salaries aggregating $136,000 per annum can be reduced to 35 
employees at a total annual salary expense of $47,400, thereby saving 
$88,600 per annum. 

1. It is recommended that incoming correspondence^ after being re- 

ceived-stamped, be divided into two classes, {1) new cases, and, 
{£) that i7i connection with lohich there would appear to be 
previous papers. 

We recommend that the receiving clerk examine the incoming cor- 
respondence, receive-stamp it, preferably by means of a perforating 
machine which will make it possible to stamp a number of communi- 
cations at once and furnish the safeguard of being unchangeable, and 
immediately distribute it for transmission to the relevant division, or 
to the file room if it appears there may be previous papers. 

The receiving clerk will determine from a reading of a letter 
whether it is likely that there are previous papers on the subject 
or in relation to the individual or not, and if there are previous 
papers whether it will be necessary to forward them to the relevant 
division. Most of the intermediate and complicated processes will 
thus be eliminated, the dispatch of the mail to the relevant division 
will be expedited, and the indexing will be reduced to the making 
of cross-reference cards when correspondence is returned to the files. 

2. It is recomraended that the first class of correspondence be dis- 

tributed for direct transmission to the relevant division without 
recording it in any way. 

We recommend that the first class of corresponaence be distributed 
according to the divisions to which it pertains, by means of a distri- 
bution case from which it will be collected, periodically, by the mes- 
senger service for direct transmission to the proper division without 
passing the communication through the files or recording it in any 
way. The theory of initially passing correspondence through the 
filing division and recording and indexing it is, first, to give it a 
number; secondly, to record somewhere the purport of each com- 
munication; and thirdly, under the extensive routine of The Adju- 



BUSINESS METHODS OP OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 195 

tant General's Office, to keep tally of each piece of correspondence, 
so that if an inquiry is made for any letter pending its treatment in 
the office, the fact of its receipt can be definitely determined and trace 
for it be instituted. 

As a practical proposition, however, the experience of the other 
large departments of the Government has been that it is unnecessary 
to keep track of every piece of correspondence entering the depart- 
ment, although years ago this was the almost universal method in 
all departments, as well as in outside business establishments. Recent 
studies to simplify methods have resulted in a consideration of the 
embarrassments which would result if certain safeguards and record- 
ing practices heretofore followed were abandoned. These studies 
have tended to show that detailed and extensive systems were bene- 
ficially operative only in respect of a comparatively insignificant 
portion of the incoming correspondence, and usually brought with 
them complications which of themselves counteracted or offset all the 
benefits which the carefully devised system was supposed to bring. 
So the civil departments, and to a considerable extent, the other 
military departments of the Government, have gradually cut off 
elaborate records as they have found it possible to do so without 
injuring the efficiency of the service or letting down bars which 
might occasion embarrassment or impair the rights of individuals. 

3. It is recommended that the second class of correspondence he 
sent to the files for previous papers to he attached and then 
transmitted directly to the relevant division. 

We recommend that the second class of correspondence be sent to 
the files for previous papers, and when previous papers have been 
attached, to be distributed according to divisions in the same manner 
as in the case of the first class of correspondence referred to. 

It is proposed that in those cases where there are previous papers, 
for convenience in handling, the existing record cards shall be with- 
drawn from the file instead of the original documents, attached to a 
backing sheet, and that the incoming and succeeding correspondence 
shall likewise be attached to the backing sheet in chronological order, 
the latest communication being on the top of the file, so that a case 
consisting of previous papers and recent correspondence will com- 
prise in part record cards and in part communications on sheets 
approximately 8 by 10^ inches in size. The attaching of the record 
card to a backing sheet will be a simple and expeditious matter if a 
punching machine operated by a foot press is employed. It will only 
be necessary to take the record cards, divide them into three equal 
parts, place them on the backing sheets and with one stroke of a lever 
the cards will be permanently attached to the backing sheet. 



196 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

When incoming correspondence has been transmitted directly by 
the receiving clerk to the relevant division, and it appears upon 
examination by the correspondence clerk in that division that search 
should be made for previous papers, he should indorse in the upper 
right-hand corner of the correspondence the symbol " PP " and throw 
the correspondence in the mail box for transmission to the file room 
by the messenger service. 

Under our recommendations briefing and recording will be abso- 
lutely eliminated, while indexing will be reduced to that small 
amount of cross indexing and referencing which may be necessary 
to locate communications which embrace more than one subject. 
The operations of briefing, recording^ and indexing incoming cor- 
respondence engage 46 clerks all of their time. The aggregate sal- 
aries amount to $58,000 per annum, all of which will be saved except 
that small sum necessary to prepare and maintain cross indexes of 
the docmnent files. The recording of outgoing correspondence is an 
operation which it is difficult to measure either in point of time con- 
sumed or in terms of money value, since it is not separated from the 
preparation or correspondence and is scattered all through the divi- 
sions of The Adjutant General's Office. This may be said, however: 
The record of incoming correspondence is a synoptical one only, 
whereas the record of outgoing correspondence is a full verbatim 
copy of each outgoing communication. The number of recorded out- 
going communications being approximately the same as the number 
of recorded incoming communications, and recording being an opera- 
tion of greater extent with outgoing than incoming mail, it is obvious 
that the cost of the operation is very much greater. In the report of 
handling and filing correspondence made by the office of The Adju- 
tant General, February 15, 1911, to the commission, the operation of 
recording outgoing correspondence was included as part of the cost 
of preparing outgoing correspondence which amounts in total to 
$204,940 per annum in salaries alone. Fifty thousand dollars per 
annum, or about one-fourth of the total cost of preparing outgoing 
correspondence, is therefore regarded as a conservative estimate of 
the saving to be secured from a discontinuance of the recording of 
outgoing communications. 

4. It is recommended that the toorh of reviewing statements of se^'v- 
ice he discontinued. 

The examination of statement-of-service cases, which is made in 
this section, consists of a general review for the purpose of ascer- 
taining whether the request for information have been answered and 
whether the answers appear to be complete and reasonable. Atten- 



BUSINESS METHODS OP OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GElSrERAL. 197 

lion is also given to comparing the name, military organization, and 
dates in the request and in the reply. No comparison of the data in 
the reply with the records from which the data is copied can be made 
in the examining section. 

The examining section returns to the divisions preparing statement- 
of -service cases not only those which appear to be inaccurate but also 
those which contain information in addition to that requested. Em- 
ployees of this section estimate that they return on an average of 
about 50 cases per day, or approximately 10 per cent of the total 
number handled. Of the total cases returned only a very small per- 
centage is erroneous. This is evidenced by the fact that the Regi- 
mental Records Division, which prepares over three-fourths of the 
statements of service, received during the year 1912 from the examin- 
ing section only 268 cases which contained errors disclosed by the 
examining section. The discovery of errors in only 268 of the 76,000 
cases prepared in the Regimental Records Division shows that the 
review of these cases in the examining section is unnecessary. 

The examination of statements in order to ascertain if more in- 
formation has been furnished than was requested should be dis- 
continued, as this practice tends to restrict the usefulness of the 
statements made to the Pension Office and auditor's office. Instead 
of limiting the reply, as has been the custom in The Adjutant Gen- 
eral's Office, greater assistance would be rendered to the Pension 
Office and to the Auditor for the War Department if a full reply 
were made, instead of one limited to such information as is called 
for by a literal interpretation of the request. 

Before being submitted to the examining section, the cases are 
reviewed to some extent in the divisions preparing them. After a 
study of the methods used in the several divisions, it is believed that 
it would be wholly safe to hold the several divisions responsible for 
the accuracy of their statements, without requiring these divisions to 
make any further review of the statements than they are now making. 

In view of the facts (1) that the work of preparing statements of 
service is performed with accuracy, (2) that the divisions are now re- 
viewing their work to some extent, and (3) that the review of cases 
by the examining section is perfunctory, it is believed that the ac- 
curacy of the work and the efficiency of the office will in nowise be 
impaired by omitting the review of cases now performed by the ex- 
amining section. 

It is recommended that the work now performed by the examin- 
ing section in reviewing and examining statements of service be dis- 
continued. 



198 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

5. It is recoTnmhended that the name of The Adjutant General 1)6 
affixed to statements of service hy means of a stamp. 

After the statements of service have been approved by the examin- 
ing section, a clerk in that section signs with pen and ink the name of 
The Adjutant General to these statements. The signing of The Ad- 
jutant General's name to these papers requires the full time of a 
$1,400 clerk. Since these statements are made by The Adjutant 
General's Office for use by the Pension Office, auditor's office, and 
other governmental offices, it would seem to be wholly satisfactory, 
if the name of The Adjutant General was stamped upon such com- 
munications instead of being written by hand. The work of stamp- 
ing the signature could be performed at two periods each day, once 
in the forenoon and once in the afternoon, and it would take not to 
exceed one-half hour at each of these periods. This work should be 
performed by a clerk in the receiving and dispatching section of the 
Mail and Record Division. Moreover, it is unnecessary to utilize the 
services of a $1,400 clerk on such simple routine work as the stamping 
of an officer's name to routine communications. 

It is accordingly recommended that hereafter the name of The 
Adjutant General be affixed to statements of service by means of a 
stamp, and that a low-salaried clerk be employed for performing 
this work. If deemed desirable or necessary, the initials of the proper 
official can be entered below the signature on each communication. 
Such initialing would doubtless be done by some administrative 
official. The work of initialing the signature need not be considered 
in connection with the work of the examining section. 

The adoption of the recommendation to substitute the use of a 
stamp for the present practice of writing The Adjutant General's 
name with pen and ink would effect an annual saving of at least 
$1,000. 

0. It is recom^mended that the auditor'^s office te advised when sec- 
ond or subsequent calls for statements of service are received, 
at the same time furnishing all available information., and that 
the practice of sending an employee to search and examine the 
files in the auditor'^s office he discontinued. 

Whenever the examining section is advised by the Regimental Rec- 
ords Division that prior requests for information have been received 
in any case, the examining section consults the correspondence record 
card which was made out in connection with the first request for 
information. If there are any matters connected with the case which 
are complicated or difficult of explanation, it is then customary for 
one of the searchers in the examining section to go to the office of 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEKAL. 199 

the Auditor for the War Department. The searcher from the exam- 
ining section has authority to personally withdraw from the auditor's 
files any papers which may have a bearing upon these complicated 
cases. In place of the withdrawn papers the searcher inserts a 
charge card and uses the papers from the file in the same way as if 
they were withdrawn from a file in The Adjutant General's Office. 
This practice results in The Adjutant General's Office performing 
work which belongs in the auditor's office. 

The examination of the papers in the auditor's file should be per- 
formed by employees of the auditor's office and the case disposed of 
by the auditor's office upon such evidence as his own records show, 
and upon such evidence as can be furnished to the auditor by The 
Adjutant General. If The Adjutant General's Office presented such 
information as their military record cards and other records show 
concerning a man's military history, in place of limiting the replies 
in accordance with a strict interpretation of the question, it would 
be unnecessary for The Adjutant General to send any of his employees 
into the files of the auditor's office. 

It is recomimended that hereafter The Adjutant General's Office 
advise the auditor's office in all those cases where a second or subse- 
quent call for information concerning statements of service has been 
received; at the same time furnishing the auditor's office with such 
information as is available in The Adjutant General's Office. It is 
further recommended that the practice of sending an employee of 
The Adjutant General's Office into the files of the auditor^^ffice 
be discontinued. The adoption of this recommendation will elimi- 
nate a large part of the work now performed by the searcher who 
Adsits daily the files in the auditor's office. 

7. It is recomTnended that notation te made on the military record 
card jackets in the Regimental Records Division in those state- 
ment of service cases from the auditor and the Commissioner of 
Pensions which have not teen so noted^ approximately 180^000. 

At present all requests from the auditor and the Pension Office 
for statements of service have been noted on the jackets containing 
the military record cards in the Regimental Records Division, with 
the exception of approximately 180,000 such requests. The entry 
on the flap of the jacket in the Regimental Records Division shows 
the searcher that prior call for information has been made and 
enables The Adjutant General's Office to so advise the auditor or 
the Commissioner of Pensions. An exception to this general rule 
occurs in the 180,000 cases which have not been noted on the file 
jackets, with the result that it is necessary to consult the index cards 
for these cases, which are filed in the examining section. 



200 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON" ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The work of examining these index cards would be eliminated and 
the cards themselves might be destroyed if the fact that a request for 
information in these cases were noted on the file jacket in the Regi- 
mental Records Division. In view of the fact that such notations 
have been made in all but this small percentage of statement of 
service cases, it would be of advantage to have these cases entered on 
the military jackets and thus establish a uniform system of recording 
the fact that requests for statements of service have been received and 
also of establishing a uniform practice with respect to the method to 
be followed in ascertaining whether such a request has been received. 

It is recommended that a notation be made on the flap of the 
military-record card jackets filed in the Regimental Records Division 
to indicate that requests for statements of service have been received 
in the 180,000 cases which have not yet been so noted. It is further 
recommended that after these notations have been made, the index 
cards for these 180,000 cases be disposed of as being of no further 
value to The Adjutant General's Office. It is also recommended that 
in the future in noting requests on the military card jacket that the 
claim nimaber shown on the call from the Pension Office or from that 
of the auditor's office be entered in addition to such facts as have been 
entered in the past. Under this proposed plan the Regimental Rec- 
ords Division will indorse on the forms on which are entered the 
statements of service the fact that a prior call has been made for this 
same information, together with the date when made and the claim 
number of the case. The adoption of this recommendation will 
eliminate a part of the work now performed by the examining section. 

8. That the consultation of record cards of previous statement-of- 
service cases he discontinued. 

Elsewhere in this report the practice of preparing record cards for 
statements of service cases has been discussed. This practice has 
been criticized as being unnecessary, and it has been recommended 
that the recording of these cases be discontinued. In connection with 
this recommendation, it is here pointed out that the examining sec- 
tion retains the record cards in its active files, in room 51, for a period 
of two years. After the lapse of that period of time the record cards 
are then transferred to a file in room 552, which is located in the 
attic. It is stated by the examining section that the files in the attic 
are consulted on an average of six times a day. Practically all of 
the cases requiring consultation of these old record cards are those 
cases in which ihe Regimental Records Division has advised the ex- 
amining section of a prior request for information in a given case. 
Such a consultation of the record cards is unnecessary since the 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 201 

Regimental Records Division can enter on the statements of service 
the fact that such prior request was made and thus enable the office 
making the request to be on its guard against allowing the claim a 
second time. 

If the Regimental Records Division reports the fact of the prior 
call, there will then be practically no use for the old record cards of 
statement of service cases. 

9. It is recommended that the -file of 'beneficiary record cards he dis- 
continued. 

Beneficiary record cards are prepared in the examining section 
from the reports of enlistments sent in by recruiting officers. The 
purpose of these cards is to enable The Adjutant General's Office to 
ascertain the name and address of the beneficiaries of enlisted men. 
This information is used by The Adjutant General's Office in con- 
nection with the distribution of circulars descriptive of deserters. 
The cards are filed alphabetically by the names of the men. The file 
now contains approxmiately 192,000 cards. With the consolidation 
transfer of the identity section to the proposed Enlisted Men's Divi- 
sion, the file of original reports of enlistments will be equally as 
accessible as the present card file. 

The work transferred to other divisions or sections of The Adju- 
tant General's Office consists of the signing of the name of The 
Adjutant General to statements of service and the work of preparing 
the beneficiary index cards and supplying information from those 
cards. The saving to be effected by eliminating such work as it has 
been recommended should be eliminated, will amount to between 
$6,000 and $6,500 annually. In this connection it should be noted 
that one of the recommendations, namely, that for noting on the flap 
of the military record card jackets in the Regimental Records Divi- 
sion such requests for statements of service as have been so noted, 
will involve an initial expense for putting the recommendation into 
effect. The other recommendations here made will involve no ex- 
pense for putting them into effect. 

Sum/mary of savings. — The adoption of the recommendations con- 
tained in the preceding sections of this report will either eliminate 
or transfer all of the work now performed by the examining section. 

The present administrative expense of the Mail and Record Divi- 
sion is approximately $11,600, consisting of the salaries of six chiefs 
of sections and one chief of division. With the work of 70 clerks 
eliminated the adininistration expense can be reduced to the salary 
of one chief of division and two utility clerks with salaries aggregat- 
ing $4,600 per annum. 



202 KEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The following table shows the various classes of operations now 
performed, with the salary cost of each, compared with those neces- 
sar}^ under the proposed method, with the salary cost of each : 



Present salary expense of the Mail and Record Division compared mth that 
estimated when the proposed methods for handling correspondence have Tyeen 
adopted. 



Administrative. 



Present. 



Clerks. 



Salary 
cost. 



Proposed. 



Clerks. 



Salary 
cost. 



Chief of division and 2 utility clerks 

Chief of briefing, recording, and indexing section and 2 assist- 
ants 

Chief of record card flies 

Chiefs of document flies 

Opening mail, stamping with numbering machine, and distrib- 
uting 

Brieflng, recording and indexing (cross-referencing) 

Searching the index or flle 

Withdrawing record cards 

Connecting cases 

Tally desk 

Consolidating and fihng index cards 

Making flle jackets for index cards 

Reviewing record cards 

Filing record cards 

Suspended file 

Examining statement of service cases 

Dispatching and signing The Adjutant General's name 

Cipher clerk 

Document files 



105 



$4, 400 

4,600 
1,800 
3,400 

6,600 

48, 800 

11,200 

3,400 

2,600 

3,200 

13, 600 

1,400 

5,800 

2,200 

1,200 

6,000 

4,400 

1,600 



136, 000 



35 



$4,600 



4,000 
3,200 
11,200 
3,400 
4,000 



1,200 



3,000 
1,600 
11,200 



47,400 



As will be seen by the foregoing table, there are now 105 employees 
in this division with salaries aggregating $136,000 per annum. With 
the adoption of our recommendations this force can be reduced to — 

1 chief of division ' $2,000 

1 clerk, class 4 1, 800 

4 clerks, class 3 6,400 

14 clerks, class 2 „ 19, 600 

13 clerks, class 1 15,600 

2 clerks, at $1,000 2,000 

35 employees at a total annual salary expense of 47, 400 

A reduction in force of 70 persons and in salary cost of $88,600. 

Miscellaneous Division. 

In another section of this report the consolidation of this division 
with the Correspondence and Examining Division and the transfer 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 203 

of the custody and compilation of efficiency reports to the proposed 
officers' division are recommended and discussed in detail. 

RECOMMENDATION. 

It is recommended that the items in efficiency reports relating to 
the professional qualifications of officers be stated as ratings, after 
the manner of grading examination papers, and that such ratings 
be posted to individual cards so as to show in compact form the pro- 
ficiency of each officer upon any subject for which he has shown spe- 
cial fitness. 

With the adoption of the foregoing recommendation and the recom- 
mendations contained in Section III of this report affecting the 
handling and filing of correspondence, the present force of 23 employ- 
ees, with salaries aggregating $29,400 per annum, can be reduced to 
two clerks for the custody and compilation of efficiency reports and 
nine clerks for the conduct of correspondence and preparation of gen- 
eral orders, etc., with an aggregate annual salary expense of $14,600. 
Adding to this expense one-half of the salary of a chief of the con- 
solidated division — $1,000 per annum — the total annual salary ex- 
pense would be $15,600, thereby saving $13,800. 

EFFICIENCY REPORTS. 

As stated in the descriptive portion of this report, nine persons 
are constantly engaged in preparing efficiency records on cards for 
the use of the following four persons: 

The President, 

The Secretary of War, 

The Chief of Staff, 

The Adjutant General. 

The reports are compiled principally from the regular efficiency 
reports made annually by senior officers in regard to their subordi- 
nates, and occasionally from general inspection reports and other 
sources. They are placed on cards in condensed form with the object 
of enabling the executives above mentioned to scrutinize the entire 
record of an officer from the time of his entering the service to date. 
Having in mind, however, that the original efficiency reports from 
which the condensations are made are on file in the same office, it 
would seem that they are not sufficiently brief and compact to fully 
serve the purpose for which they are made, namely, to enable the four 
high executives to determine at a glance the fitness of certain officers 
for special duties. In other words, such time as may be saved to the 
executive officers is not sufficient to justify continuing to employ nine 
clerks on this work. 



204 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

It is believed that this work is susceptible of very great simplifica- 
tion, so as to reduce not only the labors of the compilers or con- 
densers, but also save the time of high executives who may desire to 
determine quickly the particular or special qualifications of a number 
of officers. , 

To facilitate compiling, consultation, and filing, it is recommended 
that the efficiency reports of officers be rendered on forms approxi- 
mately 8 by 11 inches in size, which will permit of filing flat in a 
folder. In regard to that portion of the report on the fitness of 
officers which has to do with their special professional qualifications, 
it is recommended that each qualification be identified by a figure, 
and any subdivisions which there might be of such qualification by a 
letter, and that the report of the commanding officer in respect of 
any of the special qualifications be indicated not by a written descrip- 
tion, but by a figure expressed on a scale somewhat after the plan 
employed in marking examination papers. Definite instructions 
Avould have to be issued for the guidance of senior officers making 
reports on the fitness of their subordinates, so that the reports would 
be made on a standard scale. 

In one large office of the Government service a like system is used 
as follows: 

The efficiency of officers is designated by using words combined 
with numbers from 4 to 0, as set forth in the following table : 



Favorable : 

Excellent 4.0 to 3.5 

Very good 3.5 to 3.0 

G6ocl 3.0 to 2.5 



Unfavorable : 

Indifferent 2.4 to 2.0 

Fair 2.0 to 1.0 

Poor 1.0 to 0.0 



For recording in compact form the above ratings, each officer has 
a card, letter size, which bears at the top printed matter as follows: 

Name. 
Year duty time : 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 

The column at the extreme left is for the insertion of the date 
of the reports, the nature of the duty on which engaged, and the time 
spent on that duty. The scale running along the top symbolizes the 
various professional qualifications which may be reported on by 
numbers, thus : 

Column 1 contains ratings on tlie subject of "Attention to duty." 
Column 2 contains ratings on the subject of " Professional zeal." 
Column 3 contains ratings on the subject of " General bearing and military 

appearance." 
Column 4 contains ratings on tlie subject of " Judgment in handing enlisted 

men." 
Column 5 contains ratings on the subject of " Fitness for General Staff." 
Column 11 contains ratings on the subject of " Knowledge of Spanish." 

and so forth. The entries are made in the columns under the num- 
bers indicating the particular qualification reported on, each succes- 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 205 

sive rating being placed directly below the preceding rating on the 
same subject. The cards are filed alphabetically by grade and arm 
of the service. The reports bearing on the professional qualifications 
of the officers and their general efficiency, as determined by official 
means, are tabulated on their individual cards, so as to show the 
length of time on any duty, the proficiency, and the sources of the 
information used. 

A system of metal " flags," attached to the cards, is employed to 
shoAv at a glance all the officers of any grade or arm of service who 
may have second or first class or higher qualifications in any duty 
for which a detail may be desired, or who may be recommended for 
post-graduate courses. On the back of the card is briefly noted any 
characteristic or qualification which can not be tabulated but which 
might be, of use in making selections for duty. 

. To identify the fact that an officer has qualifications in regard to 
Spanish, a "flag" is placed at the top of column 11. Degree of fit- 
ness in a special qualification can be shown by the employment of 
signals of different colors. For example, those officers who have the 
highest qualifications in regard to any subject are designated by a 
red signal. Those whose qualifications are very good are identified 
by a blue signal, and so on. 

When it is desired to know, for example, those officers who have 
the highest qualifications in the Spanish language, the cards bearing 
the red signal over the symbol " 11 " could be withdrawn, and a 
glance at the card would show the various ratings given the officer 
in regard to the subject mentioned. 

We recommend the adoption of the above system for keeping rec- 
ords in regard to special qualifications of officers in the Army. 

The proposed system would not only be economical, but greatly 
advance the efficiency of the Armj^, since it would bring to the atten- 
tion of those making a selection the names of all officers having high 
qualifications on any subject, whereas under the present practice the 
selection of men- is usually restricted to those who have come under 
the personal observation of members of a board appointed fo make a 
choice of officers for particular duties. For example, it has been ex- 
plained to rejaresentatives of the commission that when it is desired 
to secure several officers for duty on the General Staff a board is 
created for that purpose composed of higher officers in the Army, 
whose first or tentative selections for consideration are made from 
tliose officers who have come within the scope of their observation. 
Obviously such primary selection excludes from consideration officers 
who have not come under personal observation of those who consti- 
tute the board. Such a practice seems to us to be open to criticism 
on account of narrowing to a few select persons assignments of the 
highest importance, and tends to retard the development of officers 



206 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

who have not had the good fortune of coming into personal contact 
with general oiRcers or others high in command who may have con- 
trol of the selection of men for duty oA the General Staff or other like 
Avork. Under the method proposed by us the tentative selection 
would be made without any knowledge of the names of the officers, 
the selections being guided by the metal " flag " at the top of the 
card, which would indicate not only all officers of the Army who 
have special qualifications upon the subjects concerning which inquiry 
may be made, but give minute details by showing those who have 
first-class qualifications on the subject, those whose qualifications are 
of the second class, and those men who are preeminently qualified. 
It reduces the selection of officers to a matter of mathematical accu- 
rac}^, so to speak, and takes away most of the temptation to be guided 
by personal prejudice. Furthermore, when the card of an officer is 
Avithdrawn the opinions of his successive superior officers for as long 
a period of yea rs as the officer may have come under observation in 
respect of a particular qualification are set forth in the form of 
ratings. 

The following force is engaged in compiling statements from effi- 
ciency reports and other communications and reports in regard to 
officers : 

I clerk, class 2 $1,400 

5 clerks, class 1 6,000 

3 clerks, at $1,000 3, 000 

Total 10,400 

With the adoption of the brief system recommended by us, the 
Avork of compiling, including making the entries upon the cards, 
could easily be performed by two clerks, one receiving a salary of 
$1,400 and the other $1,200. 

This work logically belongs with the other work relating to the 
records of the service of officers now in the Army, and its transfer 
to the proposed officers' division has been recommended in Section 
III of this report. 

CORRESPONDENCE. 

The following force is engaged in the conduct of general corre- 
spondence : 

1 clerk, class 3 $1, 600 

1 clerk, class 2 1, 400 

8 clerks, class 1 9, 600 

1 clerk, at 1,000 

II employees, with salaries aggregating 13, 600 per annum. 

Five are correspondence clerks, five are stenographers and type- 
Avriters, and one reviews correspondence drafted by others. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GEFEEAL. 207 

SAVINGS. 

There are now 23 employees in this division, with salaries aggre- 
gating $29,400 per annum. With the adoption of our recommenda- 
tions, this force can be reduced to — 

2 clerks, class 3 $3,200 

3 clerks, class 2 4, 200 

6 clerks, class 1 7,200 

11 employees, at a total annual salary expense of 14, 600 

To this salary expense must be added one-half of the salary of a 
chief of the consolidated division, $1,000 per annum, making a total 
annual salary expense of $15,600, leaving a net reduction in salary 
cost of $13,800 per annum. 

Correspondence and Examining Division. 

In another section of this report the consolidation of this division 
with the Miscellaneous Division has been recommended and discussed 
in detail. 

RECOMMENDATIONS. 

The recommendations for this division consist of those general 
recommendations for reorganization and for handling correspondence 
which have been set forth in detail in Section III. The recommen- 
dations especially applicable to this division are as follows : 

1. That the final copy of outgoing communications be written in 
the division which prepares the draft. 

2. That printfed forms be used, so far as practicable, in preparing 
communications. 

3. That the dictation machine be used, so far as practicable, in the 
preparation of correspondence. 

With the adoption of the first recommendation 20 employees will 
be transferred to other divisions in order that they may assist in the 
performance of the work to be transferred. With the adoption of 
the foregoing recommendations the present force of 46 employees, 
with salaries aggregating $65,200 per annum, can be reduced to 31 
employees, with an aggregate salary exense of $43,000. Adding to 
this expense one-half of the salary of the chief of the consolidated 
division, $1,000 per annum, the total annual salary expense would be 
$44,000, thereby saving $21,200. 

1. It is recommended that the "final copy of communications l)e pre- 
pared in those divisions preparing the first draft or in those 
divisions furnishing the information for the preparation of the 
communication. 

The adoption of this recommendation will transfer from the Corre- 
spondence and Examining Division (a) the work now performed by 



208 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

it in typing the " fair copy " of those communications drafted in other 
divisions, and (b) the work of preparing the draft of the larger part 
of those commraiications for which the information has been fur- 
nished by other divisions. 

The work of preparing the " fair copy " of communications drafted 
in other divisions consumes about one-fourth of the time of the ex- 
aminers and typewriters in the Correspondence and Examining Divi- 
sion. All of this work will be eliminated from the proposed Corre- 
spondence Division. The quantity of this class of work to be 
performed by the divisions to which it should be transferred will be 
materially reduced upon the adoption of the recommendations for 
the more extensive use of printed forms. Accordingly, it will be 
unnecessary to provide as large a force of examiners and typewriters 
for the performance of this work as are now engaged upon it in the 
Correspondence and Examining Division. A further reduction in 
the quantity of this work will be effected by the adoption of the 
recommendation Avhich provides for the elimination of the present 
practice of first preparing a complete typewritten draft on a record 
card and subsequently copying the draft upon a letter sheet for the 
final copy of the repl5^ 

Of these communications which are now drafted in the Correspond- 
ence and Examining Division 63 per cent are acted upon jointly by 
this division and other divisions. It is the contention of the commis- 
sion that a large amount of time and expense will be. saved by having 
the final copy of such communications prepared by the divisions 
having the records from which is procured the information to be 
placed in the communications. The most important classes of com- 
munications which it is recommended should be transferred to other 
divisions are as follows: - 

1. Requests for statements of military service received from Con- 
gress; Commissioner of Pensions and Auditor for War Department 
(described as "requests presenting unusual difficulties"); soldiers' 
homes: associations and societies; and Civil Service Commission. 

2. Requests for statements of military service of officers and en- 
listed men in the Revolutionary War and War of 1812. 

3. Requests for statements of military service of officers and men 
in the Confederate Army. 

4. Requests for historical and statistical data on former military 
organizations and activities. 

5. Applications for certificates in lieu of lost or destroyed dis- 
charge certificates; and applications for original discharge certifi- 
cates. 

6. Requests for the address or for the service of officers. 

7. Requests for the address or for the service of enlisted men. 



BUSINESS METHODS OE OEEICE OE THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 209 

The classes of work included in items 1, 2, and 3 should be trans- 
ferred to Regimental Eecords Division; that in item 4, to Eegimental 
Records, Archives, or other divisions having the custody of the 
records to be consulted in the preparation of the reply ; that in item 
5, to Regimental Records or the new Enlisted Men's Division, accord- 
ing as the case applies to volunteers or regulars ; that in item 6, to the 
proposed Officers' Division; and that in item 7, to the proposed En- 
listed Men's Division. Some of the cases included in the classes of 
communications listed above are now handled by men in the Corre- 
spondence and Examining Division who have been trained as special- 
ists. It is proposed that these specialists be transferred as far as 
necessary to the divisions to which the work is assigned by the 
recommendations in this report. Such work as is now performed by 
the Correspondence and Examining Division, which is not logically 
assigned to other divisions by the general recommendations contained 
in this report, should remain in the Correspondence Division. This 
division should also handle, as at present, those cases requiring ad- 
ministrative action, such as applications for the admission of former 
enlisted men to the hospital for the insane. 

The communications included in the list of work to be transferred 
amount to at least 75 per cent of all those now drafted in the Cor- 
respondence and Examining Division. The transfer of the prepara- 
tion of these communications to the divisions now furnishing the in- 
formation for their preparation, will increase somewhat the work of 
these divisions, but the more extensive use of printed forms and the 
elimination of writing a first draft on the record card will materially 
reduce the work necessary for the preparation of the outgoing com- 
munications. 

It is believed that the work here proposed to be tra,nsferred can be 
readily handled by the divisions to which it is to be assigned with 
the following additions to their present force, these additional clerks 
to be transferred from the present force of the Correspondence and 
Examining Division. 

1. Clerks tp be transferred to the Regimental Records Division : 

1 clerk, class 4 $1, 800 

1 clerk, class 3 1,600 

2 clerks, class 2 2,800 

9 clerks, class 1 10,800 

13 clerks, with salaries aggregating 17,000 

2. Clerks to be transferred to proposed Enlisted Men's Division : 

1 clerk, class 3 1,600 

2 clerks, class 2 2,800 

3 clerks, class 1 3,600 

6 clerks, with salaries aggregating 8, 000 

3 Clerks to be transferred to the proposed Officers' Division : 

1 clerk, class 1 1,200 

72734"— H. Dor. 1 252. 62-3 1 4 



210 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY, 

2. It is recommended that printed fornix be used so far as practicahle 

in the preparation of outgoing correspondence. 

This recommendation applies particularly to those statement-of- 
service cases discussed in the preceding recommendation. These 
cases will, upon the adoption of the commission's recommendation, 
be transferred from the Correspondence and Examining Division to 
Regimental Records Division. The recommendation for the more 
extended use of forms is in accordance with the present practice of 
The Adjutant General's Office to use forms for furnishing state- 
ments of service in reply to the majority of requests now received 
from the Commissioner of Pensions and the Auditor for the War 
Department. 

The use of forms can be readily and advantageously adopted for 
preparing replies to many other classes of communications now han- 
dled by the Correspondence and Examining Division, such as requests 
for the addresses of officers and enlisted men, requests for copies of 
reports, etc. 

3. It is reconn/mended that the use of dictation machines he adopted so 

far as practicable in the preparation of communications. 

This recommendation applies particularly to the proposed Corre- 
spondence Division which will be formed by a consolidation of the 
present Correspondence and Examining Division and the Miscel- 
laneous Division. From a study of the nature of the work to be per- 
formed in this division and from the preliminary results of the test 
which is being conducted in the Correspondence and Examining 
Division it is evident that the use of the dictation machine will mate- 
rially expedite the preparation of correspondence. 

SAVINGS. 

There are now 46 employees in this division, with salaries aggre- 
gating $65,200. With the adoption of the commission's recommenda- 
tions, the following employees will be transferred to other divisions : 

1 clerk, class 4 $1, SOO 

2 clerks, class 3 3,200 

4 clerks, class 2 , 5,600 

13 clerks, class 1 15,600 

20 clerks, with salaries aggregating 26, 200 

The following employees will be needed for performing the work 
remaining in the Correspondence and Examining Division: 

3 clerks, class 4 .$5,400 

4 clerks, class 3 6,400 

2 clerks,- class 2 2,800 

1 clerk, class 1 1, 200 

1 clerk, at $1,000 1,000 

11 clerks, with salaries aggregating 16, 800 



BUSINESS METHODS OP OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 211 

To this salary expense must be added one-half of the salary of a 
chief of the consolidated division, $1,000 per annum, making a total 
annual salary expense of $17,800, and leaving a net reduction in 
salary cost of $21,200. 

Enlisted Men's Division. 

In another section of this report the consolidation of this division 
with the present Rolls and Recruiting Divisions is recommended 
and discussed in detail. 

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS. 

1. That forms be provided for use in the following cases : 

(a) Preparing data regarding applications of enlisted men for 
retirement. 

(b) Informing the enlisted man's commanding officer of the action 
taken on the application for retirement. 

(c) Notifying retired enlisted men of failure to report their 
address. 

2. That only those retired enlisted men failing to report be checked 
on the card record of retired enlisted men, thus eliminating 95 per 
cent of the present amount of this work. 

3. That the correspondence clerks make their own searches of the 
records in addition to preparing their own correspondence. (To be 
practicable upon the consolidation of the Rolls, Enlisted Men,'s, and 
Recruiting Divisions.) 

With the adoption of the foregoing recommendations the present 
force of 10 employees, with salaries aggregating $14,400 per annum, 
can be reduced to 7 clerks, with an aggregate annual salary expense 
of $10,000. Adding to this expense one-third of the salary of a chief 
of the consolidated division, $666.67 per annum, the total annual 
salary expense would be $10,666.67, thereby saving $3,733.33 per 
annum. 

The major reform to be accomplished in the conduct of the work 
now being done in this divison is in connection with the preparation 
of correspondence. The same failure to take advantage of the 
printed form is observed in this division as elsewhere in The Adju- 
tant General's Office. Two examples will suffice to show what can be 
done in this regard : 

1. Application for retirement of Sergt. Frank Laio^ Company E^ 
Seventeenth Infantry. 

This enlisted man, having served over 30 years in the Regular 
Army, being entitled under the law to be retired on three-fourths 
pay, makes application for that privilege. His letter of application 



212 KEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

is received, opened, and recorded in the Mail and Record Division, 
after which it is transmitted to the Enlisted Men's Division, by 
which division the correspondence and record cards are forwarded 
to the Rolls Division, where a search of the muster rolls and other 
papers concerning the man's enlistment is undertaken to cover the 
entire period of his service in the Army. Pencil memoranda are 
made of the data taken off the rolls by the searcher, who, at the 
completion of his search, drafts a report on the record card of dates 
of beginning and conclusion of each enlistment. The record card 
and correspondence are then returned to the Enlisted Men's Division, 
where a computation is made upon a separate sheet, in order to 
determine the total Army service, domestic and foreign, with which 
the man may be credited. If this computation shows that the length 
of service requirements have been fulfilled, the statement is then used 
as the basis for the draft of the letter to the man's commanding 
officer authorizing retirement (usually written on the record card 
in longhand), which draft is then copied on the typewriter as the 
outgoing letter. 

The body of the letters in these cases reads uniformly as follows r 

Referring to the application of First Sergt. Franli Law, Company E, Seven- 
teenth Infantry, for retirement, forwarded by your indorsement of the 1st 
instant, you are informed that as the records of tliis office show that the soldier 
has served 24 years 2 months and 21 days, with double time for 5 years' 
9 months and 10 days' foreign service, mailing a total credit of 30 years and 1 
day, his retirement has been authorized. 

The records also show that the soldier is serving in the seventh enlistment 
period. 

Duplicate blanli form of descriptive lists for retired enlisted men are in- 
closed herewith. 

Copies of special orders directing retirement will follow by mail. 

Under the heading " Remarlis " on page 5 of the descriptive lists the date? 
of enlistments and discharges of the soldier should be stated. 

By order of the Secretary of War: 

Adjutant General. 

We recommend the use of a form similar to that already described, 
which will be filled out by the clerk making the original search of 
the rolls and other documents affecting the enlisted men, who will 
make the extension as well. 

We are advised that under the present practice it takes from three 
to four hours to make a search of the records in retirement cases, 
not including the time spent now in the Enlisted Men's Division 
in the computation of length of service, and the time spent in draft- 
ing and engrossing the letter authorizing retirement. With the use 
of the form, the duplication just described will be eliminated, lia- 
bility to error in the statement will be reduced, and the original 
statement as first transcribed from the rolls will serve as the perma- 
nent record in the case. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 



213 



In place of the stereotyped communication sent to the enlisted 
man's commanding officer we recommend the use of a form, which, 
by the insertion of the enlisted man's name, company, and regiment, 
will simultaneously produce the original letter and the copy for 
the files. 

2. Case of John Doe's failure to notify department of Ms address. 

The Army regulations provide that retired enlisted men shall re- 
port their address monthly to the department. In cases of failure 
to do so the following letter is drafted, usually in longhand, in the 
Enlisted Men's Division, and then engrossed in form for dispatch. 



Transcript from records in re 



Enlistment. 


Years. 


Months. 


Days. 


Remarks. 


Number. 


From— 


To- 


1 


Jan. 2,19001 
Jan. 2,19031 
Jan. 3,19061 


Jan. . 1,1903 
Jan. 1, 1906 
Jan. 1,1909 


3 
3 
3 








2 








3 








4 








5 














6 














7 












8 












9 








i 




10 








1 ... 














































Foreign service. 


Years. 


Months. 


Days. 


Remarks. 


Place. 


From— 


To— 


Philippine Islands 


Mar. 1,19001 


SAT>t i."; lonn 




6 


15 










Alaska 


June 30,1908 July 10,1910 


2 




11 












i 












" j 












j 












i 


















































Less 30 days' furlough.. . 


2 


6 


26 
30 




Total Army service to 
credit 




























1 An inserted item to illustrate use of form. 



214 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

From : Tlie Adjutant General of the Army. 

To : First Sergt. John Burke, United States Army, retired, San Diego, Cal. 

Subject : Report of address A. G. 136. 

1. Under the provisions of paragraph 136 of the Army Regulations you are 
required to report your address to this office on the last day of every month. 

2. You will report your address at once and hereafter comply with the pro- 
visions of said paragraph. 

By order of the Secretary of War : 

Ajjjutant General. 

It is almost needless to say that a printed post card should be 
used in such cases. Writing the address on the face of the card 
is all the clerical work necessary in this case. 

The above examples strongly illustrate the need of an examina- 
tion being made of the outgoing correspondence of this division, 
with the view of devising forms in cases where stereotyped letters 
are being prepared with frequency. 

We recommend that instead of checking off on the card records the 
fact of receipt of notification from retired enlisted men of their 
address each month, checks be made only of failures to report, 
which will reduce the work of checking off cards by 95 per cent, since 
only 5 per cent fail to report monthly. 

The following force is engaged in drafting correspondence and 
typewriting the same on matters relating to the station or status of 
enlisted men. The number of communications so drafted amounts 
approximately to 80 a day, or a fraction over 13 for each employee. 

1 clerk, class 3 $1, 600 

2 clerks, class 2 2, 800 

3 clerks, class 1 .. 3, 600 

Total 8, 000 

By the adoption of forms and the discontinuance of the writing 
of drafts of correspondence on the record cards in accordance with 
preceding recommendations the actual work of typewriting the com- 
miuiications will be materially reduced. 

It is recommended that the six men now engaged on the above 
correspondence work be reduced to four, who shall prepare their 
own correspondence, and in addition thereto make their own searches 
of the records, which latter work is now being performed in the 
Rolls Division, at the expense of a great deal of time in communi- 
cating requests and information back and forth between the two 
divisions. 

The following work is now performed by two $1,200 clerks, mak- 
ing an aggregate salary expense of $2,400 per annum : 

(a) Receiving all mail directed to the division and distributing 
the same among the various correspondence clerks. This incoming 
mail averages 80 communications a day. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 215 

(b) Reference to the Rolls Division mainly and other divisions 
incidentally of about 20 per cent of the incoming mail. (This means 
an indorsement on a reference card of a brief request for a report 
or for comment, amounting in the aggregate to about 20 a day.) 

(c) Keeping a record of the amount of work performed by the 
various clerks of the division. 

(d) Keeping a card record of the furnishing by retired enlisted 
men of their post-office addresses each month, 

(e) Drafting longhand letters to enlisted men who fail to report 
their addresses each month. 

Our recommendations eliminate the following of the above opera- 
lions and processes in connection with the work of the two clerks 
above mentioned: 

Distribution of mail to the various correspondence clerks. This 
will be done by the distributing clerk of the consolidated division. 

The work of requesting the Rolls Division by means of the record 
cards to furnish information as to history and records of enlisted 
men. , 

Ninety-five per cent of the checking of the retired enlisted men's 
cards. 

We also recommend substitution of a postal card for the present 
formal letter addressed to enlisted men notifying them of their fail- 
ure to advise the department as to their post-office address, and re- 
cording of such correspondence. 

The above changes will reduce this work more than one-half. It 
can therefore easily be performed by one man. 

SAVINGS. 

There are now 10 employees in this division, with salaries aggre- 
gating $14,400 per annum. With the adoption of our recommenda- 
tions, this force can be red'uced to — 

1 clerk, class 4 $1,800 

5 clerks of class 2, with salaries aggregating 7, 000 

1 clerk of class 1 1,200 



7 employees at an aggregate annual salary expense of 10,000 

To this salary expense must be added one-third of the salary of a 
chief of the consolidated division, $666.67 per annum, making a total 
annual salary expense of $10,666.67, leaving a net reduction in salary 
cost of $3,733.33 per annum. 

The adoption of our general recommendations in connection with 
the handling of correspondence, such as the use of the phonograph, 
discontinuance of the record card, abolition of the practice of pre- 
paring a first draft of all outgoing correspondence, and the employ- 



216 KEPORTS OF COMMISSION^ OF ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

ment of printed forms wherever practicable, will materially reduce 
the clerical work of this division and permit of a corresponding 
reduction in the working force, as follows : 

1 clerk, class 3 $1,600 

2 clerks, class 2 2, 800 

5 clerks, class 1 6,000 

8 employees with salaries aggregating 10,400 per annum. 

Preparation of general orders^ special orders^ 'bulletins^ and changes 
in regulations and service manuals. 

This work is now performed by one clerk, whose salary is $1,600 
per annum. He is assisted in proof reading the material to be printed 
by one of the correspondence clerks of the division. In a discussion 
of the work now performed by the proof reader in the present pub- 
lication branch, recommendation has been made that he perform all 
the proof reading for The Adjutant General's Office, the clerk pre- 
-paring the copy assisting as copyholder. With the adoption of this 
recommendation the work can still be performed by one clerk. 

Recruiting Division. 

In another section of this report the consolidation of this division 
with the present Rolls and Enlisted Men's Divisions is recommended 
and discussed in detail. 

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS. 

1. That trimonthly reports be discontinued and that monthly re- 
ports be required in their stead. 

2. In assigning men to organizations : , 

(a) That the use of forms in correspondence be authorized. 

(b) That an adjustable, visible index be provided for showing the 
strength of the Army, authorized and actual, and the number of 
vacancies. 

3. That correspondence clerks personally consult the records in 
handling correspondence. (To be practicable on the consolidation 
of the Rolls, Enlisted Men's, and Recruiting Divisions.) 

With the adoption of the foregoing recommendations, the present 
force of 11 employees, with salaries aggregating $15,800 per annum, 
can be reduced to 6 clerks, with an aggregate annual salary expense 
of $9,000. Adding to this expense one-third of the salary of a chief 
of the consolidated division, $666.67, the total annual salary expense 
would be $9,666.67, thereby saving $6,133.33 per annum. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GEFEEAL, 217 
TKIMONTHLY REPORTS. 

The so-called trimonthly report, which is issued three times a 
month, may be made monthly with no inconvenience to the service, 
its present purpose being solely a statistical one, intermediate sta- 
tistics being prepared on a monthly basis, which finally are incorpo- 
rated in the annual report. Two men are engaged on this work, and 
if the trimonthly reports were changed to a monthly one, so arranged 
that it could be placed in a loose-leaf file, the report itself would 
show the complete record, to enable the Eecruiting Division at any 
time during the year to ascertain the status of recruiting, make ap- 
propriate assignments to the various arms of the service, and do all 
things which are now done by consultation of the monthly summa- 
ries of enlistments. 

A pamphlet is issued every month showing the recruiting for the 
Army during the month. This pamphlet could be made with greater 
facility if monthly reports were sent in from the field instead of the 
present trimonthly reports, with this added ad^'antage : The data pre- 
pared for printing the pamphlet would be taken directlj^ from the 
original report and thus tend to insure the correctness of the monthly 
statements as to recruiting. 

In the event of monthly reports the enlistment papers could then 
be transmitted directly to the Rolls Division, Avhere thej'- are event- 
ually filed and where most all of the data thereon is transferred into 
records kept in that division. The only data taken off the enlistment 
papers by the Recruiting Division is as to the number of native and 
foreign born recruits and the number of the reenlistments ; that is to 
say, enlistments made within a period of three months after a pre- 
ceding enlistment. This information could more properly and easily 
be taken off in the Rolls Division at the same time that the other 
data from the enlistment contracts are obtained; and whenever the 
Recruiting Division needed such information, requests on the Rolls 
Division for it would cause it to be furnished. 

The changing of the trimonthly report to a report made monthly 
will reduce the amount of work in the field occasioned by the prepa- 
ration of these reports at recruiting stations, and to that extent con- 
tribute to the general reduction of paper work and simplification of 
administrative methods now going on in the field in the interests of 
good military administration. 

The following men are engaged upon this service : 

1 clerk, class 4 $1, 800 

1 clerk, class 1 1,200 

Total 3, 000 

With the abolition of the trimonthly report this work would be 
performed by one man, at an annual salary expense of $1,400. 



218 REPOETS OF COMMISSION OX ECONOMY AWD EFPICIEISrCY. 
ASSIGNING MEN TO ORGANIZATIONS. 

In assigning men to regiments there was noted the same failure to 
take advantage of the form method of conducting correspondence as 
exists in other divisions. In the case of each assigiiment or transfer 
of recruits there are prepared letters in which the following para- 
graphs appear to be repeated over and over again : 

I have the honor to communicate to yon the following instructions of tho 
Secretary of War : 

(Specific instructions appear here.) 

The Quartermaster's. Department will provide the necessary funds for trans- 
portation, the Subsistence Department suitable subsistence, and the Medical De- 
partment such medical attendance and supplies as may be necessary. 

Detailed instruction will be given for the police and discipline of the detach- 
ment while en route. The date of its departure and under whose charge sent 
will be telegraphed this office and to the commanding general of the division. 

By the use of a form the above communication will be readily writ- 
ten with a considerable saving in typewriting work. 

It seems also that a large part of the duty of the clerk and stenog- 
rapher engaged in tabulating enlisted vacancies in organizations as 
shown by the monthly returns, and assigning recruits to specific 
organizations, can be saved if both the data regarding vacancies and 
that showing available recruits were maintained in such shape as to 
be readily consulted. Under the present arrangement, much time 
must be spent in ascertaining existing conditions in respect of either 
vacancies or men available, since the figures in regard to both of 
these items are scattered over a large number of sheets of paper. By 
the use of an adjustable visible index, both available men and exist- 
ing vacancies in the entire Army could be before the eye simul- 
taneously, which would greatly facilitate the work. 

The following persons are engaged on assignment work : 

1 clerk, class 3 $1, 600 

1 clerk, class 1 1,200 

Total 2, 800 

With the use of a visible index this work could be performed by 
one man with occasional assistance of one of the stenographers. 

An examination of the work of the Recruiting Division convinces 
us that it should be consolidated with the Rolls Division. A great 
many of the reports are also handled by the Rolls Division, and the 
clerks of the Recruiting Division in preparing correspondence have 
considerable occasion to consult the records of the Rolls Division in 
regard to the previous history or status of men seeking reenlistment 
in the Army. This information is usually obtained by making a 



BUSINESS METHODS OP OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GEISTERAL. 219 

request on the record card and transmitting the papers to the Rolls 
Division, which division has one of its clerks make the proper search 
in regard to the applicant for enlistment, draft on the record card 
the pertinent information called for, and transmit the record card 
and correspondence back to the Recruiting Division. If the Re- 
cruiting Division were consolidated with the Rolls Division the 
clerk before whom the case is originally brought would himself pro- 
ceed to the papers concerning the enlisted man, take off his informa- 
tion, and draft it immediately into the reply, which would eliminate 
the writing of considerable matter on the record cards as well as cut 
out a good deal of the delay occasioned by the transmission of the 
papers from one division to the other. 

A striking illustration presents itself in this division of the extent 
to which the use of record cards retards the business of the office. A 
very large portion of the correspondence of the Recruiting Division, 
both incoming and outgoing, is in the form of telegraphic communica- 
tion. Each telegram is briefed on the back, a record is made of it, 
which of course delays its receipt in the Recruiting Division. The 
reply is then drafted on a record card, or, in cases which present 
unusual complications, a memorandum setting forth the facts and in 
some cases suggesting the nature of reply appropriate to the par- 
ticular case. The draft or memorandum is submitted to the adjutant 
general in charge of recruiting matters, and his approval or direc- 
tion is written on the record card. 

A very considerable reduction in this work can be secured by the 
employment of the direct method in place of the card-record system 
now existing. Asl an illustration of, the difference between the 
present method and that proposed, an outline of the course of the 
ordinary case is here shown : 

PASSING UPON APPLICATIONS FOR EEENLISTMENT. ■ 

The following letter, which itself explains the nature of the case, 
is received at the office of The Adjutant General : 

U. S. Aemy Recruiting Station, 
CoBNEK Third and Olive Streets, 

St. Louis, Mo., August 1, 1912. 
The Adjutant General U. S. Army, Washington, D. G. 

Sir : I have the honor to inform you that John A. May, last discharged as a 
sergeant from Forty-second Company, Coast Artillery Corps, Fort McDovyell, 
Cal., July 15, 1912, per expiration of term of service, with character " Excel- 
lent," and who has been examined and found physically qualified, has applied 
for reenlistment and assignment to Coast Artillery Corps, Jackson Barracks, La., 
Fort Howard, Md., or Fort Crockett, Tex. 
I request instructions by telegraph. 

Very respectfully, F. R. Lang, 

Major, U. S. Army, Recruiting Officer. 



220 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSIOlSr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The following record card is made in the Mail and Kecord Divi- 
sion: 

1941442. Adjutant General's Office, War Department, 

August 3, 1912. 

Subject : John A. May, late sergeant Forty-second Company, Coast Artillery 
Corps. 

From: Recruiting officer, St. Louis, Mo. (Maj. F. R. Lang), corner Third and 
Olive Streets. 

Date of communication : August 1, 1912. 

Purport of communication : Requests telegraphic instructions as to reenlistment 
of the above named, for Coast Artillery Corps, Jackson Barracks, La., Fort 
Howard, Md., or Fort Crockett, Tex. Discharged at Fort McDowell, Cal., 
July 15, 1912. Character excellent. Physically qualified. 

Date of reply or final disposition : August 3, 1912. 

The following brief was written on the first outside fold of the 
form : 

[Adjutant General's Office, War Department. 1941442. August 3, 1912.] 

St. Louis, Mo., August 1, 1912. 
R. O. : Telegraphic instructions as to reenlistment of John A. May, late ser- 
geant Forty-second Company, Coast Artillery Corps. 

The correspondence was then sent to the Eecruiting Division for 
treatment. The distributing clerk examined the case and wrote 
on the record card the following: 

Rolls Report, 9 :35. 

Shelton, 

S. H. H. 

The record card and correspondence, unless requiring action by 
telegraph, are then thrown in the box for transmission by the mes- 
senger service to the Rolls Division; if the case requires action by 
telegraph, the papers are sent special by hand. The distributing 
clerk in that division assigns the case to a searcher. The clerk mak- 
ing the search of muster rolls or other papers usually jots down a 
pencil memorandum of the data essential apparently for the purposes 
of the Recruiting Division. It is in most cases necessary for the 
examiner in the Rolls Division to read the correspondence in order 
to determine in his own mind the nature of the information desired 
by the Recruiting Division. In this .case, after making the pencil 
memorandum, the clerk prepared the following report, which was 
written on the record card : 

Rectg. Division : John A. May, sergeant, Forty-seconfl Company, Coas!: Artillery 
Corps, enlisted July 30, 1909, at Jeff. Barracks, jNIo. 1st enc. single. Present 
April 30, 1912 (latest roll). Arrived in United States July 10, 1912, on trans- 
port Sherman. 

10 Stafford. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 221 

Card and correspondence then go to the reviewing clerk of the 
division for examination. He transmits them by messenger service to 
the Eecruiting Division unless action is required by telegraph, in 
which case the papers are sent special by hand. His action in this 
case, following the usual practice, was to write the following draft 
of a telegram on the record card: (This is written sometimes in long 
hand by the clerk in charge ; sometimes in typeAvriting by the stenog- 
rapher.) 

Not approved. No vacancies either post mentioned. 

August 3, 1912. J. S. K., 

A. G. 

The record card and correspondence were sent by special messenger 
to Col. Kerr for his approval, which was indicated by writing his 
initials on the card below the draft of the telegram. 

Record card and correspondence were then returned by messenger 
to the Eecruiting Division. 

Mr. Brandt handed the case to a clerk (Mr. Helmers), who drafted 
the telegram on a record card, as follows : 

Referring to No. 1941442 write the telegram recorded below : 

11.45. GHH, Correspondence Clerk. 

, Examiner. 

Done Aug. 3, 1912, by GHH, 11.48. 

[Telegram.] 
Eecrxjiting Officer, 

Third and Olive, St. Louis, Mo.: 
Application May not approved by Secretary War. No vacancies either post 
mentioned. 

Kebe, 
Adjutant General. 

After drafting the above telegram Clerk Helmers filled out the file 
number and time at the top of the card and then wrote the telegram 
itself on a regular blank. 

After writing the telegram he inserted the time — 11.48. 

The telegram was transmitted to the War Department telegraph 
office, where, after transmission of the telegram, the telegrapher 
placed the following stamp on the record card, filling out the time : 

Original of following telegram filed in War Department Telegraph Office 
Aug. 3, 1912, 12.10 p. m. 

J. H. P. 
Reviewed by E. L. 

The telegrapher then returned the record card by messenger service 
to the Recruiting Division, where the same was delivered in the box 
of Mr. Brandt. Mr. Brandt handed the papers to Mr. Helmers, wha 
indorsed on the first outside fold of the form the following: 

Tel. to R. O., St. Louis, Mo. Aug. 3/12. File. B. H. B. 



222 EEPOETS OF COMMISSIOlSr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Under the proposed method the form or telegram, submitting the 
question to the department will be given directly to the clerk in 
charge of the case, and his decision will be put in the form of a tele- 
gram, which will be transmitted to The Adjutant General for 
signature. 

If the Eecruiting Division were a section of the Rolls Division, the 
clerk who has this work in charge could be located near the files so 
that a consultation of the roll would be facilitated. The telegram 
would go immediately to the clerk handling the case; he would 
examine the records and draft his reply, and the submission of the 
reply to The Adjutant General would serve the purpose of a memo- 
randum made on the record card and the signature of The Adjutant 
General would have constituted his approval of the suggested actii. ~ 
of his division. 

A clerk of class 4, assisted by two stenographers, is engaged almost 
the whole of his time in handling requests and inquiries of this nature, 
which are received to the .average extent of 35 daily. By the elimina- 
tion of the record cards the time of at least one stenographer would be 
saved and the work of the clerk would be considerably reduced. 

SAVINGS. 

There are now 11 employees in this division with salaries aggre- 
gating $15,800 per annum. With the adoption of our recommenda- 
tions this force can be reduced to — 

Per annum. 

1 clerk, class 4, in charge $1, 800 

2 clerks, class 3 3,200 

2 clerks, class 2, with salaries aggregating 2, 800 

1 clerk, class 1 1, 200 

6 employees at an aggregate annual salary expense of 9, 000 

To this salary expense must be added one-third of the salary of 
,1 chief of the consolidated division, $666.67 per annum, making a 
total annual salary expense of $9,666.67, leaving a net reduction in 
salary cost of $6,133.33 per annum. 

EoLLs Division. 

In another section of this report the consolidation of this division 
with the present Enlisted Men's and Recruiting Divisions is recom- 
mended and discussed in detail. 

SUMMARY or RECOMMENDATIONS. 

1. That forms and other abbreviated methods of correspondence 
be used in — 

(a) Correction of muster rolls. 

(b) Correction of enlistment papers, etc. 

(c) Preparation of miscellaneous correspondence. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 223 

2. That the register of enlistments be discontinued and the original 
papers used instead. 

3. That contracts of enlistment, descriptive, and assignment cards 
be on cards 5 by 8 inches, filed openly instead of in jackets. 

4. That reports be filed flat and that enlistment papers with analo- 
gous dociunents be filed in one file instead of in chronological periods. 

With the adoption of the foregoing recommendations the present 
force of 52 employees with salaries aggregating $65,600 per annum can 
be reduced to 26 clerks with an aggregate annual salary expense of 
$32,800. Adding to this expense one-third of the salary of a chief 
of the consolidated division, $666.66 per annum, the total annual 
salary expense would be $33,466.66, thereby saving $32,133.34 per 
annum. The major part of this saving will be effected by the elimi- 
nation of clerical work in connection with the preparation of 
correspondence. 

The above estimate of saving to be secured through the adoption 
of our recommendations takes no account of the reduction in clerical 
work hj the Correspondence and Examining Division in engrossing 
communications which have already been drafted in the Rolls Divi- 
sion. This work of engrossing correspondence as well as the work 
attached to the indexing and filing of the record cards under the 
present system will be eliminated by the adoption of our recom- 
mendations. 

The clerks of the Rolls Division are engaged principally in ex- 
amining current Army reports and returns, keeping registers of 
enlisted men, and drafting correspondence looking to the correction 
of errors and omissions in Army reports and returns, as well as 
answering inquiries from governmental sources and the public on 
subjects relating to enlisted men now serving or who have served in 
the Army. The greater part of the clerical work consists of the 
preparation of correspondence; and it is in connection with this 
function that the failure existing generally throughout The Adjutant 
General's Office to make use of forms and other abbreviated means 
of answering inquiries of the public or the Army is brought to light 
in a most pronounced way. Such purely perfunctory matters as 
furnishing an inquirer with the address of an enlisted man in the 
Army are made the subject of a formal communication, anywhere 
from 50 to 100 words in length, when such information, so frequently 
furnished, could in a fraction of the time be handled by returning 
the letter to the inquirer with a form or slip attached containing the 
present address of the individual inquired about. 

Most of the outgoing correspondence prepared in this division con- 
sists of information taken from the records of the division ; that is to 
say, information in regard to the whereabouts, status, or military 



224 EBPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EPFIGIENOY. 

service of enlisted men. With few exceptions, a card record is re- 
tained of this information. This record only rarely serves a useful 
purpose, and that is when a similar inquiry in regard to the same 
individual is made in the future. Information of this sort should be 
unrecorded and the letter of inquiry should be returned to the person 
asking for the information, in order to relieve the files and records. 

It may be stated, however, that in accordance with a general recom- 
mendation contained in the preliminary report of March 20, 1912, an 
order, it is understood, has been issued by the chief clerk of The 
Adjutant General's Office to discontinue the recording of letters on 
certain subjects of a perfunctory nature. This unrecorded corre- 
spondence in the EoUs Division now amounts to about 25 communica- 
tions a day, but it falls very far short of the extent to which it is 
possible to carry the elimination of the recording of correspondence. 
In fact, in our opinion, there is very little correspondence emanating 
from this division of which any record should be kept. 

A recommendation has been made by the office of the Chief of 
Staff that the muster roll be discontinued. Until its discontinuance 
can be effected, however, we believe that no time should be lost in 
changing the methods of correcting the rolls and drafting corre- 
spondence relating to the correction of errors and omissions in the 
rolls. A great deal of time is unnecessarily spent in drafting lengthy 
correspondence which should be replaced by forms in accordance with 
recommendations treated more in detail later on in this report. 

The general recommendation made in the preliminary report that 
the filing of papers in folded condition should be discontinued and 
that papers should be filed flat, or, in the case of large documents, 
be folded to a size approximating 8 by 11 inches, applies with full 
force to the papers of this division. The necessity to frequently 
handle folded papers in the files considerably retards their examina- 
tion as well as the filing of them. 

la. C orrespondence inrelation to muster rolls. — In connection with 
the examination of muster rolls it becomes necessary to conduct cor- 
respondence looking to the correction of errors and omissions made 
in the field by those writing up the rolls. These errors and omissions 
in the main fall into 12 classes, as follows : 

1. Error in name. 

2. Error in date of enlistment. 

.3. Name omitted from tlie column " Names — Present/' but cause of absence 
at muster not shown in tbe remarks. 

4. Name entered in column " Names — Present," whereas a statement in column 
for remarks shows absence at muster. 

5. Date of change of grade omitted. 

6. Date of joining (by assignment or transfer) omitted. 

7. Date, place, or cause of discharge not stated. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 225 

8. Wlietlier service was honest and faithful not stated. 

9. Character given on discharge certificate not stated. 

10. Date and place of return of deserter to military control not stated. 

11. Money value of clothing drawn by deserter between dates of apprehension 
and separation from service not stated. 

12. Balance due United States or due soldier for clothing at discharge or 
desertion not stated. 

Instead of the present practice of writing a letter at length in cases 
where the above classes of errors and omissions appear in connection 
with the muster roll, we recommend that a form be devised setting 
forth the nature of these errors and omissions as separate items, so 
that by means of a check mark or the insertion of a word or two the 
error or omission can be called to attention and a direction issued to 
take the necessary corrective action. A suggested design for the form 
appears hereafter. We believe that by the use of the form the time 
taken to prepare correspondence in connection with the correction of 
muster rolls will be gTeatly reduced. 

A detailed description of the present practice, as compared with 
that' proposed, appears to be pertinent to point out the necessity for 
changing the existing method and to show definitely the great saving 
to be accomplished by the elimination of unnecessary work in connec- 
tion with the examination and correction of muster rolls on which 
16 men are now employed. 

The examination of muster rolls is about as follows : 

The examiner takes the current roll and compares it with the roll 
of the preceding month. The first step is an examination of the 
recapitulation of the rolls to see that the entry of the aggregate of 
the last bimonthly muster agrees with the total shown on the pre- 
ceding muster roll. The next step is to note from the recapitulation 
the total number of alterations since the preceding muster. The 
examiner then proceeds to check the names on the roll that are found 
to conform in spelling and date of enlistment to the names on the roll 
submitted for the next preceding bimonthly period. When agree- 
ment is found with the entry of the same person's name on the pre- 
ceding roll that name is checked with pencil. After all the names 
have been checked the examiner then proceeds to make a notation of 
the losses and gains. A slip is made for every alteration. The ex- 
aminer first goes through the rolls making out slips showing all the 
gains. In cases of transfer from one regiment to another the regi- 
ment from which the transfer is made is shown on the slip. After 
the slips showing the gains have been made the examiner counts the 
slips and compares the total with the total shown by the recapitula- 
tion as having joined the organization. The examiner then goes 
through the rolls and makes out slips for the discharges. In some 
72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 15 



226 REPORTS OF COMMISSIOISr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

cases the discharged man reenlists in the same company, in which case 
the examiner makes a separate slip. In these cases it would be possi- 
ble to enter the information on the first card made out. To show 
that a slip has been made the examiner red checks the names on the 
page in which the losses from the regiment have been shown. He then 
compares the total number of loss slips with the total number of losses 
to the regiment shown in the recapitulation. The next step of the 
examiner is to make a complete check of the recapitulation. After 
this checking has been done the examiner is then ready for the 
preparation of correspondence to correct errors and omissions in the 
roll. The best way of illustrating this method is to take an actual 
case. One of the most frequent errors in muster rolls is the failure to 
state in the roll the balance due the United States or due the soldier 
for clothing at discharge or desertion. Bearing in mind that this case 
arises with great frequency in a group of a dozen above enumerated, 
comprising 75 per cent of the total errors and omissions in muster 
rolls, it is believed pertinent to show a comparison of the great and 
unnecessary amount of work done under the present practice and the 
slight clerical work involved in the method proposed. 

Assume that the roll submitted by Company A, First Battalion of 
Engineers, Washington Barracks, Washington, D. C, reports Thomas 
Jones, a second-class private, as a deserter, but does not show the 
balance due the United States or due the soldier' at his desertion, as 
required by instruction 8, on the muster roll. The clerk examining 
the roll, finding this error, proceeds as follows: He writes in long- 
hand on the record card the following matter : 

The Commanding Officer Company A, 

First Battalion of Engineers, 

WasMngton Barracks, Washington, D. C. 
Sir : The muster roll of your company for May and June, 1912, on file in 
ihis office, is defective as follows: 

Thomas Jones, second-class private, is reported as deserted, etc., but the 
Mlance due the United States or due the soldier for clothing at desertion is 
aot stated, as required by instruction 8 on the roll. 

The Secretary of War directs that, with the return of this letter, the 
information necessary to complete the roll be furnished this office, and that 
ihe retained records be amended accordingly. 

Very respectfully, , 

Adjutant General. 

The work in the above, as will be observed, involves writing 106 
words in longhand, a most laborious and thoroughly out-of-date 
practice. 

The next step is to send the draft by five-minute messenger service 
io the Correspondence and Examining Division, where a typewriter 



BUSINESS METHODS OP OFFICE OP THE ADJUTANT GENEKAL. 22? 

engrosses the same. The following work, therefore, is done in the 
Correspondence and Examining Division: 

War Department, 
The Adjutant General's Office, 

Washington, July 27, 1912. 
The Commanding Officer Company A, 

First Battalion of Engineers, 

Washington Barracks, WasMngton, D. C. 

Sir : The muster roll of your company for May and June, 1912, on file In 
this office, is defective as follows : 

Thomas Jones, second-class private, is reported as deserted, etc., but the 
balance due the United States or due the soldier for clothing at desertion is 
not stated, as required by instruction 8 on the roll. 

The Secretary of War directs that, with the return of this letter, the 
information necessary to complete the roll be furnished this office, and that 
the retained records be amended accordingly. 

Very respectfully, , 

Adjutant General. 

The above work, as will be seen, involves the typewriting of 106 
words. From the Correspondence and Examining Division the letter 
goes to The Adjutant General or one of his assistants for signature. 
The next step is to press-copy the letter; then an envelope is ad- 
dressed by hand, the letter inclosed therein, and dispatched. 

There are many other details in connection with the preparation 
of a letter, such as comparison of the typewritten letter with the 
hand-written draft; preparation of a card to hold the case in the 
suspense file; numbering of the communication and the attendant 
papers ; and filing of the copies of the correspondence in the Division 
of Mail and Kecord. 

Under the proposed method the clerk examining the roll would 
merely write the words "Thomas Jones" in the body of the form 
below described. The date of the muster roll will have previously 
been stamped in a number of the forms, and the address will bo 
written at the top. The form will then be placed in an outlook en- 
velope which eliminates the necessity for addressing and insure':! 
correctness of address. The difference, therefore, in actual writing 
of words in the communication proper in longhand and typewriting 
is between 212 and 2. 

The following is the proposed form : 

War Department, 
The Adjutant General's Office, 

Washington, November — , 1912. 
From : The Adjutant General. 

To : The Commanding Officer, Company — , . 

Subject : Discrepancies in muster roll. 

The muster roll of your company for , 1912, is defective in the particu- 
lars indicated by the numbers accompanying each name of enlisted men 
inserted below. 



228 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The Secretary of War directs tliat tliis form be returned to this office if 
additional information is necessary to complete the roll, with such information 
Inserted on the blank line or lines below each name, and that the retained 
records be amended accordinglJ^ 



KEY TO NUMBERS. 

1. Error in (a) name, (b) date of enlistment. It appears on the roll as (1) and 

on the enlistment contract as (2). Note instructions on the roll. 

2. Name omitted from the column " Names — present," but cause of absence at 

muster not shown in the remarks. 

3. Name entered in column " Names — present," whereas a statement in column 

for remarks shows absence in muster. 

4. Date of change of grade omitted. 

5. Date of joining omitted. 

6. (a) Date, (b) place, (c) cause, of discharge not stated. 

7. Whether service was honest and faithful not stated. 

8. Character given on discharge not stated. 

9. (a) Date, (b) place, of return of deserter to military control not stated. 

10. Money value of clothing drawn by deserters between dates of apprehension 

and separation from service not stated. 

11. Balance due (a) United States, (b) soldier, for clothing at discharge or 

desertion not stated. 

12. 

13. 

14. 

15. 

Note. — In all discrepancies indicated by (1) it is only necessary that the 
retained records be amended. 



The use of the above form if not obvious from a reading thereof 
may be briefly stated as follows: 

The date of the form letter and period of the muster roll will, of 
course, be rubber-stamped on the form, while the name of the com- 
pany and address will have to be written in. It will be observed, 
that in every case of an error or omission which occurs in relation 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 229 

to a particular individual, the mere writing of his name will be suffi- 
cient to call attention to the defect in the roll respecting that indi- 
vidual. 

The same form will be used by the field force in correcting the 
errors or supplying the War Department with the omissions to en- 
able it to correct its own records. In most cases it will be seen that 
a date or a word or two entered in the appropriate place on the form 
will suffice to take the place of the lengthy communication now pre- 
pared in the field to do this same service. The return of the form 
will be evidence that the matter has been attended to in the field- 
It is proposed to write this form in one copy only, stamping on the 
muster roll which is immediately filed the fact that it is " pending 
correction." No periodic examination of the roll will be necessary in 
order to see whether the correction has been made, since with the com- 
ing of the new roll the preceding roll must be withdrawn from the 
files for purposes of comparison. Whether proper action has been 
taken in the field in respect to the particular roll will then be shown 
automatically, so to speak. 

The result will be that instead of writing first a hand draft and 
then a typewritten letter, press copying the same, maintaining a 
suspense file, and performing many other pieces of work, all of 
which taken together consume a great amount of clerical time and 
labor, engaging the attention of three large divisions of the office, a 
form can be employed, the writing of one name on which will accom- 
plish the administrative purpose as expeditiously and surely as the 
present method, and with the expenditure of very much less time 
and labor. 

The following force is engaged in examining muster rolls and 
drafting correspondence relative thereto: 

3 clerks, class 2 $4,200 

8 clerks, class 1 9,600 

5 clerks at $1,000 5,000 

Total 18, 800 

The elaborate method just described is mainly responsible for the 
large force of 16 men being engaged on this work. The elimination 
of work which will be accomplished by the use of the form will easily 
save the services of 8 men. In addition to the saving in this division, 
the Correspondence and Examining Division will be relieved of the 
work of typewriting and comparing the outgoing correspondence 
which is put upon the new form. This now amounts to 8,000 type- 
written communications a year, most of the work in connection with 
which it is believed will be eliminated by the use of the form. This 
may seem a reduction which is not warranted by the situation, but 
when consideration is had of the fact that the average communica- 



230 EEPOETS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

tion in connection with the correction of an error in a muster roll 
amounts to not less than 100 words, whereas under the system pro- 
posed it would involve the writing of 2 to 10 Avords only, the con- 
servatism of the estimated reduction becomes apparent. Another 
factor entering into this saving is that the work of the examination 
of muster rolls will be concentrated among fewer men and save the 
interchange of slip memoranda between them, as is now the practice. 
For example, when a man examining a muster roll discovers a gain 
to the service he fills out a slip showing that fact. This slip goes to 
the man entering the register of enlistments. If the register clerk 
finds a difference in the name as shown on the slip when compared 
with that entered in the register of enlistments, he notes that fact on 
the slip, the slip is then returned to the clerk originally making the 
same, and this necessitates a reexamination of the muster rolls to see 
whether the clerk has made an error in the transcribing; if he has 
correctly taken the name from the roll, it then becomes necessary 
for the examiner to go to the files containing the original enlistment 
papers in order to ascertain the way the applicant signed his enlist- 
ment contract. After examination of the original enlistment con- 
tract the examiner will write the correctly spelled name on the slip 
and transmit it back to the clerk writing on the register of enlist- 
ments. Nearly all the roundabout detail just described will be saved 
by the direct method of having the clerk who examines the muster 
rolls compare gains with the enlistment papers. When he discovers 
that an error has been made in entering the name on the muster roll, 
he can immediately fill out the form letter, which will be done in but 
a fraction of the time consumed by the slip method. 

Eight men can perform all the work in connection with the exami- 
nation of muster rolls and prepare the correspondence looking to the 
correction of errors and omissions therein, which reduction will 
effect a saving of approximately $9,600 per annum. 

The discontinuance of tho muster roll would save the services of 
every one of the above men. Until the abolition of the muster roll 
can be secured, however, great savings in the clerical work of han- 
dling them can be immediately effected. It is no exaggeration to 
say that two-fifths of the time of the above men is consumed in 
drafting, by handwriting, correspondence in relation to errors and 
omissions in muster rolls. 

lb. Exmnination of enlistment pa^ers^ etc. — We recommend that 
forms be printed for the use of clerks examining enlistment con- 
tracts, descriptive and assignment cards, and analogous papers. 

The same lengthy, detailed, and obsolete method of preparing cor- 
respondence in connection with errors found in enlistment papers, 
descriptive and assignment cards, and other similar reports is fol- 



BUSINESS METHODS OP OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 231 

lowed as in the case of the muster rolls except that the classes of 
errors in these papers are fewer than in the case of muster rolls and 
they can be more easily handled. 

As has been set forth at length in the descriptive portion of this 
report, at least 90 per cent of the errors found in enlistment contracts 
fall into about 12 classes. The following is a suggestion for a form: 

War Department, 
Office of The Adjutant General, 

Washington, — , 19 — ■. 

Sir: Examination. of the attached enlistment paper shows that it is defective 
in the particulars checked : 

1. Street and house number omitted. 

2. Declaration not signed. 

3. Corrections made by officer on the within contract not certified. 

4. Difference in name as shown by signature and as entered by auditor. 

5. Record of aeeptance not filled in. 

6. Consent of minors not filled in. 

7. Consent of minors not signed. 

8. Conflict of dates. 

9. Conjugal condition not stated. 

Please correct the enlistment paper in respect to the particulars checked 
above and return the same to this office. 

Respectfully, . . 

Adjutant General. 

By the use of the above form a check mark opposite the pertinent 
item will be all that will be neccesary to call attention to the fact that 
the enlistment paper is defective in that regard. 

The following force is engaged in examining enlistment papers, 
descriptive and assignment cards, beneficiary designations, and also 
drafting correspondence relative thereto: 

1 clerk, class 2 $1,400 

2 clerks, class 1 2,400 

Total 3, 800 

The principal work of these men is drafting letters looking to the 
correction of errors and omissions found in enlistment papers and 
assignment and descriptive cards. 

It is obvious that the entire work of examining enlistment papers, 
descriptive and assignment cards, and filling out forms designed to 
correct errors and omissions shown by such examination, can be per- 
formed by two men who also can file the original papers submittedc 
The saving, therefore, will be not less than $1,200 per annum. 

Ic. Miscellaneous correspondence. — A careful observation of the 
work of 22 clerks who were engaged in searching and reporting from 
records and drafting miscellaneous correspondence, as well as review- 
ing certain reports from records was made. The same criticism as to 
failure to take advantage of the use of forms in the preparation of 



232 EEPOETS OP commissioint on economy and efficiency. 

correspondence as was made in relation to other sections of the office 
applies with equal force here. Correspondence of the most perfunc- 
tory nature, such as informing an inquirer as to the whereabouts or 
address of an individual, informing the inquirer that additional in- 
formation should be furnished the division in order to enable it to 
make a complete search in regard to a particular individual; well 
crystallized statements of the military service of enlisted men, state- 
ments as to the actual date of joining the Army or the actual date of 
separation from the service — all these are made the subject of care- 
fully prepared letters, which have to be reviewed from the standpoint 
of accuracy of statement and correctness of presentation. These let- 
ters will run from 50 to 200 words in length, whereas by the use of 
appropriate forms the actual writing by the clerks preparing the cor- 
respondence would be reduced at least 90 per cent. 

As quite a number of forms should be used in this work, we will 
not suggest drafts of the same, but we recommend that a careful ex- 
amination of outgoing correspondence prepared in this division be 
made and forms devised to reduce the amount of labor. The recom- 
mendations made in another part of this report regarding the han- 
dling and filing of correspondence provide that letters of this class be 
prepared for signature by the clerks making the searches. We do 
not hesitate to state that at least 10 men can be withdrawn from this 
work when such forms have been devised and the recording and in- 
dexing of statements concerning the whereabouts or military service 
of enlisted men are eliminated, which will accomplish a saving of 
approximately $12,600 per annum. The following force is engaged 
upon this work: 

1 clerk, class 4 $1,800 

2 clerks, class 3 3, 200 

4 clerks, class 2 5,600 

14 clerks, class 1 16, 800 

1 clerk at $1,000 ^ 1,000 

Total 28,400 

2. THE REGISTER OF ENLISTMENTS. 

We recommend the discontinuance of the register of enlistments. 
All the information contained on this register, with the exception of 
information in regard to the final separation of an enlisted man from 
the service, is contained in the original papers. The original papers 
are accessible, in fact very much more so, than the data in respect to 
the man contained in the register. They are filed in straight alpha- 
betical order, while in the book registers the names are entered chro- 
nologically under the initial of the surname only. About 200 con- 
tracts are entered dailv in the register, and in addition about 300 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 233 

entries dailj" are made to note losses and gains to the enlisted men's 
service. 

The purpose of the enlistment register has been described as fol- 
lows by the head of the Rolls Division : 

The enlistment register enables the office by inspection of the relevant page 
column to ascertain- promptly the cases in which the examination of service 
and enlisted men are not shown by the records, and consequently to take steps 
to obtain information with regard to such examinations of service. Cases in 
which the records do not show termination of service of enlisted men are not 
infrequent. A systematic examination of the enlistment registers are made 
periodically with a view to disclosing cases in which, although the period for 
which enlistment has expired, no termination of service is shown by the record. 
When any such cases are found the responsible officer is called on to report the 
fact in the case, and in this way a final record is obtained within a reasonable 
length of time after their separation from the service and before the facts of 
the case have been lost or forgotten. 

The enlistment registers enable the office to identify soldiers or former soldiers 
in many cases in which the actual or approximate date of enlistment is known 
but in which the organization is not known and the name as given by the in- 
quirer varies from the service name. This occurs quite frequently, especially 
in cases of telegraphic inquiries from police authorities or other civil officials 
as to whether a man who enlisted about a certain date is wanted as a deserter. 
In many of these cases the inquiry is made by telegraph and names are fre- 
quently so changed in transmission by telegraph that the man whose record is 
desired can only be identified by means of an examination of the record, in the 
enlistment register, of enlistments made on or about the date indicated in the 
request. 

The enlistment registers are the only source available for the compilation 
of certain statistical and other data called for by the Secretary of War, the 
Chief of Staff, and other officials of the War Department. For example, in- 
formation concerning (a) the number of men in the service at a given date 
whose terms of service will expire within a certain period; or (b) the number 
of men enlisted during a certain period who had prior military service; or (c) 
the manner of terminaton of service of deserters restored to a duty status 
during a certain period; and (d) much other information of a similar charac- 
ter can be obtained only from these registers. 

Any item of the above information can be obtained by going over 
the cards in the file. This information obtained for statistical pur- 
poses is not called for very frequently, and while it may take a little 
longer to obtain it by consulting the cards the infrequency of such 
calls is such that a special record kept for that purpose at a cost of 
over $5,000 a year is not justified. 

The following force is engaged in recording in the registers of en- 
listments the enlistment contracts, noting assignments and transfers 
therein, jacketing and filing the enlistment contracts, and descriptive 
and assignment cards: 

1 clerk, class 2 $1,400 

2 clerks, class 1 2,400 

1 clerk at $1,000 1,000 

Total 4, 800 



234 EEPORTS OP COMMISSION" ON ECOISTOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The following men are engaged exclusively in recording in the 
register of enlistments memoranda prepared by the roll examiners 
of discharges, retirements, and desertions: 

1 clerk, class 2 $1,400 

1 clerk, class 1 1, 200 

Total 2, 600 

The registers cost $16.97 each. About eight volmnes are used in 
three years, so that the annual cost for books which will be saved is 
$45.25. 

With the discontinuance of the registers the above work will be 
cut to the filing of enlistment contracts and descriptive and assign- 
ment cards. This work can be performed by one man, with time 
to spare. The net saving in this connection, not including the cost 
of the registers, will therefore be $6,400 per annum. 

3. CONTEACT OF ENLISTMENT. 

We recommend that the present application pr contract of enlist- 
ment be placed upon a card 5 by 8 inches in size, written on both 
sides, and that the descriptive and assignment cards be changed so 
as to be 5 by 8 inches in size. The latter cards should be placed upon 
paper of a different color than that used for the enlistment con- 
tracts. Instead of filing the cards and the accompanying papers in 
jackets, they can then be filed openly at a great saving of space and 
time in handling them. These papers will take up less than half the 
filing space that is now given to them under the use of the jacket 
and folding method. 

4. FILING METHODS. 

While we do not approve of the cumbersome and obsolete method 
of filing reports folded in wooden file boxes, which are difficult of 
access, do not preserve the papers well, and admit dust, we have 
criticized this method generally in other parts of this report. We do 
not approve of the practice of filing enlistment papers and like docu- 
ments in chronological periods. We believe such papers should be 
filed in two sections, one for all enlisted men now in active service in 
the Army, and another for all persons who have at any time served 
in the enlisted ranks. This would make it necessary to go to only 
one place to find a person's record who has previous service in the 
Army, whereas under the present practice if the date or approximate 
date of the man's enlistment is not known a search maj^ be necessary 
in 15 or 20 sections of the file. It would be a very large task to throw 
the papers together into two comprehensive files, but there is no 



BUSINESS METHODS OP OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEKAL. 235 

question that if this, were done the speed of consultation would be 
greatly increased. It is only a question of finding available a force 
of clerks which can be temporarily placed upon this work, in which 
event the change would be justified. 

CONCLUSION. 

The recommendations we advance above in regard to conducting 
correspondence, and these constitute a material portion of the sav- 
ings, can be put into effect immediately without in any way disrupt- 
ing the present organization of the office. Experiments with forms 
can be had, and if experience shows that changes should be made in 
the forms, no vital harm will have been caused and the arrival at 
well-thought-out forms will be that much advanced. We earnestly 
urge the immediate adoption of our recommendations in this regard, 
so that advantage of the material savings which, it is pointed out, 
can be effected may be immediately taken. 

SAVINGS. 

There are now 52 employees in this division, with salaries aggre^ 
gating $65,600 per annum. With the adoption of our recommenda' 
tions, this force can be reduced to — 

1 clerk, class 4, in cMrge $1, 800 

1 clerk, class 3 1, 600 

4 clerks, class 2, witli salaries aggregating 5, 600 

19 clerks, class 1, with salaries aggregating 22, 800 

1 clerk, at 1,000 

26 employees at a total annual salary expense of 32, 800 

To this salary expense must be added one-third of the salary of n. 
chief of the consolidated division, $666.66 per annum, making a total 
annual salary expense of $33,466.66, leaving a net reduction in salary 
cost of $32,133.34 per annum. 

Division of Appointments, Commissions, and Personnel. 

In another section of this report the consolidation of this division 
with the present Returns and Military Academy Divisions is recom- 
mended and discussed in detail. 

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS. 

It is recommended: 

1. That the correspondence clerks personally consult the records 
in the Returns Division and in the register section of this division for 
necessary data in preparing cases for action. 



236 EEPOETS OF COMMISSIOIsr ON" ECOISTOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

2. That the present letter forms be revised and consolidated so that 
the inserted matter may be concentrated in one place. 

3. That the present card form for recording applicants for exami- 
nation for appointment in the Army be revised to also record the 
results of the examination. 

4. That the two lists now being maintained in the register section, 
showing the relative and lineal rank of officers of the Army, be con- 
solidated by the use of an adjustable visible index. 

With the adoption of the foregoing recommendations the present 
force of 13 employees, with salaries aggregating $19,200 per annum, 
can be reduced to 10 clerks, with an aggregate annual salary expense 
of $14,000. Adding to this expense one-third of the salary of a chief 
of the consolidated division, $666.67 per annum, the total annual sal- 
ary expense would be $14,666.67, thereby saving $4,533.33 per annum. 

1. It is reconhmended that the correspondence clerk yersondUy con- 
sult the records in the Returns Division and in the register sec- 
tion of this division for necessary data in preparing cases for 
action. 

Preparation of correspondence. — All cases relating to the service of 
commissioned officers are referred to the Returns Division for a 
memorandum of the records of the officers concerned. A request is 
written on the record card by the correspondence clerk in the Ap- 
pointments, Commissions, and Personnel Division, asking the Returns 
Division for the record. The registers in the Returns Division are 
searched, and the requisite information is regard to the officer is 
written on the record card and the card is then returned to the Ap- 
pointments, Commissions, and Personnel Division. This makes it 
necessary for two clerks (one in each division) to look over the corre- 
spondence and become familiar with the nature of the case. It is also 
necessary for the chief of the Returns Division to glance over the 
correspondence to learn its nature in order to distribute it to the 
clerks who have that part of the work to do. If the case refers to the 
record of more than one officer, it may be necessary for several clerks 
to handle it. This means that each of them will have to read the 
communication- before he can proceed. By consolidating the Returns 
Division and the Appointments, Commissions, and Personnel Divi- 
sion the records of the former will be within easy access of the corre- 
spondence clerks nov/ in the latter division, so that it will be possible 
for them to personally consult the records for the necessary data in 
preparing cases for action, thus eliminating the time spent by the 
several clerks of the Returns Division in looking over the corre- 
spondence and transmitting to the Appointments, Commissions, and 
Personnel Division, by means of a report on the record card, the 



BUSIlsrESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 23? 

information from which is drafted the formal reply. It will also 
leave the clerks in the Returns Division free to concentrate their ener- 
gies on the compilation of records. In the majority of cases there is 
an unnecessary amount of information furnished by the Returns 
Division, for the reason that they do not know to what extent the 
correspondence clerk in the Appointments, Commissions, and Per- 
sonnel Division will require record data. For the same reason infor- 
mation is liable to be omitted from the record-card report prepared 
in the Returns Division, due to the clerk not realizing just what is 
necessary for an adequate reply in the case. This is particularly 
true of clerks who have been in the office for a short period only. 
It is believed that with the installation of a card record in the 
Returns Division showing the service of the commissioned officers 
of the Army it will be a simple matter for the correspondence clerks 
themselves to get necessary information from the record cards. 

There is nothing technical about the records in the Returns 
Division. The correspondence clerks in the Appointments, Com- 
missions, and Personnel Division are fully as familiar with the 
methods of interpreting the data on the returns as are the clerks in 
the Returns Division. And the correspondence clerks are more 
familiar with the latest decisions regarding the status of officers, 
commutation of quarters, and travel allowances. As it is not always 
possible for the Appointments, Commissions, and Personnel Division 
to get all the information necessary for action on a case upon the 
first request of the Returns Division, the time consumed between the 
time the case is first sent by the correspondence clerk in the Appoint- 
ments, Commissions, and Personnel Division to the Returns Division 
and the time it is received by the correspondence clerk after all the 
information desired has been entered on the record card is, in our 
opinion, more than equal to that which would be required for the 
correspondence clerks in the beginning to search the records for the 
information necessary for action on the case. That this reference to 
the records by the several correspondence clerks in the Appointments, 
Commissions, and Personnel Division would interrupt the posting 
of records by the compilers in the Returns Division is true, but, by 
placing the compilers who have the officers' records whose names 
commence with letters from A to E next to the correspondence clerk 
who will handle the correspondence affecting these officers, the corre- 
spondence clerk may draw from the file such cards as he will need 
for a case. For the short period that he is handling that case, this, 
interference will be practically nothing. 

Preparation of orders. — ^It is now the practice in the Appoint- 
ments, Commissions, and Personnel Division for a correspondence 
clerk, after an order has been drawn up in rough draft, to have it 



238 REPOETS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EPFICIENCY. 

sent to the register section of that division for a verification of the 
spelling of the officer's name and the designation of his regiment and 
rank. The draft is then sent to the Keturns Division, where a pencil 
memorandum is placed on the back, showing the address of the 
officer and his status, and then the draft is sent to the Orders Division 
for printing. By having the correspondence clerk prepare his own 
case in reference to looking up the records, these two steps in send- 
ing orders from the Appointments, Commissions, and Personnel 
Division to the Orders Division will be eliminated. The correspond- 
ence clerk will be familiar with the proper designation of the officer 
and the correct spelling of his name, and should be held responsible 
that the name appears in the order correctly, and that the officer's 
status is so shown in memorandum form on the order, so as to insure 
a proper distribution of copies of the order by the Orders Division. 

2. It is recoTnmended that the present letter forms he revised and 

consolidated so that the inserted matter may he concentrated in 
one place. 

An examination of the forms used in connection with the work of 
this division shows that by a rearrangement of the matter thereon a 
saving of time in filling them out on the typewriter can be effected. 
The blank spaces in which the typewritten information must now be 
inserted are scattered. The forms should be revised so that the in- 
serted matter may be concentrated in one place, and by so doing the 
speed of filling out the forms would be materially increased. This 
will not only save time of the stenographer, but also enable the re- 
viewing officer or employee to see at a glance the inserted informa- 
tion, because of its being all in one place. He will not have to scruti- 
nize the entire form to see whether the same is made out correctly. 

It also appears that there are cases where form communications are 
sent simultaneously to several persons with practically the same in- 
serted matter, although some slight difference or variation in the 
printed part of the form may exist. By rearranging such forms so 
that they may be filled out by one process a considerable saving of 
time will be secured. 

3. It is recommended that the present card for recording applicants 

for examination for appointment in the Army he revised to also 
record the results of the examination. 

All pending applications for appointment in the Army from civil 
life or from the ranks of the Army are now kept on blank cards 
which show the name, age, and birthplace of the applicant. When 
the applicant has been examined a new card is made out showing the 
result in detail of the examinations, both preliminary and competi- 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 239 

tive. By inserting the same information which is now put on the 
blank card on the card showing the result of the examination in the 
spaces already provided for this information, there would be a saving 
in the time required in making out the blank card and a saving of 
space in the card file, and the card now used for showing the name of 
the applicant could be discontinued. Besides, in the case of each 
record of examination for appointment there would be saved in fill- 
ing out the form the work involved in writing name, age, and birth- 
place of the applicant. The only change necessary in those cases 
where it is essential to record the result of an examination would be 
to remove the record card of the applicant from the file, record the 
result of the preliminary and competitive examinations and transfer 
the card to the file containing the results of the examinations. 

4. It is recommended that the two lists now heing maintained in 
the register section showing the relative and lineal rank of 
o-fjicers of the Aivny be consolidated by the use of an adjustable 
visible index. 

Lists showing the lineal rank of officers of the several corps or 
arms of the service, as well as the relative rank of all officers in the 
Army, are published monthly in the Army List and Directory. For 
the purpose of making up these lists each month, a continuous record 
is kept in books, which, of necessity, must be corrected day by day 
in accordance with the changes made in the official ranks of the 
Army. The book record showing the lineal rank of officers contains, 
entered in the order of their standing in each grade, the names of 
officers of the several corps or arms. The successive changes are 
shown by interlineation, crossing out, transferring, and adding to 
the record. After the book has become filled, which occurs within 
two or three years, the information must be transferred to another 
record. 

In connection with the present list there is employed the method 
of drawing lines of different colors to indicate changes in respect 
to particular officers. For example, if an officer is detailed to the 
staff, a green line will be drawn through his name, if sent to some 
other service a red line, etc. 

The present method is lengthy and presents many possibilities for 
error. It is inconvenient and occasions a great deal of unnecessary 
work, in our opinion, whenever a change is made in the grade, posi- 
tion, or duties of an officer, since this necessitates ruling out the name 
of the officer if he has died or been separated from the service, or 
if he has been promoted from one rani?: to another. For example, a 
major is promoted to lieutenant colonel. The method by which the 
position number of the new lieutenant colonel is determined is by 
counting up the number of names unscratched ahead of him. 



240 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

We recommend the use of a visible, adjustable index for maintain- 
ing intact and at all times up to date a list of officers showing their 
relative and lineal rank. These two lists can be combined by the 
visible index, which will be far more speedy of consultation, more 
compact, easily kept up to date, and practically free of the possibility 
of error. The visible index is a device which holds in a panel strips 
of cardboard of uniform size. The panel is so constructed that it 
permits the strips of cardboard to slide up and down without their 
having to be removed and reinserted. They can also be removed 
singly from any position in the panel without injury. The standard 
sized panel holds from 70 to 80 name cards, or strips of cardboard, ac- 
cording to the width of card used, and are mounted on leather-backed 
metal leaves, two panels on each leaf ; the leaves, in turn, are mounted 
on desk or shelf stands, wall brackets, or in book form. The name 
cards may be readily typewritten by the aid of a simple attachment 
adaptable to any typewriter. 

By the use of a numerical scale at the left of each panel the rela- 
tive rank of any officer of the Army could be instantly determined, 
and when a change occurred affecting the lineal or relative rank of a 
portion of the list, the change would be automatically shown. This 
would be possible because the small strips of cardboard on which the 
names are written are adjustable. The marginal scale on the left of 
each panel is immovable and the changes in position would be shown 
by shifting the slips of cardboard containing the officer's name and 
not by changing the scale. 

By the use of this index, whenever a change is made in the rank of 
an officer of the Army, the lineal rank of all officers below him in rank 
would be immediately automatically adjusted. For example, if in 
a list containing names from 1 to 100, officer who stands No. 40 
should leave the service the removal of the officer's name slip would 
automatically cause the officers whose rank heretofore had been from 
41 to 100 to each enter a rank one place above that which he formerly 
held. By closing up the gap made by the removal of the slip num- 
bered 40, slip heretofore numbered 41 would then be pushed up 
opposite the number 40 on the margin; 42 would become 41, and so 
on. By this means the rank of any officer in the entire Army would 
always be shown and the possibility of error be practically eliminated^ 

In connection with the visible index there are provided fiberloid 
transparent tubes of different colors, each one designed to slip over 
the strip of cardboard containing the officer's name, thus showing by 
their color the particular classification of the officer concerned. 

The method by which the two lists may be combined is as follows : 

The list can primarily be arranged to show the relative rank of 
all the officers of the Army, regardless of the arm of the service to 
which they belong. In order to show lineal rank of officers of Cav- 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 241 

airy, Field Artiller}-, Coast Artillery, Infantry, etc., transparent 
fiberloid tubes of different colors to designate the corps or arms of 
the service can be placed over the white cards bearing the names of 
the officers in the list showing the relative rank. Thus it will always 
be possible to determine at a glance the rank of one officer in relation 
to another, whether in the same arm of the service or from the 
standpoint of the Army as a whole. The time spent in maintain- 
ing and consulting this list will be practically nil, chance for error 
will be reduced to the minimum, and the work of making up the 
Army List and Directory will be cut 50 per cent. At present it is 
necessary, in addition to the two men regularly engaged upon this 
work, to detail three or four clerks from the remaining force of the 
division, who consume about three or four days each month in pre- 
paring the Army list. This extra work could be entirely saved by 
the use of the adjustable index. 

2. SAVINGS. 

There are now 13 employees in this division, with salaries aggre- 
gating $19,200 per annum. With the adoption of our recommenda- 
tions, this force can be reduced to — 

1 correspondence clerk in charge $1, 800 

2 correspondence clerks (class 3) 3,200 

1 register clerk (class 2) 1,400 

3 correspondence clerks (class 2) with salaries aggregating. 4,200 

2 stenographers (class 1) with salaries aggregating 2,400 

1 engrossing clerk 1,000 

10 employees at an aggregate annual salary expense of 14, (X)0 

To this salary expense must be added one-third of the salary of a 
chief of the consolidated division, $666.67 per annum, making a total 
annual salary expense of $14,666.67, leaving a net reduction in salary 
cost of $4,533.33 per annum. 

Military Academy Division. 

In another part of our report on The Adjutant General's Office, 
recommendations have been made for the consolidation of this 
division with the appointments, commissions, and personnel and the 
returns division of The Adjutant General's Office. 

SUMMARY or RECOMMENDATIONS. 

1. That the card register of cad6ts be discontinued. 

2. That the card register of appointments of cadets, now filed 
alphabetically, be confined to those candidates who have not been 
actually admitted to the academy, and be limited in the data it con- 
tains to the names of the appointees or candidates and the districts 
or States from which appointed. 

72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 16 



242 KEPOETS OF COMMISSION OX ECOXOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

3. That form letter A. G. O. 50, which is now used to notify Con- 
gressmen of vacancies, be changed regarding inclosures, so as to pro- 
vide for forwarding three copies of form A. G. O. 51 (as amended 
By our recommendation No. 6) and three copies of the regulations of 
the Military Academy. 

4. That forms A. G. O. 103 and 104, now used by Congressmen in 
making nominations, be discontinued. 

5. That form letters, A. G. O. 55 and 130, now used in notifying 
candidates of their contemplated appointment, be discontinued. 

6. That the blank form of acceptance, A. G. O. 51, be so changed 
that it can serve the purposes of the present card register of cadets. 

7. That carbon copies be made of the lists of candidates for exam- 
ination at the various Army posts and that these carbon copies be 
forwarded to the superintendent of the Military Academy in lieu of 
the separate list now prepared. 

8. That the present card register of cadet warrants be discontinued. 
The date warrants are issued to be noted on the records of the cadets. 

With the adoption of the foregoing recommendations, the present 
force of four employees with salaries aggregating $5,800 per annum, 
can be reduced to one clerk with an annual salary expense of $1,600. 
Adding to this expense one-third of the salary of a chief of the con- 
solidated division, $666.67 per annum, the total annual salary expense 
would be $2,266.67, thereby saving $3,533.33 per annum. 

Criticisms of the present methods employed in this division are in- 
cluded in the following discussion of the several recommendations 
just stated. 

1. It is recom/mended that the card register of cadets he discontinued. 

The maintenance of this file necessitates a duplication of the origi- 
nal records with no increased accessibility for reference purposes 
being gained thereby. 

By flat filing the original records geographically the same data will 
fee equally as accessible as on the card register. 

2. It is recoTYiTrhended that the cafd register of appointments of cadets 

now filed alphabetically, he confined to those candidates who have 
not heen actually admitted to the academy, and he limited in the 
data it contains to the name of the appointee or candidate and 
the district or State from which he is appointed. 

That there is no need of encurtibering a file of this kind with the 
names of cadets who have already entered the 'academy is obvious 
when it is known that rosters are issued by the Military Academy 
showing alphabetically the personnel of the academy by classes each 
year. The present file contains data entirely unnecessarjT^ for the 
purpose intended. By using a small 3 by 5 card with the name 
and the State or district from which appointed the records of the 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 243 

candidates desired can be readily located. Under the present method 
it is again necessary to duplicate the original records, which, we 
assert, are fully as accessible as is this card record. 

3. It is recommended that form letter A. G. 0. 50 used to notify 
Congressm.en of vacancies he changed regarding inclosures, so 
as to provide for forwarding three copies of form A. G. 0. 51 
{as amended hy our recommendation No. 6) and three copies of 
the regulations of the Military Academy. 

The present method of securing the appointment of candidates for 
cadetships not only incurs the use of unnecessary forms by the Office 
of The Adjutant General, and consequent clerical labor, but Con- 
gressmen are obliged to write additional letters that might very easily 
be eliminated. The present method requires Congressmen to make 
out three separate nominations, one for the principal and one each 
for the alternates. These are forwarded to The Adjutant General in 
reply to his letter requesting the nominations. On receiving the 
nominations, the clerk in the Military Academy Division makes out 
the card for the register of appointments and notation of the nomina- 
tion is made on the card register of cadets. A letter is then prepared 
for the principal, another for the first alternate, a third for the 
second alternate, notifying them of their contemplated appointment 
and requesting them to report at a certain place on a certain date for 
examination. These three letters are forwarded, each with a blank 
form of acceptance and copy of the Military Academy regulations, 
to the nominees through the Congressman. By forwarding to the 
Congressmen, The Adjutant General's Office again imposes on the 
Congressman the necessity of writing forwarding letters to the three 
nominees inclosing the blank form of acceptance and copy of regula- 
tions in each case. 

The acceptance of each of the appointees is forwarded to The Ad- 
jutant General's Office direct. In case of refusal of the proffered ap- 
pointment by any one of the three appointees, it is again necessary 
for The Adjutant General's Office to notify the Congressman of this 
fact that he may make another nomination, in which case the same 
steps are necessary as have been here outlined. On receipt of the ac- 
ceptance by the principal appointee a notation is made on the register 
of cadets to that effect. We recommend that the three blank forms 
for acceptance of the appointment and the three copies of the regu- 
lations of the Military Academy be forwarded with the first letter to 
the Congressman notifying him of his privilege in this regard. The 
Congressman in turn will forward these blank forms to his prospec- 
tive appointees and if they accept the appointment the forms will be 
made out at that time and forwarded to the Congressman who, with 
his reply to the letter from The Adjutant General's Office, can for- 
ward them. The Congressman is relieved of the necessity of making 



244 EEPOKTS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

out three separate nomination papers; the Military Academy Divi- 
sion is relieved of the necessity of making out cards for the register 
of appointments, of making a notation of the nomination on the reg- 
ister of cadets, and of writing one letter to the principal and one to 
each of the two alternates and a letter to the Congressman forwarding 
these letters. Clerical labor is also saved by removing necessity for 
entering on the register of cadets that the nominee has accepted the 
contemplated appointment. In brief, our recommendation provided 
that The Adjutant General's Office notify the Congressman of his 
privilege of maldng three nominations. The Congressman makes the 
nominations and the acceptances are sent to The Adjutant General's 
Office, after which nothing is further needed but to receive the re- 
sults of the examination of the candidates. Under the present method 
the Congressman is, of necessity, required to write a letter forwarding 
the blank forms of acceptance and copies of the regulations. Under 
the proposed method he can give the additional information of where 
and when they are to take the examination. 

4. It is recommended that form letters A. G. O. 103 and 10 It.^ now 

used hy Congressmen in making nom^inations, he discontinued. 

The further use of these forms will not be necessary on the adoption 
of our recommendation No. 3. 

5. It is recommended that form letters A. G. 0. 56 and 130, now used 

in notifying candidates of their contemplated appointment, he 
discontinued. 

The further use of these forms will not be necessary on the adoption 
of our recommendation No. 3. 

6. It is recomm^ended that the hlank form of acceptance A. G. 0. 51 

he so changed that it shall serve the purpose of the present card 
register of cadets. 

This form should be changed to include the following : 

1. By whom the candidate was nominated or appointed. 

2. Result of his examination. 

3. The date on which the warrant of cadetship was issued. 

It is not recommended that the size of the form be changed, but 
that the information thereon be so arranged that it can be indexed 
geographically. 

7. It is recommended that a carhon copy shoxdd he made of the list 

of candidates at the various Army posts and that these carhon 
copies he forxvarded to the Superintendent of the Military Acad- 
emy in lieu of the separate list now prepared. 

The present method of making a list of the candidates to be exam- 
ined at the various Army posts in addition to separate lists for each 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 245 

Army post seems crude. By the use of a carbon a separate set of the 
lists that are for the use of the several examining boards can be made 
and sent to the Superintendent of the Military Academy and will 
serve him the necessary purposes in better form than the lists now 
prepared. 

8. It is recommended that the present card register of cadet %oarrants 
he discontinued. The date warrants are issued to he noted on 
the register of cadets. 

This file seems obviously unnecessary, as the same data could very 
easily be inserted on the original record file. 

SAVINGS. 

There are now four employees in this divison, with salaries aggre- 
gating $5,800 per annum. 

With the adoption of our recommendations this force can be 
reduced to one clerk, class 3, at $1,600. 

To this salary expense must be added one-third of the salary of a 
chief of the consolidated division, $666.67 per annum, making a total 
annual salary expense of $2,266.67, leaving a net reduction in salary 
cost of $3,533.33 per annum. 

Returns Division. 

In another section of this report the consolidation of this division 
with the present Appointments, Commissions, and Personnel and 
Military Academy Divisions is recommended and discussed in detail. 

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS. 

'It is recommended: 

1. That returns and personal reports be filed flat. 

2. That the record of service of officers be compiled on individual 
cards, approximately 9 by llf inches. 

3. That the present method of recording the services of officers of 
the Army by years and months be discontinued. 

4. That the arrangement of the records be alphabetical, for both 
current and transfer files. 

5. That the Army List and Directory show, under personnel of 
regiments, only the names of the officers belonging thereto, omitting 
the dates of rank and company letters. 

6. That an adjustable visible index be provided for showing the 
position of officers on the foreign service roster. 

7. That the present card record of the foreign service of officers 
be discontinued. 

8. That the present card record of the detached service of officers 
be discontinued. 



246 EEPOETS OP COMMISSION ON" ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

9. That the present card record of the leaves of absence of officers 
be discontinued. 

With the adoption of the foregoing recommendations the present 
force of 13 employees, with salaries aggregating $17,000 per annum, 
can be reduced to 8 clerks with an aggregate annual salary expense 
of $10,800. Adding to this expense one-third of the salary of a 
chief of the consolidated division, $666.66 per annum, the total annual 
salary expense would be $11,466.66, thereby saving $5,533.34 per 
annum. 

1. It is recomtnended that returns and personal reports he -filed flat. 

As the original records must be handled and used as the basis of all 
evidence regarding the history of the United States Army and its 
personnel, their accessibility should be the prime factor in determin- 
ing the method of iiling them. That the returns are filed folded is 
due probably to the fact that they are so received from the headquar- 
ters of the post or organization preparing them. Consequently the 
returns are not folded uniformly, and some, being larger than others, 
are folded three times instead of twice. If a return is received folded 
unevenly, or if of a size when folded larger than the others, it is filed 
in the same file box regardless of how it fits. This causes the folds 
of the returns which project to be rubbed against the sides of the 
file box each time a return is extracted, for they are compressed by 
a locking device that has to be released before a return can be removed 
from the box, which necessitates moving all or the greater number of 
the returns in the box to get at one. It is a well-known fact that 
papers, after being filed folded a number of years become so creased 
that if the folds are smoothed out to read the writing they are likely 
to crack, and if old to crumble. Folds also tend to obliterate the 
writing. Returns that are filed folded are not as accessible as those 
filed flat, for it is necessary, in order to examine a return, to unfold 
it and to file it again to refold it. Hence the method of filing returns 
folded is neither economical in time and labor nor a safe protection 
for the records. 

The present method of filing personal reports of officers in indi- 
vidual envelopes imposes unnecessary work on clerks engaged in filing 
and searching and requires the briefing of all reports that are on 
forms larger than 3^ by 8 inches. While the majority of the reports 
are on the smaller form, the tendency will be for officers to use the 
letter size form, now that they are required to submit reports only 
when their status or station changes. The argument against briefing 
is so fully set forth m our criticisms of the general system of corre- 
spondence that it is deemed unnecessary to repeat them here. By 
filing the reports in folders, flat and vertically, envelopes would not 
be required and briefing would be eliminated. These reports are of 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 



247 



such a temporary value it is recommended that they be destroyed 
after they are two or three years old. 

It is recommended that the record of service of officers he compiled 
on individual cards^ approximately 9 hy 11% inches. 

In a system that compiles records Avhich must be searched daily, 
the chief requirements are accuracy and accessibility. Subordinate 
to these two is economy of material required for the records when 
compiled; 

There are three forms of ruling and four forms of printing in 
the present system, and these are bound in six flat-opening volumes 
m full leather with canvas covers. 

The book system requires approximately double the number of 
record spaces necessary for one year. 

There are six on each leaf of the books now in use, and the follow- 
ing table will show the necessary annual allowance : 



Books. 



Number 
of offi- 
cers. 



Number 
of spaces. 



Infantry 

Stall 

Retired 

Artillery 

Cavalry 

Philippine Scouts and Porto Rico Regiment . 

Total 



1,529 

1,261 

1,001 

905 

749 

169 



5,613 



3,300 
1,92§ 
1,209 
2,100 
1,950 



10,965 



The changes that occurred in 1911 were: 

Promotions and transfers in Infantry, Cavalry, and Field Artillej-y 

Transfers only in Infantry, Cavalry, and Field Artillery 

Details and reliefs from detail in Staff Corps 

Retirements 

Appointments to the Medical Corps from the Medical Reserve Corps__- 



635 

291 

211 

70 

46 



Total 1,253 

Added to the number of officers 5, 613 



Gives a total of nsed spaces of 6,866 

Number of spaces not used . 4, 094 



Allowance -. 10,960 

The present system of book registers hampers posting by exposing 
the operation to errors which can be avoided and by requiring the 
transfer and duplication of officers' data with unnecessary frequency. 
One source of error is in having the records of six officers on one 
page. Care is always necessary in compiling and searching to take 
the data from the right place. 



248 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION O^S" ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

It is necessary, except in the case of staff officers, to transfer an 
officer's record whenever he is promoted, or when he changes from one 
organization to another. While transferring of a record is still a 
simple operation, it presents a possibility of omissions in an officer's 
record. For example, the officer's record may show him to be on leave 
or changing station at the time his record is transferred, with the 
result often that the leave is not terminated on the correct date or 
he is not given the proper allowance of travel time in changing 
station, due in each case to the complete record not being imme- 
diately at hand. 

Duplication of data is now necessary when an officer is transferred 
to another regiment or relieved from detail in a staff corps and when 
retired. The officer's name and station, his duties or status, and orders 
affecting his future status must be entered on the new record. 

The present policy of keeping certain regiments in the Philippine 
Islands permanently causes many more changes in the personnel of 
regiments than when one regiment relieved another, making it more 
difficult to estimate the spaces that will be required in each regiment 
in a year. 

The changes in the strength of the Army in 1901, increasing the 
Infantry and Cavalry regiments by five each, required two new 
volumes, one 25 per cent, the other nearly 50 per cent, larger than the 
ones already in use, although the increase in officers was only 20 per 
cent and 33^ per cent, respectively, and caused the rewriting of 1,750 
names of officers, their stations and duties, because the volumes then 
in use would not hold the increase. 

In 1907 the change in the organization of Artillery necessitated a 
new volume of 250 pages and caused the rewriting of 700 names of 
officers, their stations and duties. 

In preparing a military history of an officer it is now necessary to 
follow his record from his appointment, through each promotion and 
transfer, each detail to a staff corps or department and relief from 
same, and each year of his service to his retirement and death. This 
means an officer's record may be in 32 different books and 41 different 
places, as is shown bj^ the following table : 

Average. 

1. Appointment 1 place 

2. Each promotion and transfer 5 places 

3. Each transfer without promotion 2 places 

4. Each detail to a staff corps 1 place 

5. Each relief from detail to a staff corps 1 place 

6. Retirement 1 place 

7. Each year of service 30 places 

Total 41 places 

Each year of service, each detail to a staff corps and relief from 
same, means another book to be handled, usually filed in another 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 249 

place. The above table does not consider the many transfers to the 
unassigned and detached officers' lists, and yet each transfer means 
another place for the officer's record. 

When statements are required involving the service of a great many 
officers, as the detached or foreign service of officers of the line, requir- 
ing the time of many clerks, confusion is caused when reference to 
the same volumes is sought by two or more clerks at the same time. 

By compiling the records on cards it would be unnecessary to trans- 
fer an officer's record other than to change the position of the card 
in the file. And even this would not be necessary under an alpha- 
betical arrangement, as is recommended later in this report. 

The safety of records compiled on cards has been thoroughly tested 
by every variety of business and found wholly satisfactory in that 
respect. While it is admitted that cards may be lost, misplaced, and 
even destroyed by careless or unscrupulous clerks, it is not believed 
that such clerks would be given the care of records, even in bound 
books. It is no more difficult to make wrong entries in a bound book 
than on a card, and there is always the original record for final refer- 
ence. Either system is merely a recapitulation of the original 
records. 

On locating the card desired it is always before one, with no 
liability for error through glancing at the wrong record. 

The card system would have two files, one for the current j-ear and 
one for past years, or (as recommended later in this report) one for 
officers now on active duty and on the retired list and another for 
those separated from the service by resignation, death, or discharge. 
Thus the records for each officer would be in one place onl3^ There 
would be no handling of foreign or dead matter in preparing state- 
ments, and the records would be instantly accessible. No confusion 
could result under the card system, for the only reference to an index 
would be in withdrawing the cards of the officer whose service is 
desired and preparing a statement from them at the clerk's own 
desk. 

In the card system only one posting of data would be necessary, 
as the record of an officer would remain on one card,, irrespective of 
his organization or duties. It would also wholly eliminate the re- 
vriting of any names, for its capacity would be unlimited, allowing 
the addition of as many names as might be necessary. No allowances 
would have to be made for changes or increases, as the number of 
officers would govern the amount of material or number of cards 
required and not the possible number of changes to occur in a year. 

One form of card, similar to the form herewith submitted, would 
serve the purposes of the forms now used, and there would be no 
expensive bindings each year. The filing drawer would be the initial 
and only cost, and they would not equal the price that is annually 
paid for the volumes now used. 



250 EEPOEIS OF COMMISSION OIST ECOXOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 



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BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEKAL. 251 

3. It is recommended that the present method of compilino the serv- 
ices of officers of the Army 'by years and months he discon- 
tinued. 

The present method of recording the services of officers of the 
Army by calendar years is due to the use of bound books for this 
record. On the 1st of each January a new book is provided for 
each arm of the service, the Infantry, Artillery, Cavalry, Staff, 
Philippine Scouts, and Porto Kico Regiments of Infantry officers 
and the retired officers. And in each of these books a separate space 
for the year's record of each officer is provided. In beginning the 
year's record it is necessary to write, in longhand, the names of all 
officers, their stations and duties; for each month of that year it is 
necessary to show, either by ditto mark or otherwise, as may be nec- 
essary, the station, whereabouts, and duties of that officer as shown 
by the returns on the last day of each month. For example, if Lieut. 
Jones, of the Infantry, is stationed at Fort Slocum, N. Y., on the 
1st of January and is doing the duties of a recruiting officer there this 
fact is stated. Then follows for each month, as the returns from 
Fort Slocum are received, the entering by ditto mark the fact that 
Lieut. Jones was on duty at Fort Slocum, N. Y., as a recruiting- 
officer for the entire year. If Lieut. Jones is ordered from Fort 
Slocum, N. Y,, to Columbus Barracks, Ohio, the date of leaving 
Fort Slocum and the date of joining Columbus Barracks are shown, 
and the latter station is written in the space reserved for the station 
of the officer. From the fact that the average officer is at the same 
station for at least one year, and in a surprisingly large percentage 
of cases he is there for four years, it is now necessary to make a 
notation each month during the entire period that he remains. Thus 
to record the fact that Lieut. Jones was stationed at Fort Slocum, 
N. Y., from January 1, 1908, to December 31, 1911, it is now 
necessary to make 48 notations, including writing his name, rank, and 
duties four times and in four books, since a new book is required 
each year. By this method it is necessary to search in approximately 
30 different books in preparing a military history of an officer now 
on the retired list. In preparing statements of the average officer 
now on the active list it is safe to approximate the number of books 
necessary to search as six. This is necessary in preparing such state- 
ments as the amount of leave an officer has taken, the amount of 
detached service he has had, the amount of foreign service, or the 
list of his stations. Thus the records are in a scattered condition and 
involve the handling and searching of an unnecessary number of 
volumes. By using a separate card for each officer's record, of a 
size 9 by llf , it will be possible to show on this card his services, in 
as complete a state as is now shown under the present method for 



252 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

a year, for from 5 to 15 years. To prepare statements of the vari- 
ous kinds of service of an officer it would not be necessary to go 
over a lot of irrelevant data. Three or four cards would constitute 
the complete compiled record of the services of an officer who had 
been in the Army for over 30 years. These cards would be in one 
file, thus making it necessary to refer to but one place for the neces- 
sary information. We submit on another page a form which it 
is believed will answer the requirements of a complete compiled 
record. From our point of view such a record should include only 
the changes in the services of an officer and not the repeated state- 
ments of the same duty. It will be seen that provision has been 
made for showing the various stations of an officer, the date of 
joining and the date of leaving, his leaves of absence, his sicknesses, 
his duties, his orders, and any other data that may be necessary 
to show his official record. It will not be necessary to remove the 
card from the file once every month to post the fact that the officer 
is on duty at Fort Slocum, N. Y., and it will not be necessary to 
finger over this card in referring to other officers' records, as is now 
necessary in keeping them in book form. It will, of course, be 
necessary for the compiler to compare the officer's record with the 
returns as they are received each month, but it will not be necessary 
to remove the card from the file or to insert on it any data if his 
duties or station have not changed. 

4. It is recommended that the m^mngement of the records he alpha- 
betical for hoth current and transfer files. 

A fruitful source of error in the posting of returns is found in the 
present arrangement of the records. An officer is detailed or relieved 
from detail in a staff corps effective on the date of the order. If the 
officer remains on the duty after being relieved from detail, the post 
return will, in some cases, continue to designate the officer as of the 
former organization. The result is that the clerk who should post 
the record fails to do so because of the wrong designation, and the 
clerk who formerly kept the officer's record passes the data because of 
the officer's orders. 

When a new clerk is put on the work of compiling, he is seriously 
handicapped until he becomes familiar with the names of the officers 
whose records are in his book. As there are from 700 to 1,500 names 
in a book, it would be some time before he would become familiar 
with the names. Especially would this be true of officers of the line, 
who are detailed in a staff corps for four years, and unfamiliarity 
with the names of the officers causes many omissions of data on post 
returns and record cards that is important. Sometimes the organi- 
zation to which an officer belongs is omitted, in which case it is quite, 
necessar\^ to recognize the officers on one's book. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 253 

Two causes for daily referring to the records are readdressing 
officers' mail that is sent to The Adjutant General to be forwarded, and 
issuing^ each month, the Army List and Directory. In readdressing 
mail the alphabetical list of the directory is used, except in doubtful 
cases. This is a safe practice provided the directory is correct. But 
an address may have been correct at the time the directory was 
printed and still be wrong for addressing mail. The most difficult 
task in issuing the Army List and Directory is in getting the addresses 
correct in the alphabetical index. It is difficult because of the present 
arrangement of the officers' records. 

Line officers are arranged according to regiments and rank, staff 
officers by corps or department and rank, and retired officers by rank 
alone. To locate an officer's record an alphabetical index is neces- 
sary, either to find the page number or the regiment and rank. As 
has already been mentioned in this report, an officer's record may be 
in approximately 41 different places, due to the present arrangement 
of the records and the fact that they are in bound books. It takes as 
long now to turn to the index and locate the page of the record as it 
does to turn to the page or post the record. In posting personal 
reports of staff and retired officers it is necessary to page them and 
after posting to sort them alphabetically for filing. 

The present system divides the number of officers' records among 
six clerks, as follows : 

Arm of service. Number of officers. 

Infantry 1, 529 

Staff 1,261 

Retired 1,001 

Artillery 905 

Cavalry 748 

Porto Rico Regiment and Philippine Scouts 169 

Total 5, 613 

The number of operations caused in one day by the present arrange- 
ment is equal to the number of times it is necessary for each of 21 
clerks to refer to an index to locate an officer's record in doing the 
following routine work: 

1. Answering inquiries on status of officers: 

(a) On record cards. 
(6) By phone, 
(c) By persons. 

2. Checking alphabetical list of Army List and Directory. 

3. Statements of: 

(a) Detached service. 
(6) Foreign service, 
(c) Leaves. 
. {d) Military record, 
(e) Stations. 



254 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

It should be remembered that even in the cases of line officers 
belonging to regiments it is necessary to know his regiment and rank 
in order to find his record in each volume that it is necessary to search. 

The alphabetical arrangement of the records would give to each 
clerk the same officers for their entire service. This would be an 
advantage in several ways. A clerk would become familiar with the 
names and service of his officers, and a new clerk would not be handi- 
capped, for the alphabetical arrangement would be a guide to him. 
Also, it would be as easy to address officers' mail direct from the 
records as from the directory and with absolute accuracy. The 
alphabetical index of the Army List and Directory would be kept 
up to date in a much more efficient manner than is now practicable 
and with one-fifth less time. The argument that with this arrange- 
ment of the records it would be much more difficult to keep the per- 
sonnel of organizations posted up to date is answered in our recom- 
mendation that this division be consolidated with the Appointment, 
Commission, and Personnel Division, thus bringing the records of 
that division and this together. The personnel of regiments is 
already kept in the register section, hence there would be no addi- 
tional work given this section in this regard. The affixing of the 
regimental or company office or letter is now done from the latest 
regimental returns and orders, and not from the records compiled. 
So that nothing would be lost in accuracy and a great amount of 
time would be gained by the alphabetical arrangement. No index 
would be necessary to locate an officer's record, for they would be 
self-indexing. The time saved in posting returns would be one- 
third, for it would take no longer to turn to the record of a line 
officer than it now takes; and in the cases of staff, retired, or Coast 
Artillery officers the time now required to turn to the index and 
locate the page number would be eliminated. The time saved on 
personal reports would be 50 per cent, for it is now necessary to sort 
them alphabetically, page them, sort them numerically, post them, 
re-sort them alphabetically, and file them. By the alphabetical ar- 
rangement of the records they would be sorted alphabetically, posted, 
and filed. The records would be equally divided among four clerks, 
thus making one set of records no more burdensome than any other 
set. There could always be an equal division of the records or accord- 
ing to the capacity of the clerks and without disrupting the system 
in any way. 

In preparing statements such as have been prepared in the past 
six months this proposed arrangement would eliminate an average 
of eight operations on every record searched, or about 32,000 for 
the work that is now requiring the time of 21 clerks. It would be 
hard to estimate the time to be saved by the elimination of these 
unnecessary operations, but it probably would be at least four-fifths. 



BUSIIsrESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 255 

By filing the cards alphabetically care would be necessary to select 
the proper card, as officers' records whose names are alike would be 
together, but there are no cases in the present personnel of the Army 
where two or three officers have full names alike who are commis- 
sioned in the same arm of the service and have the same rank. 

0. It is recommended that the Army List and Directory show, wider 
'personnel of reginnents, only the nafies of the officers belonging 
thereto, omitting the dates of rank and company letters. 

This data is shown elsewhere in the directory, under the list of 
relative and lineal rank. If anyone desires to know the date of rank 
of an officer and the records of The Adjutant General are not acces- 
sible, the index will establish the rank, and by glancing through the 
relative rank list the date of rank can be determined. It is not seen 
that the insertion of the date of rank after each officer's name under 
the personnel of organizations will serve any useful purpose in the 
office of The Adjutant General, and for the few cases where such 
information is desired the process above outlined would require so 
little extra time that it would not seem to justify the time required 
and the liability to error now incurred to keep it posted up to date. 
The insertion of the company letters serves no useful purpose to 
anyone, for an officer may be transferred to two or three other com- 
panies or be given other duties between the time a return is sent to 
The Adjutant General and the time the directory reaches officers 
in the field. 

6. It is recommended that an adjustable, visible index he provided 
for showing the position of officers on the foreign-service roster. 

The purpose of the present card record of the foreign service of 
officers is to show what officers of a given arm of the service and rank 
are next in order for serving a tour of foreign service, relieving 
those whose tours have expired. In order to have this information 
alwaj^s at hand the total amount served beyond the limits of the 
United States, in years, months, and days, is shown in pencil at the 
top of the card, and the cards are filed in the order of the amount 
here shown, beginning with the least, under each grade in the several 
arms of the service. Thus, the 10 or 15 cards at the front of the file 
show the 10 or 15 officers who have to their credit the least amount 
of foreign service in that particular grade and arm of the service. 

With the adoption of this recommendation the purpose of the 
record will be better served in that the information desired will be 
at all times visible, the record will be more compact and more easily 
kept up to date, and will be practically free of the possibility of error. 



256 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The visible index is a device which holds in a panel strips of card- 
board of uniform size. The panel is so constructed that it permits 
the strips of cardboard to slide up and down without their having 
to be removed and reinserted. They can also be removed singly 
from any position in the panel without injury. The standard-sized 
panel holds from 70 to 80 name cards, or strips of cardboard, accord- 
ing to the width of card used, and are mounted on leather-backed 
metal leaves, two panels on each leaf. The leaves in turn are mounted 
on desk or shelf stands, wall brackets, or in book form. The name 
cards may be readily typewritten by the aid of a simple attachment, 
adaptable to any typewriter. By the use of a numerical scale at the 
left of each panel the relative position of each officer would be 
readily determined. When a change occurs the new positions would 
be automatically shown. The marginal scale is immovable, and 
board containing the officers' names and not by changing the scale. 

7. It 'is recommended that the present card record of the foreign 

service of officers he discontinued. 

With the adoption of our recommendations Nos. 2, 4, and 6, pro- 
vision will be made for showing this information, in detail, on the 
compiled record of each officer and the form submitted in connection 
with recommendation No. 2 provides for showing it in as compact a 
form as is shown on this card record. 

8. It is recommended that the present card record of the detached 

service of officers he discontinued. 

The reasons for the discontinuance of this record are the same as 
those given in the recommendation just preceding. 

To determine the officers to be relieved from detached service or 
those who may be detailed a tickler is recommended in the form of a 
colored signal so placed on the card that the position of the signal 
will designate the month the officer is due either for detached service 
or for duty with his regiment. 

9. It is recommended that the card record of the leaves of absence 

of officers he discontinued. 

The reasons given for the discontinuance of the card record of 
foreign service apply with equal force to this record. By the use of 
colored signals, to serve as a tickler in showing those officers who have 
exceeded the amount of leave to which they are entitled, there will be 
a greater safeguard than the present method affords. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEKAL. 257 

SAVINGS. 

With the adoption of our recommendations, the work of compiling 
can be accomplished by four clerks, leaving four to have general 
supervision and handle such cases and inquiries as can not be an- 
swered readily by an examination of the compiled records. One of 
the four clerks will have charge of the foreigTi service roster and the 
register showing the strength of the Army. 

The salaries of the eight clerks would be as follows: 

1 clerk, class 4, iil cbarge $1, 800 

1 clerk, class 3 1,600 

2 clerks, class 2 2, 800 

3 clerks, class 1 3,600 

1 clerk, at 1,000 

8 employees at a total annual salary expense of 10, 800 

To this salary expense must be added one-third of the salary of a 
chief of the consolidated division, $666.66 per annum, making a 
total annual salary expense of $11,466.66, leaving a net reduction in 
salary cost of $5,533.34 per annum. 

Medical, Division. 

summary of recommendations. 

1. That records in the custody of the Medical Division pertaining 
to volunteer troops, together with such records of the Eegular Army 
not needed in connection with current military affairs, be trans- 
ferred to proposed new file building, and that records pertaining to 
current militarj^ affairs be transferred to the State, War, and Navy 
Building. 

2. That the Medical Division be abolished and its files and work 
transferred to other divisions. 

3. That the medical records, individual medical reports and other 
papers necessary to be consulted in handling cases affecting officers 
and enlisted men in the Regular Army, be transferred to proposed 
new divisions. 

4. That the medical record cards for volunteers be transferred to 
the Regimental Records Division and that these cards be placed in 
the file of military record cards, and that statements of military and 
medical histories be furnished at the same time and by making only 
one examination and search of the records. 

5. That the keeping of the book record of withdrawn cards be dis- 
continued. 

6. That The Adjutant General's Office request the Pension Office 
to use forms similar to those used by the Auditor for the War De- 
partment in requesting reports on military and medical histories. 

72734°— H. Doc. 1252. 62-3 17 



258 KEPOETS OP COMMISSION ON" ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

With the adoption of the foregoing recommendations, the present 
force of employees can be reduced from 23 to 17 clerks, and will 
effect an annual saving in salaries of $10,000. 

1. It is recom/mended that records in the custody of the Medical 
Division pertaining to volunteer troops, together with such rec- 
ords of the Regular Army not needed in connection with current 
military affairs, he transferred to proposed new file building, 
and that records pertaining to current military affairs he trans- 
ferred to the State, War, and Navy Building. 

This division is located in part in the State, War, and Navy 
Building, and in part in the Army Medical Museum. In the former 
building are located the medical record cards for volunteer troops 
and the medical record cards for men in the Regular Army up to 
the year 1884. In the Army Medical Museum are located the med- 
ical record cards of men in the Regular Army from 1884 to 1910, 
together with original medical papers, such as monthly reports of 
sick and wounded, hospital reports, personal papers relating to indi- 
vidual patients, etc. This location of the files is open to the follow- 
ing criticisms : 

{a) The two portions of the division are in widely separated 
buildings, thus necessitating loss of time and heavy expense in 
handling cases. All requests for record information are received at 
the office of the chief of the division in the State, War, and Navy 
Building. Of the total communications received, approximately 50 
per cent are referred to the section in the Army Medical Museum for 
action. If the division were located in one building a large saving 
of time and money would be effected. 

(&) The larger part of the four rooms in the State, War, and Navy 
Building occupied by the Medical Division is filled with the medical 
leeord cards for volunteer troops in the Civil and Mexican Wars. 
These records are used only for furnishing information needed for 
the adjustment of pension claims and for historical purposes. There 
is no justification for filing records of this class in rooms of the State, 
War, and Navy Building, which are urgently needed for office pur- 
poses. These old medical records should be transferred to a fireproof 
file building, as has been recommended in the case of old military 
records. 

Furthermore, these medical record cards for volunteer troops 
should be filed with the military record cards for the same men in 
the Regimental Records Division, as is discussed in a later section 
of this report. 

(<?) The medical records of men now in the Regular Army should 
be filed in the State, War, and Navy Building, as these records are 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFEICE 01'^ THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 259 

consulted in connection with the conduct of current military business. 
All old records pertaining to the Regular Army which do not require 
consultation in connection with current Army affairs should be 
transferred to the fireproof file building, which, in the opinion of the 
commission, should be provided for filing all old War Department 
records. 

It is recommended that such records in the custody of the Medical 
Division as pertain to volunteer troops, together with such records 
for the Regular Army as are no longer needed in connection with 
current military affairs, be transferred to the proposed new file build- 
ing and that such records as pertain to current military affairs be 
transferred to the State, War, and Navy Building. The adoption of 
this recommendation will result in placing in the State, War, and 
Navy Building records pertaining to current military affairs, these 
records occupying no more space than is now occupied by old medical 
records which have nothing to do with the administration of current 
business. 

2. It is reco^nmended that the Medical Division he aholished and its 
files and work transferred to other divisions. 

The present organization of the Medical Division is inconsistent 
wdth the plan on which other divisions of The Adjutant General's 
Office are organized, in that the Medical Division is charged with the 
handling of both the statement of service cases and regular corre- 
spondence cases, including cases concerning men who are now in the 
Regular Army and cases concerning volunteer troops. The assign- 
ing of all communications pertaining to medical histories to one 
division is illogical, in view of the fact that the organization of divi- 
sions furnishing information concerning military histories is based 
upon another plan. In all other instances separate divisions are 
organized for handling the old pension cases and other divisions for 
handling current Army business. 

Of the requests for information acted on by this division, 88 per 
cent are military and medical histories, which are first handled in 
some other division and then rehandled in the Medical Division. 
The maintenance of a separate Medical Division thus makes it neces- 
sary to duplicate the work of receiving, assigning, verifying, dis- 
patching, and recording a large number of cases. If the records and 
work of the Medical Division were transferred to those divisions in 
which the work logically belongs, the unnecessary rehandling of cases 
would be eliminated. The medical-history cases which are handled 
exclusively by this division number 2,000 annually, or approximately 
7 per day. The work incidental to the preparation of reports on 
these cases, such as receiving, assigning, dispatching, etc., is so small 



260 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

that it can be easily handled without any increase in force by the 
divisions to which it is recommended that the files a ad work of the 
Medical Division be transferred. 

The maintenance of a separate Medical Division involves a large 
expense for salaries of clerks performing administrative duties and 
of clerks receiving and assigning cases for action and recording cards 
and records temporarily withdrawn from the files. The following 
men are performing such lines of work : 

1. Manning, J. N. (in charge of division) $1,800 

2. Cash, J. F. (receiving cases addressed to room 363, examining cases, 

and distributing same to searchers and iudorsers) 1,800 

8. Harper, K. N. (in charge of section ; returning withdrawn cards to 

the files; and at times assisting at the receiving desli) 1,600 

4. Blake, L. C. (receiving cases; Issuing same to searchers and keeping 

record of medical cards charged out. Also assisting In searching at 
times. It has been ascertained that 50 per cent of Mr. Blake's time 
is consumed in keeping the records of medical cards charged out)__ 1, 400 

5. Snyder, W. F. (in charge of section at Army Medical Museum) 1,800 

6. Small, C. F. (receiving cases; Issuing cases to searchers; attending 

telephone and examining searchers' reports) 1,600 



Total 10, OOO 

The work performed by these men could be wholly dispensed with 
if the Medical Division were abolished as a separate organization, 
and if the records in its custody and the work connected therewith 
were transferred to other divisions as recommended in following sec- 
tions of this report. The only possible exception to the above state- 
ment is in the case of the work now performed by Mr. Blake in as- 
sisting in searching the records. This work takes not to exceed one- 
half of his time. Allowing for this factor the saving to be effected by 
abolishing this division and transferring its work and files to other 
divisions is equivalent to $9,300 annually. The number and salaries 
of the employees to be retained on such work are indicated in the fol- 
lowing sections containing recommendations for the transfer of the 
files and work of this division to the Enlisted Men's and Officers' 
Divisions and to the Regimental Records and Archives Divisions. 

3. It is recommended that the medical record cards^ individual 
medical reforts^ and other jyapers necessary to he consulted in 
handling cases affecting officers and enlisted men in the Regular 
Army he transferred to frofosed new division. 

A part of the medical records pertaining to the Regular Army 
are filed in the State, War, and Navy Building and a part in the 
Army Medical Museum. The records in the latter building cover 
the period from 1884 to 1910, and are, therefore, the records which 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 261 

are most frequently used in connection with current Army cases. 
The records subsequent to 1910 are temporarily in the Surgeon Gen- 
eral's Office, where they are being used for the compilation of sta- 
tistics. These records will be transferred to The Adjutant General's 
Office for filing as soon as the statistical work in the Surgeon Gen- 
eral's Office is completed. 

Of the 7,200 requests for information concerning medical history 
of officers and men in the Regular Armj^ which are received annu- 
ally in the Medical Division, fully 90 per cent must be referred for 
action to the section of the Medical Division in the Army Medical 
Museum. This involves a large amount of work which would be un- 
necessary if these records were located in the State, War, and Navy 
Building, where all records pertaining to current military affairs 
logically belong. The present practice in handling the cases of men 
in the Regular Army involves the following steps : 

1. Cases sent from the Rolls Division to the receiving desk of the Medical 
Division in room 363 of the State, War, and Navy Building. 

2. The case is sent to the Seventh Street branch for the medical cards, per- 
sonal papers, and a report. 

3. The case is then returned to room 363 in the State, War, and Navy Build- 
ing for a review of the report. 

If these medical records pertaining to men now in the Army were 
filed in the proposed Enlisted Men's Division, together with all other 
records pertaining to enlisted men, a larger amount of time and ex- 
j:)ense w^ould be saved. It would then be necessar}^ in order to give 
a complete military and medical statement for a man to simply 
refer the case from that section of the proposed Enlisted Men's Di- 
vision, which will have the custody of military records, to another 
section of the same division having the custody of medical records. 
In fact, under the method recommended by the commission, one clerk 
v;ould complete the case, thus making it unnecessary to formally 
refer it from one branch to another in order to complete the action 
on the case. 

It is accordingly recommended that the medical record cards, indi- 
vidual medical reports, and other papers, which must be consulted 
in handling cases affecting enlisted men in the Regular Army, be 
transferred to the new division which it is recommended should be 
established by the consolidation of the present Enlisted Men's, Rolls, 
and Recruiting Divisions. Similarl}^ records which must be con- 
sulted in handling the cases of officers now in the Regular Army 
should be transferred to the proposed Officers' Division. The direct 
saving in salaries in the Medical Division to be effected by the adop- 
tion of this recommendation is included with other savings which 
can be effected in this division and which are summarized in a fol- 
lowing section of this report on " Savings." 



262 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

At the present time there are eight men employed at the Seventh 
Street -branch of the Medical Division in the actual work of searching 
records, filing papers, and preparing reports. It is estimated that 
the equivalent of the time of seven men is chargeable to work con- 
nected with current military affairs, as filing, searching records, and 
reporting on cases pertaining to officers and men in the Regular 
Army. Of this work, approximately 2 per cent refers to records 
of officers. This is such a small quantity of work that it may be 
transferred to the proposed Officers' Division without assigning any 
additional men to that division. In order to handle the work on 
eases and records pertaining to enlisted men, it is proposed to trans- 
fer to the reorganized Enlisted Men's Division, seven employees now 
in the Medical Division, as follows: Three clerks of class 2; four 
clerks of class 1. 

4. It is recommended that the m^edical record cards for volwnteers 
he transferred to the Regimental Records Division and that 
these cards he placed in the file of military record cards^ and that 
statements of military and medical histories he furnished at 
the same tim^e and hy making only one examination and search 
of the records. 

The records in the custody of the Medical Division which per- 
tain to volunteer troops consist of medical record cards and of 
original medical records and papers, including monthly reports 
of sick and wounded, records of hospitals, etc. There are 5,943,000 
record cards of volunteers of the Civil and Mexican Wars. These 
form 85 per cent of the records of the Medical Division filed in the 
State, War, and Navy Building. The original records for volun- 
teer troops, such as monthly reports of sick and wounded, are filed 
in the Army Medical Meseum. 

The filing of medical record cards for volunteer troops in the Civil 
War and War with Mexico in good office rooms of the State, War, and 
Navy Building is a misuse of valuable space in that building. These 
records are consulted only in connection with old pension cases 
and requests for historical data. They should be filed in some 
building suitable for the filing of old War Department records. 

The present practice of filing the medical record cards for volun- 
teers in the Medical Division results in making it necessary to 
handle requests for military and medical histories a large number 
of times. These cases are first referred to the Regimental Records 
Division for a statement of the military history and are then referred 
to the Medical Division for the medical history. In order to show 
those steps which are made necessary in order that the medical 
history may be added to the military history, the following list is 
given : 



BUSIIS'ESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 263 

1. The medical personal papers are witlidrawn from the file of military-record 
cards in the Regimental Records Division and placed with the case. 

2. Entry is made on the correspondence-record card (green card) referring 
the case to the Medical Division. 

3. Case is transmitted by five-minute messenger service from Regimental 
Records Division to the medical-card file room of the Medical Division. 

4. Medical cards in case are vidthdrawn from the files, a charge slip being 
inserted therein, and a book record made of the withdrawn cards. 

5. The case is forwarded by the five-minute messenger service to the receiv- 
ing desk of the Medical Division, in room 363. 

6. Case assigned to medical examiners and Indorsers, who examine the case 
as to its completeness and add the medical history to the statement of military- 
history which was made in the Regimental Records Division. 

7. Transferred by five-minute messenger service from desk of examiner and 
indorser to desk of the reviewing clerk. (The examiners and indorsers and 
reviewing clerk are located in room 363 of the Medical Division.) 

8. The case is reviewed by the reviewing clerk of the Medical Division. 

9. Medical cards are returned by the five-minute messenger service to the 
file in room 367. 

10. Medical personal papers are returned to the file in the Regimental Records 
Division. 

The work involved in taking the steps enumerated above is due 
to the illogical practice of filing the medical-record cards separately 
from the military-record cards. The medical-record cards are closely 
related in subject matter to the military-record cards, the two sets 
of cards containing the statements of fact concerning the history of 
men in the volunteer armies. The personal medical papers for vol- 
unteers are filed logically in the file of military-record cards in the 
Eegimental Records Division. The medical-record cards should be 
transferred to that division and placed in the jackets containing the 
military-record cards. This suggested arrangement has been put 
into effect in the case of the militarj^ and medical record cards for 
volunteers in the Spanish War and the Philippine insurrection, which 
records are filed in the Tenth Street branch. 

The only reasons which have been ascertained for the present prac- 
tice of filing separately the military and the medical-record cards 
of Civil War volunteers are the fact that these record cards were 
originally in the Surgeon General's office and the claim that it is 
desirable to have the medical histories furnished by men who are 
assigned exclusively to this work and are therefore specialists in it. 

No consideration need be here given to the first reason for the 
separate file. Concerning the second reason, it has been ascertained 
upon examination of the medical-record cards that they are so lim- 
ited in their scope and the cards for different men are sufficiently 
similar to enable a clerk to readilj^ acquire such information and 
knowledge as are necessary to the proper interpretation and use of 
these records. The "work of furnishing information from the mili- 
tarv-record cards and medical-record cards is not an involved or 



264 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON" ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

difficult task, and is work which can be learned in a comparatively 
short time. 

It is recommended that the medical-record cards for Yolunteers be 
transferred to the Kegimental Records Division, and that these cards 
be placed in the file of military-record cards, and that statements of 
military and medical histories be furnished at the same time and 
by making- only one examination and search of the records. 

The adoption of this recommendation will. eliminate the work now 
performed by the Regimental Records Division in withdrawing the 
medical personal papers from the file, making an entry on the corre- 
spondence record card for the purpose of referring the case to the 
Medical Division, and later refiling the medical personal papers 
upon their return from the Medical Division. In the Medical Divi- 
sion a large amount of work will be eliminated by cutting out (a) 
the work of the receiving clerk in room 363, (b) the work of the re- 
ceiving clerk in room 367, (c) the work of assigning military and 
medical cases to a second set of searchers, who will furnish merely 
that part of the requested information pertaining to the medical 
history, and (d) the work of reviewing separately the statements of 
the medical history and of the military history. The saving in 
salary to be effected by the adoption of this recommendation is in- 
cluded with the savings to be effected by the adoption of certain other 
recommendations made for the Medical Division, and the total 
thereof is stated in a following section on " Savings." 

The original military records which pertain to Volunteer troops 
should be transferred from the Medical Division to the Archives 
Division. These medical records should be kept intact as a separate 
section of the files in the Archives Division. The medical records 
which pertain to men, organizations, hospitals, and posts formerly 
connected with the Regular Army, but which records are no longer 
needed in the handling of cases pertaining to current Army business, 
should be transferred to the Archives Division. These old medical 
records should constitute a separate section of the files in the Archives 
Division. Included with the records last mentioned are the duplicate 
papers and all other papers and records of discontinued posts and 
hospitals, which are not necessary to handling individual cases. 

At the present time there are nine clerks devoting their full time 
and one clerk devoting one-half time to searching records, preparing 
and reviewing statements of medical history in that portion of the 
Medical Division located in the State, War, and Navy Building. 
These men devote nearly all of their time to handling cases pertain- 
ing to Volunteer troops. With the adoption of the recommendations 
for the consolidation of files, the more extensive use of printed forms, 
and the assignment of a number of cases to a searcher at a time, it 
will be possible to perform the work now done by these clerks with a 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GEJSTEKAL. 265 

smaller force. It is recommended that the nine clerks be trans- 
ferred to the Regimental Records Division and that any further 
reduction in force be made after the consolidation of the files has 
been made. Of these clerks four receive a salary of $1,600, three a 
salary of $1,400, and two a salary of $1,200. 

The original medical records to be transferred to the Archives 
Division are consulted principally in connection with the preparation 
of medical histories of Volunteer troops in the Civil War. These 
records are searched by any one of the eight searchers assigned to the 
Seventh Street branch, but it is estimated that not to exceed one 
man's time is required for this work. It is accordingly recommended 
that one clerk of class 2 be transferred to the Archives Division to 
handle the work on the medical records. 

5, It is recommended that the keeping of the hook record of with- 

drawn cards he discontinued. 

At present the Medical Division keeps a book record of each card 
withdrawn from the file, in addition to inserting a charge card in the 
file. The book record shows for each card withdrawn the case num- 
ber, the surname of the soldier or officer, and card number. When 
the cards are returned to the files the entries in the book are canceled 
by making a check mark. The work of keeping the book record 
consumes one-half of the time of a $1,400 clerk. 

The keeping of the book record of withdrawn cards is a wholly 
Linnecessary duplication, since the charge card inserted in the file 
shows all necessary facts. 

It is recommended that the keeping of the book record of with- 
drawn cards be discontinued. The adoption of this recommendation 
will effect an annual saving of approximately $700, which is included 
in the summary of savings. 

6. It is recommended that The Adjutant GeneraVs Office request the 

Pension Office to use forms similar to those used hy the Auditor 
for the War Department in requesting reports on military and 
medical histories. 

Under the present practice printed forms are used by the Auditor 
for the War Department in requesting reports on military and med- 
ical histories. The data furnished by the Medical Division in re- 
sponse to these requests are indorsed upon the form used in making 
the request. This practice should be extended so as to include similar 
requests received from the Pension Office. This would greatly facili- 
tate the work involved in furnishing statements to the Pension Office, 
and would effect a considerable saving over the method now in vogue, 



266 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

which necessitates the use of a separate form in making a reply to a 
request from the Commissioner of Pensions. The present method 
makes it necessary to handle a second sheet of paper, on which must 
be entered the name, organization, and other data, the purpose of 
which is merely to identify the case and which is simply copied from 
the form received from the Pension Office. 

Five-minute messenger service. — The extreme extent to which the 
five-minute messenger service has been utilized in the movement of 
papers within a division is illustrated by the practice of moving papers 
from one desk to another in room 363 of the Medical Division. In 
this room are located the receiving clerk and several examiners and 
indorsers. Cases frequently pass over the desks of several of these 
men, and in moving a case from one desk to another within this 
room the five-minute messenger service is utilized. In other words, 
if Mr. Cash, the receiving clerk, wishes to assign a case to one of 
the several examiners or indorsers whose desks are located a few 
feet from his own, he folds up the papers in the case and inserts them 
in the mail jacket, which is placed in a box to be collected and carried 
a few feet to the adjoining desk by the five-minute messenger. 

This method of moving cases is perhaps a logical one, so long as 
it is the policy of the office to assign and act upon cases one at a 
time. Any such utilization of the five-minute messenger service 
will, however, become wholly unnecessary upon the adoption of the 
commission's recommendation to assign a number of cases to a clerk 
at one time. The cases should be delivered to the clerk to whom 
assigned by the official or emploj^ee making the assignments or by 
the room messenger. 

SAVINGS. 

The adoption of the recommendations for the abolishment of this 
division and for the transfer of its files and work to other divisions 
will effect an annual saving in salaries of $9,300 through the release 
of three clerks of class 4, two clerks of class 3, and one-half of the 
time of a clerk of class 2. These clerks are now engaged in per- 
forming administrative duties and work incidental to receiving and 
dispatching cases, 90 per cent of which is unnecessary work. 

In addition to the direct savings in salaries to be effected by con- 
solidating this division with other divisions, there will be further 
savings to be gained by the more extensive use of printed forms, by 
assigning a larger number of cases to a searcher at one time, and by 
other recommended changes in office methods. These additional 
savings will be a considerable sum, the amount of which can not 
be definitely ascertained, but it is believed it will amount to not 
less than $1,000. Assuming that it will amount to $700 (or one-half 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 267 

of the salary of the clerk of class 2 mentioned in the preceding para- 
graph) , the total annual savings to be effected in the Medical Division 
will amount to $10,000. The force required for handling the work 
connected with medical records will be reduced from 23 to 17. 

The number and salaries of the employees to be retained on Avork 
connected with medical records are indicated in preceding sections 
containing recommendations for the transfer of files and work to 
other divisions of the office. 

Regimental Records Division, 
summary of recommendations. 

It is recommended: 

1. That this division, with all records in its custody, be trans- 
ferred from the State, War, and Navy Building to a suitable fire- 
proof building to be rented for filing old War Department records. 

2. That all military and medical record cards and personal papers 
filed in the Tenth Street branch be transferred to the Regimental 
Records Division, and that all cards and personal papers for Civil 
War Volunteers be placed in one file. 

3. That the medical record cards for Volunteers, which are now 
filed in the Medical Division, be transferred to the Regimental 
Records Division and placed in the file of military record cards. 

4. That the front of the jackets now used for making cross refer- 
ences in the file of military record cards be cut off and retained as 
cross-reference slips, and the backs and flaps of the jackets be thrown 
away. 

5. That the separate file of personal papers be discontinued, and 
the papers be filed with the military record cards. 

6. That printed forms be used so far as practicable in furnish- 
ing information in regular correspondence cases as well as in state- 
ment of service cases. 

7. That the practice of delivering cases to " in box " clerks be 
discontinued and that all work be assigned to clerks by the chief of 
division. 

8. That the work of printing forms, jackets, etc., by use of 
hand type, be transferred to the Administration. Division. 

The adoption of the recommendation for the transfer of this 
division to a new file building will make available 40 rooms in 
the State, War, and Navy Building, of which 36 are well adapted 
for use as offices. The transfer and consolidation of files as here 
recommended will effect large savings in the present Medical Division 
and Tenth Street branch, as stated in detail in the reports for those 
divisions. The more extensive use of printed forms and the adop- 



268 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

tion of new methods of assigning work will effect sufficient savings 
to enable this division to perform an increased amo^mt of work 
per employee. 

LOCATION. 

1. It is recoim/n'hended that this division he transferred to a suitable 
■fireproof building to he rented for fling old War DepartTnent 
records. 

This division occupies 37 rooms on the fourth floor and 3 rooms 
in the basement of the State, War, and Navy Building. Of the rooms 
on the fourth floor 33 have excellent natural light and are in every 
way well adapted for use as offices or for clerical purposes. 

All of these rooms are used for filing either original records of 
former military organizations or the military record cards of men 
fomerly in the military service. None of the records in this division 
pertain to current military business, but have to do exclusively 
with the affairs of organizations and men no longer in the service. 
The file of original records is inactive, being referred to ordinarily 
only on an average of three or four times daily, but during the past 
three months references to these records have been made much 
more frequently, due to the increase in the number of pension cases 
requiring investigation. The file of military record cards is an 
active file. 

The book records are filed on open shelves which have been built 
into the several file rooms and which in most instances occupy to 
advantage the space set apart for this class of records. The military- 
record cards are filed in document files. Standard file cases, each 
of which measures 5 feet 4^ inches wide, 15 inches deep, and 8 feet 6 
inches high, are used for filing these military-record cards. The 
arrangement of the file cases in the rooms is such that a large amount 
of available filing space is not used. The floors of the rooms occupied 
by these cases are sufficiently strong to carry a ver7/ much heavier 
load than the present one. It would have been a simple matter to 
have planned the filing equipment so as to have had at least two 
additional tiers of file boxes in each room. The two upper tiers could 
have then been readily reached by means of a short stepladder, 
similar to that in use in the Medical Division. The plan of two 
more tiers to each file case would have enabled the office to place these 
military-record cards in approximately one-fifth less floor space 
than that now occupied, meaning a saving of 9 or 10 rooms. 

In view of the crowded condition of the State, War, and Navy 
Building, of the high value of space in that building for use in con- 
nection with the conduct of important current business, and in view 
of the further fact that the files in the Eegimental Eecords Division 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 269 

do not pertain to current Army business, there is no justification 
for filing these old records in this building. The location of these 
files in the State, War, and Navy Building is open to criticism not 
only for using too expensive filing space for such records, but also 
for preventing the location in this building of offices the business of 
which is connected with current Army matters. 

It is recommended that this division, with the files in its custody, 
be transferred from the State, War, and Navy Building to some 
fireproof building suitable for filing old military records. In an- 
other section of this report this recommendation is discussed in more 
detail and in connection with the proposed transfer of other files 
from the State, War, and Navy Building. 

The transfer of the Regimental Eecords Division would make 
available in the State, War, and Navy Building 36 rooms which are 
well suited for office purposes and 4 rooms which are suitable for 
file or storage purposes. 

2. It is recommended that all Tnilitary and medical record cards and 
'personal papers fled in the Tenth Street 'branch he transfen'-ed 
to the Regimental Records Division^ and that all cards and per- 
sonal papers for Civil War volunteers he placed in one fie. 

There are several files of records now located in other divisions 
which logically belong in the Regimental Records DivisioUi These 
are discussed in detail in the reports for the divisions in which the 
files are now located. A summary is, however, given here of the 
files which should be transferred to this division : 

1. File of militar}^ record cards of volunteers in the Civil War 
now filed at the Tenth Street branch. These cards are, in fact, a 
portion of the file of the military-record cards now in the custody 
of the Regimental Records Division. The cards at the Tenth Street 
branch are being transferred to the Regimental Records Division 
whenever occasion arises to consult the cards in that branch. As 
pointed out in the report of the Tenth Street branch, this method is 
unsatisfactory and expensive, and the two files should be consoli- 
dated as soon as possible. 

2. File of military-record cards, medical-record cards, and per- 
sonal papers of Volunteers in the Spanish War. These cards are 
now filed at the Tenth Street branch, but logically belong in the 
Regimental Records Division, where most of the corresponding rec- 
ords of A^olunteers in other wars are now filed. 

3. File of military-record cards, medical cards, and personal 
papers of the Volunteers in the Philippine insurrection. These rec- 
ords are now filed in the Tenth Street branch, but logically belong in 
the Regimental Records Division. 



270 REPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

4. File of record cards of soldiers in the War of 1812 which are 
now filed in the Tenth Street branch. 

5. File of military-record cards of officers and men in the Con- 
federate Army. These record cards are now filed in the Tenth Street 
branch, but logically belong in the Regimental Records Division. 

6. The medical-record cards of Volunteers. These cards are now 
filed in the Medical Division, with the exception of those for men 
in the Spanish War and the Philippine insurrection, which are filed 
w;th the military-record cards. The medical-record cards for Vol- 
unteers in all wars should be filed with the military-record cards. 

The reason" given by The Adjutant General's Office for filing 
the records mentioned in Nos. 1 to 4 in the above list in the 
Tenth Street branch is a lack of space for filing these records in the 
State, War, and Navy Building. Presumably the same reason de- 
termined the filing of the records of Confederate Volunteers in the 
Tenth Street branch. The filing of the medical papers in a separate 
division is due to the policy of the office in separating these records 
from the military records. The office has not, however, been con- 
sistent in this policy, since it has filed together the military and 
medical records of Volunteers in the Spanish War and has also filed 
together the two corresponding classes of records for men in the 
Philippine insurrection. 

With the adoption of the commission's recommendation for the 
transfer of all old military records, that is, records having to do 
with organizations and men no longer in the military service, to 
some suitable file building, there will be no longer any reason for 
filing some military record cards in one building and others in 
another. The consolidation of these files and the location of them 
in a compact and well-arranged file will eliminate a very large ele- 
ment of expense now incurred in rehandling cases to a very great 
extent. 

3. It is recommended that the medical record cards for volunteers, 
now filed in the Medical Division, he transferred to the Regi- 
mental Records Division and placed in the file of military record 
cards. 

It is reported that 8,535 requests for military and medical histories 
fire handled annually in the Regimental Records Division. As 
stated in the descriptive report, this division enters the information 
concerning military service on a printed form, if the communica- 
tion is from the Pension Office or from the Auditor for the War De- 
partment's office, and on the record card if the communication 
is from other sources. The Regimental Records Division then with- 
draws from its file of military record cards all papers therein which 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OP THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 271 

have a bearing upon the medical record. It forwards the whole 
case including these withdrawn medical papers, to the Medical Di- 
vision, which then makes a search of its files, and from information 
shown herein, together with the information shown on the papers 
forwarded from the Regimental Records Division, writes its report 
on the medical history. 

This practice requires a reference to two separate files in two 
divisions of the office in order to make a simple statement of mili- 
tary and medical history. The medical history cards are arranged 
in the same way as the military record cards and used for answer- 
ing the same class of questions. A consolidation of the two files 
would mean a search in one place in one file, in place of the double 
searches now made. This would increase slightly the work of the 
Regimental Records Division, the increase consisting of entering 
on a form those facts shown on the medical record cards and the 
medical personal papers, but it would save this division the present 
work of (1) withdrawing medical papers from its file, (2) preparing 
a charge slip for the withdrawn papers, (3) entering a statement 
on the record card to the effect that the medical cards have been 
furnished, (4) forwarding these papers to the medical division, and 
(5) later refiling them upon their return from that division. In the 
Medical Division a considerable saving would be effected, as stated in 
the report for that division. 

It is accordingly recommended that the medical record cards for 
volunteers be transferred from the Medical Division to the Regi- 
mental Records Division and filed with the military record cards. 

4. It is recommended that the flap and hack of jacTiets now used for 
making cross references in the files of the military -record cards 
he cut off and retained as cross-reference slips and the hacks 
and flaps he thrown away. 

The file of military-record cards contains a large number of file 
jackets which are used for making cross references. In the descrip- 
tive report it is stated that in some of the file boxes over one-third 
of the jackets are used merely for indicating cross references. These 
jackets are made of cardboard and are in the form of an oblong 
envelope with a flap practically as wide as the envelope itself. This 
means that three thicknesses of cardboard are used for the purpose 
of making a cross reference, whereas a thin slip of paper should be 
used for such purposes. 

Criticism of this practice has been made orally in the Regimental 
Records Division, and it has been suggested by an official of that 
office that a great saving in filing space could be effected hj cutting 



272 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

the flap and back off of these jackets, thus leaving merely the front 
of the jacket, with the record thereon, as a cross reference. This 
plan would save two-thirds of the present space occupied by these 
cross-reference file jackets, and seems the best one to adopt, as it 
avoids the clerical work necessary for preparing new cross-reference 
slips. The space saved by this change would be sufficient for the 
accommodation of the military-record cards of Volunteers in the 
Civil War, which are now filed in the Tenth Street branch, and of 
the personal papers contained in the separate file, as discussed in a 
previous section of this report. 

It is recommended that the flap and the back of the jackets now 
used for cross-reference purposes in the files of the military-record 
cards be cut off, thus leaving the front of the jacket as the cross- 
reference slip. The initial cost of effecting this improvement will 
be small, as the work of cutting off the front of the jackets can be 
performed rapidly by employees of The Adjutant General's Office 
who can be temporarily assigned to this work. This work should, 
however, be carried out promptly. A saving in space occupied by 
files will be effected through gaining sufficient file space to contain 
the personal papers now in a separate file and the military-record 
cards of Civil War Volunteers now filed in the Tenth Street branch. 

5. It is recommended that the file of personal papers he discontinued, 
and that the papers he filed loith the military record^ cards. 

The present method of filing personal papers causes an unneces- 
sary amount of work in procuring information therefrom. At the 
time of the preparation of the descriptive report there was a separate 
file containing 1,550 file boxes of personal papers, while approxi- 
mately 150 boxes of papers have been transferred from this file to 
the file of the military record cards. All personal papers belong in 
the latter file, the plan being to have the personal papers filed with 
the military record cards for each man. With the personal papers 
filed in the military record card file, but one search need to be made 
in order to procure information from these two classes of records. 
With the personal papers in a separate file, however, it becomes neces- 
sary to take the following steps in making a search of the records : 

(a) A search must be made in tlie military record card file. 

(&) The case must be placed in the mail jacket and forwarded to another 
room. 

(e) A search must be made in the file of personal papers. 

{cl) The personal papers are examined and any pertinent information copied 
therefrom. 

(e) The personal papers are then filed. 

(/) The case is then placed in a mail jacket and returned to the military 
record card file. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFEICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 273 

If the two files were consolidated the personal papers would ])o 
examined at the same time as the military record cards, step (a) in 
above list, and steps (5) to (/) would be eliminated. 

The present policy of the division is to transfer personal papers 
from the sej)arate file to the file of military record cards whenever 
employees are not needed on their current work and can be spared 
for making the transfer. In view of the fact that only 150 out of 
1,700 boxes of personal papers have been transferred to the file of 
military record cards during the 20 years that this division has been 
in existence it is seen that this policy is not successful. 

It is recommended that the personal papers of volunteers in the 
Civil War, which are now in a separate file, be transferred to the 
file containing the military record cards. 

The adoption of this recommendation will eliminate the expense 
now incurred in the unnecessary handling of cases as described above 
and will eliminate a large part of the work of the $1,800 clerk who is 
in charge of the file of the personal papers. The initial cost of mak- 
ing this transfer will not be gTeat, since the records in the two files 
are arranged on the same basis. 

6. If is recommended that printed forms he used when practicable 
in furnishing information in regular correspondence as well as 
in stateinent-of -service cases. 

The communications received in the Regimental Records Division 
and requiring action by that division consist of two main classes, 
when considered from the standpoint of methods of recording. Com- 
munications received from Members of Congress, Comptroller of the 
Treasury, Civil Service Commission, State officials, associations and 
societies, and from several other sources, are considered as " regular 
correspondence cases " and are recorded on the white record card. 
The other class of cases consists principally of requests for informa- 
tion received from the Pension Office and from the Auditor for the 
War Department. This latter class of cases is known as " statement- 
of -service cases," which are recorded on the green record card. 

Regular correspondence cases are received in the Regimental Rec- 
ords Division either directly from the Mail and Record Division or 
from some division, as Correspondence and Examining, to which the 
case was originally sent from Mail and Record. Cases in this class 
are referred directly from the Mail and Record Division or from any 
other division first handling the case to any one of nine " in-box sta- 
tions " in the Regimental Records Division. The purpose of this 
procedure is to send the case directly to that section of the files con- 
taining the records bearing ujjon the case. The in-box clerk enters 
such information as is pertinent to the case upon the white record 
72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 18 



274 KEPOETS 0¥ OOMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND BFFICIENCY. 

card accompanying the communication. The case is then forwarded 
to some other division, as Correspondence and Examining, for the 
preparation of the reply. This method results in a duplication of 
work, since the information is first copied upon a record card and 
later transcribed to a letter sheet by the division preparing the reply. 

The descriptive report shows that 21,193 regular correspondence 
cases are received annually in the Eegimental Eecords Division. In 
each of these cases the requested information is entered by the Regi- 
mental Eecords Division upon the record card and is later copied 
from the record card to a letter sheet by some other division. 

In order to eliminate this duplication of work, it is recommended 
that printed forms be used so far as practicable in furnishing in- 
formation from the records in reply to those cases which are now 
classed as " regular correspondence cases." The adoption of this 
recommendation would cause no additional work for the Mail and 
Record Division and would eliminate a large amount of work now 
performed in the Correspondence and Examining Division and other 
divisions in preparing a second statement of the case by copying 
the information from the record card. 

7. It is recommended that the practice of delivering cases to in-hox 
clerks he discontinued and that all work he assigned to clerks hy 
the chief of division. 

As has been stated, cases recorded in the regular correspondence 
file are received directly by some one of the in-box clerks. The 
statement of service cases, on the contrary, are all received in the 
office of the Chief of the Eegimental Eecords Division. Cases of this 
latter class are then assigned by the chief of the division to " general 
searchers," or if the general searchers are busy the cases are assigned 
to in-box clerks. 

From a study of conditions under which the in-box clerks work, 
it is believed that they can handle a materially smaller number of 
cases per day than the general searchers. One reason for the larger 
number of cases handled by the general searchers, is that each 
searcher receives a number of cases for search at one time, whereas 
the in-box clerk receives one or more cases at a time, according to 
the number which may happen to be forwarded by the five-minute 
messenger service to the in-box clerk from some other division. 
The in-box clerk also files medical papers returned from the Medi- 
cal Division and assigns cases returned from the Tenth Street branch 
with cards requested from the branch; these two duties will be 
eliminated if the recommendations for the consolidation of files are 
adopted. Moreover, the in-box clerk must devote some time to 
watching his desk in order to ascertain whether any cases have been 
delivered by the five-minute messenger service. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OP THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 275 

There is no valid reason for handling the two classes oi cases by 
different, methods. The use of two different methods of assigning 
cases reduces the quantity of work which can be produced daily by 
the division, and the only advantage in the present system is that 
it enables the division to iixunediately dispose of any congressional 
cases which may be referred to the in-box clerk. 

It is recommended that the practice of assigning clerks to in-box 
stations be discontinued and that the in-box clerks be assigned to 
work in the same way as the general searchers. It is also recom- 
mended that all cases requesting information from the records be 
sent directly to the chief of division's office, and that a number of 
cases be assigned at one time to a single clerk. It is desirable to 
assign, when feasible, a sufficient number of cases to a clerk to keep 
him occupied for several hours or a half day, thus eliminating 
present waste of time due to a large number of searchers receiving 
only a few cases at a time. 

With the adoption of more efficient methods of assigning work 
the amount of work performed by this division can be materially 
increased. 

8. It is recommended that the work of printing forms, jackets, 
etc., l>y use of hand type he transferred to the AdmAnistration 
Division. 

The Eegimental Eecords Division is an archives or file division, 
and it is illogical to assign to such a division a clerk engaged in print- 
ing, by use of hand type, forms, envelopes, and mail jackets for all 
divisions of the office. All mechanical work of this nature which is 
performed for the office as a whole should be brought together in 
some one central division or section. With such work as the use of 
hand type, the u^e of addressing machines, photostats, etc., brought 
together into one general service section, it becomes possible to utilize 
the tim.e of the employees engaged in such work to better advantage 
than if work of this class is scattered among different divisions. 
Moreover, the printing work of the kind now done in the Eegimental 
Eecords Division should not be assigned to a $1,400 clerk. 

It is recommended that the work of printing, by use of hand type, 
formes, envelopes, and mail jackets, be transferred to the Administra- 
tion Division; that the $1,400 clerk be assigned to more important 
work, and that this printing work be assigned to a lower-salaried 
employee, $720 per annum being as high a salary as this class of 
work justifies. This recommendation will effect an annual saving of 
$1,400 in the Eegimental Eecords Division and a net saving for the 
whole office of $680. 



276 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 
KECORDING COMMUNICATIONS. 

The adoption of the commission's recommendation which is made 
in another portion of this report for the discontinuance of re- 
cording correspondence will affect the Regimental Records Division 
in so far as that division is now entering information on the record 
card. The great majority of communications handled in this division 
are of such a nature that printed forms can be used in connection 
therewith for the preparation of the reply. In these cases no diffi- 
culty will be experienced through the elimination of the record card. 
In other cases where a printed form of reply can not be used, it will 
be necessary for The Adjutant General's Office to devise a form of 
work sheet or record sheet to accompany the communications and on 
which the searchers will enter such information as is necessary for 
the handling of the case. This work sheet should be of the standard 
letter size, 8 by 10^ inches. If there are papers in the case to be filed 
in the correspondence file, this work sheet will be filed with them; 
otherwise it will be destroyed. 

PERSONNEL. 

At the time of the preparation of the descriptive report this divi- 
sion had 26 employees and a salary roll of $36,600. The recommenda- 
tions here made will reduce the number of employees required to 
produce the quantity of work heretofore performed in this division. 
But the transfer to the Regimental Records Division of work now 
performed in other divisions will necessarily increase the force 
needed in this division, although effecting net saving for the office 
as a whole. It is accordingly recommended that the present force 
in the Regimental Records Division be retained and that the pro- 
posed saving in clerical services be utilized in performing some of 
the increased volume of work resulting from the recommended trans- 
fers to this division. 

SAVINGS. 

The most important saving to be effected in this division is in the 
matter of space occupied for filing old military records. The trans- 
fer of these records to a less expensive building will effect an indi- 
rect mone}'^ saving and permit the valuable space in the State, War, 
and Navy Building to be utilized for more important work. Ex- 
tensive savings in the cost of work now done in the Tenth Street 
branch, the Medical Division, and Correspondence and Examining 
Division will be effected by recommendations made jointly in this 
report and in the reports for those divisions. The amount of these 
savings is stated in the latter reports. Additional savings will be 
effected by consolidating the file of personal papers with the file of 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 277 

military record cards and by assigning the work of printing forms, 
etc., by use of rubber type, to an employee in the Administration Di- 
vision receiving not to exceed $720. For the Regimental Records 
Division a saving in salaries of $1,400 is effected. 

Archives Division, 
summary of recommendations. 

It is recommended : 

1. That the division and files in its custody be transferred from the 
State, War, and Navy Building to a fireproof file building. 

2. That the files of Confederate prisoner-of-war records be con- 
solidated. 

3. That the use of printed forms in preparing statements of mili- 
tary histories be extended. 

4. That the present organization of the division into sections be 
abandoned. 

With the adoption of the foregoing recommendations the present 
force of employees can be reduced to 17 clerks, with a total annual 
salary expense of $24,400, thereby saving $3,400 per annum. 

1. It is Tecomtnended that the division and the files in its custody he 
transferred from the State^ War, and Navy Building to a fire- 
proof file huilding. 

The files in the custody of this division, as has been pointed out in 
the descriptive report, contain original records of discontinued mili- 
tary commands and other old records, none of which pertain to 
current military affairs. Records such as are filed in the Archives 
Division should not be placed in rooms having such a desirable loca- 
tion as those on the fourth and fifth floors of the State, War, and 
Navy Building. This space is altogether too valuable to be used for 
filing original records which are, comparatively speaking, used but 
little. 

It is recommended that this division be transferred from the State, 
War, and Navy Building to a fireproof building where the cost of 
storage would be less than in the State, War, and Navy Building. 
The transfer of this section from the State, War, and Navy Building 
will release 26 rooms and portions of 6 other rooms ; 12 of the former 
and 1 of the latter are suitable for office or clerical purposes. More 
detailed recommendations for the location of the files in The Adju- 
tant General's Office are presented elsewhere in this report. 

Not only is a large part of the files of the Archives Division 
located in rooms which should be utilized for more important pur- 
poses, but the files are also widely separated and are in part located in 



278 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

rooms containing" files of other divisions. Ten rooms in the State, 
War, and Navy Building are occupied in part by the Archives Divi- 
sion and in part by other divisions of The Adjutant General's Office. 
Such a division of room space is illogical and tends to loss of time 
and confusion of work whenever the records located in these rooms 
are consulted. 

The practice of leaving military records in unopened packing 
cases is unbusinesslike and open to criticism. These cases should 
be opened as soon as received, an inventory taken of their contents, 
and the records properly sorted, labeled, and filed. One reason ad- 
vanced for the failure to unpack and file these records is the lack of 
filing space in the State, War, and Navy Building. This obstacle 
will be removed if the recommendation of the commission for the 
transfer of all military records in the Archives Division to a file 
building is adopted. 

2. It is recommended that a consolidation of files of Confederate 

prisoner-of-war records he made. 

With respect to the Confederate prisoner-of-war records, it is 
recommended that all of these records should be filed in one building 
instead of at present, being filed partly in the State, War, and Navy 
Building and partly in the building occupied by the Seventeenth 
Street branch. The consolidation of these files should be made re- 
gardless of whether the commission's general recommendations for 
rearrangement of all files is adopted or not. At the present time it 
becomes necessary for Mr. Thompson, the $1,800 clerk in charge of 
the prisoner-of-war records in the State, War, and Navy Building, 
to visit at least once a day and frequently more often the files in the 
Seventeenth Street branch. This not only involves a loss of Mr. 
Thompson's time but it also means that while he is away from his 
post in the State, War, and Navy Building, some one of the " general 
utility" men must be assigned to Mr. Thompson's desk. With the 
files of the prisoner-of-war records located in one place, it would 
be unnecessary to utilize the services of a " general utility " man 
at this desk. Such a change would effect a saving of $300 or $400 
annually. 

3. It is recommended that printed forms he used in preparing miM- 

tary histot'ies of officers and men. 

The Archives Division furnishes information from the records in 
its custody in answer to requests which are first handled in some 
other division of The Adjutant General's office. The information 
furnished by the Archives Division is entered upon the correspond- 
ence record card accompanying each case. Of the cases handled 



BUSII^ESS METHODS OP OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL, 279 

annually in this divisiom, approximately 4,000 are classified as 
"statement of service cases" and 14,000 as regular correspondence 
cases. Approximately three- fourths of the latter cases request infor- 
mation concerning the militar}^ histories of officers and men. The 
subject matter of these cases therefore is the same as the subject 
matter of the statement of service cases. 

As has been stated in other portions of this report, it is unneces- 
sary to prepare record cards for any communications requesting 
information concerning military histories. The use of the record 
card in connection with these cases not only involves unnecessary 
expense in the Mail and Record Division in connection with the 
preparation of the record card, but further unnecessary expense is 
incurred in entering information on the record cards and subse- 
quently copying this information from the record card onto a 
letterhead which is to be sent out as the reply. The Archives Divi- 
sion, as well as other divisons furnishing this information, should 
enter its information concerning military history directly onto a 
printed form which will constitute the reply to the incoming request. 

It is accordingly recommended that printed forms be used in con- 
nection with all cases involving military histories wJiether now 
recorded as statement of service cases or as regular correspondence 
cases. This recommendation will make but slight changes in the 
work of the Archives Division, but will eliminate a large amount 
of work now performed by the Correspondence and Examining 
Division and other divisions in copymg information entered on the 
record card by the Archives Division. 

4. It is recommended that the organization of the division into sec- 
tions he abandoned. 

The Archives Division is organized into the following subdivi- 
sions : 

1. Office of chief of division. 

2. Discontinued commands section. 

3. Enrollment section. 

4. Prisoner-of-war records section. 

5. Confederate archives section. 

Communications are received by each of these sections directly 
from other divisions of The Adjutant General's Office which may 
find it necessary to forward cases to the Archives Division. As the 
amount of work in progress in the several sections may vary greatly 
in quantity, it has been found desirable to designate four employees 
as " general utility " men who may be assigned to any section, the 
work of which is unusually heavy. The assistant to the chief of the 
division acts as a general utility man and the other three men so 
used are members of the discontinued commands section. 



280 REPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

In view of the small amount of work per capita performed in this 
division, and in view of the hirge labor cost involved in handling 
cases in this division, it is evident that the present organization and 
administrative polic}?^ are unsatisfactory. The representatives of 
this commission were convinced from their observations in this di- 
vision that a large amount of time was lost as a result of waiting 
for cases to be received for action. This division has been furnished 
with sufficient men to dispose of the work promptly and with no ac- 
cumulation even during the exceptional periods when the work is 
unusually heavy. Furthermore, the organization is not sufficiently 
elastic to meet successfully and without loss of time the varying 
quantities of work to be performed in each of the several sections. 
In order to utilize the time and services of the trained employees of 
this division to the best advantage, it is necessary to have a more 
elastic organization which can be more readily adapted to the varying 
needs of the division. 

Another factor which tends to increase the unit cost of work per- 
formed in this division is the present plan of assigning clerks of 
class 4 to act as chiefs of the discontinued commands section and the 
Confederate archives section. The former section has nine employees, 
including the chief of the section, and the latter section has six em- 
ployees, including the chief. In view of the fact that these are 
small sections and that only a small number of cases are received 
daily for action, it appears to be a faulty scheme of organization to 
iissign high-priced men to have supervision over such small work 
units. As stated in the descriptive report, this division handled 
approximately 18,000 communications annually, or a daily average 
of only 60 cases for the division as a whole, or a daily average of 
between 3 and 4 cases for each employee of the division. 

One of the reasons for the present organization and present prac- 
tice of recei'^'ing cases directly in the section which is to take action 
thereon is to save time in completing action on cases. The prime 
consideration which has determined organization and work methods 
is the desire to complete action on cases in the shortest possible time. 
This is particularly true of congressional cases. Other important 
factors have been disregarded in the effort to complete a case 
promptly. 

In view of the facts here stated, it is recommended that the pres- 
ent organization of the Archives Division into distinct sections be 
abandoned, and that the positions of clerks in charge of sections be 
eliminated. In place of the present organization it is proposed that 
the chief of division and his assistant directly supervise and assign 
the work of the employees in this division. In view of the fact that 
this division contains a very large number of original records which 
vary greatly in character and arrangement, it is considered desirable 



BUSINESS METHODS OP OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 281 

to continue in part the present practice of assigning certain men to 
particular portions of the file, in order that these men may become 
specialists. This specialization of the work, however, should not be 
carried out to the degree to which it now exists. The number of 
men assigned to the records of discontinued commands could safely 
be reduced from nine to five, or possibly less, while the number of men 
who are regularly assigned to the Confederate archives could be safely 
reduced from six to three. The general-utility men will be avail- 
able to assist on work connected with either of these two classes of 
records or on work connected with the enrollment records, as occa- 
sion may require. The work on the other classes of records is so 
small as to seldom, if ever, require the assistance of the general- 
utility men. 

With respect to the method of assigning cases for search, it is 
recommended that all cases be received in the office of the chief of the 
division and by him assigned to the men who are to search the records. 
This will enable the chief of the division to supervise and control the 
amount of work to be performed by each man, thus insuring the dis- 
tribution of work to the best advantage. It will also enable him to so 
divide the work that there will be little or no loss of time on the part 
of the searchers, since each man can be given a number of cases at 
one time. This method will not increase the number of times the 
case is handled, but will transfer the assigning of cases from £he chief 
of a section to the chief of the division. 

With the elimination of the section chiefs and the increase in 
number of general utility men, the organization will become much 
more elastic and able to produce a large quantity of work with a 
decided decrease in cost. This proposed method will save at least 
the time of the two clerks acting as chiefs of the discontinued com- 
mands section and the Confederate archives section. 

SAVINGS. 

There are now 19 employees in this division, with salaries aggre- 
gating $27,800 per annum. With the adoption of our recommenda- 
tions this force can be reduced to — 

1 chief of division $2, 000 

2 clerlvs, class 4 3.600 

4 clerlvS, class 3 6,400 

4 clerks, class 2 5, 600 

4 clerks, class 1 4,800 

2 clerks, at $1,000 2, 000 

17 emplos^ees. at a total annual salary expense of 24, 400 

a reduction in force of 2 persons and in salary cost of $3,400 per 
annum. 



282 KEPOETS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EPPIOIENCY. 

The transfer of this division to a fireproof file building will re- 
lease 26 rooms and portions of 6 other rooms, 13 of which are suitable 
for office or clerical purposes. 

Tenth Street Branch, 
summary of recommendations. 

It is recommended : 

1. That the old Ford Theater Building and annex be vacated on 
account of being unsafe and ill adapted to the needs of the office. 

2. That the Tenth Street branch be discontinued as a separate 
organization. 

3. That the printing section be discontinued and that all printing 
for The Adjutant General's Office be performed at the Government 
Printing Office. 

4. That the identity section be transferred to the State, War, and 
Navy Building. 

5. That the finger-print records of men with good records and of 
men with bad records be filed in separate sections of the file, and that 
only the latter records be searched in cases of reenlistment. 

6. That the identity section discontinue recording assignments to 
military organizations on the identity records. 

7. That the present method of advertising deserters from the Army 
be discontinued and that a printed form having the description of 
the deserter inserted thereon be sent to a restricted and selected list 
of persons and places. 

8. That the review of the reports of the identity section by the 
Administration Division be discontinued. 

9. That all military record cards and personal papers be trans- 
ferred to the Regimental Records Division. 

10. That the military record cards for Civil War volunteers be 
transferred to Regimental Records Division and consolidated with 
the file of similar cards in that division. 

11. That printed forms be used, as far as practicable, in furnishing 
information from military card records for men in the Confederate 
Armies. 

12. That a temporary division be organized for the completion of 
the carding of Confederate Army records. 

With the adoption of the foregoing recommendations the present 
force of 124 employees, with salaries aggregating $153,000 per an- 
num, can be reduced to 96 employees, with an aggregate annual 
salary expense of $118,800, thereby saving $34,200 per annum in 
between the reduction in salary expense for printing, $11,600, and the 
between the reduction in salary expense for printing, $11,600 and the 
estimated net saving, considering all elements of costs, of $10,000. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 283 

The saving in printing, supplies, etc.. to he effected on the adoption 
of our recommendation regarding the descriptive circulars of de- 
serters will be $26,800 for The Adjutant General's Office and $15,000 
for the Surgeon General's Office, making a total saving in this branch 
for The Adjutant General's Office of $59,400 and for the War De- 
partment of $74,400 per annum. 

1. It is recommended that the old Ford Theater Building and a7inex 
he vacated on account of being unsafe and ill adapted to the 
needs of the office. 

This recommendation is based on a consideration of adaptability 
of the building to its present use and its condition with respect to 
fire risks, electric wiring, general sanitary condition, plumbing, and 
lighting. Each of these subjects is discussed in detail in the follow- 
ing pages. 

No estimate of the saving to be effected by the adoption of this 
recommendation is made, since the expense of operating and main- 
taining this building is considered as an offsetting item to the 
expense of operating the proposed new file building. 

Location. — The Tenth Street branch occupies the old Ford Theater 
Building and an adjoining building located at 509 Tenth Street 
NW. This branch is far removed from the State, War, and Navy 
Building, which contains the offices with which the business of 
the Tenth Street branch is principally conducted. 

The Tenth Street buildings are used for housing several separate 
branches of work which, with the exception of the printing work, 
are not related to each other, but are closely connected with work 
being conducted at the State, War, and Navy Building. One result 
of this housing plan is a very heavy clerical cost, caused by the 
rehandling of cases and by their movement between the branch and 
the main building. 

The buildings are poorly suited to their present use, not being 
strong enough for files and being unsafe and unfit from a sanitary 
standpoint for occupancy by clerks. In fact, no reason has been 
advanced in support of the present use of the Ford Theater Building 
other than the fact that the building is owned by the Government. 
The building is of historic interest on account of being located on the 
site of the old theater building in which President Lincoln was 
assassinated. The whole of the present structure, with the exception 
of a portion of the front wall, has been rebuilt since the time of 
President Lincoln's assassination. 

Fire risks. — At the request of the commission the District Com- 
missioners detailed Mr. P. W. Nicholson, fire marshal, to make an 
inspection and report on the Ford Theater Building and annex as 
to the condition of the building from the standpoint of fire risks. 



284 EEPOETS OF COMMISSIOlSr ON ECONOMY AND EPPICIBNCY. 

In view of the opinion of the fire marshal that the building in its 
present condition is unsafe for occupancy by clerks and for storing 
the records at the present time stored in this building, which are of 
great value to the Government and some of which could not be 
duplicated, it is recommended that this building be abandoned and 
the records moved to a modern fireproof structure or that steps be 
taken at once to remodel and newly equip this building with a view 
to protecting the clerks and records from fire. The report of the fire 
marshal is as follows : 

October 9. 1912. 
Frank J. Wagner, 

Chief Engineer District of Columhia Fire Department. 

Sir : In compliance with tiie request of Mr. M. O. Chance, secretary to the 
President's Commission on Economy and Efficiency, I visited and made an 
examination of the old Ford's Theater Building and annex, located on Tenth 
between E and F Streets NW., and occupied by the Tenth Street branch of The 
Adjutant General's office, to ascertain what protection is alforded the occupants 
in case of fire. 

I have the honor to state that this branch of The Adjutant General's office 
occupies premises 511 Tenth Street, which is the main building ; also an annex, 
No. 509 Tenth Street. Both buildings are three-story brick structures. 

The annex is simply an old dwelling house now being used for office pur- 
poses; the first floor is used as a printing office, the second floor for clerical 
purposes, and the third floor photo work. This building is built of combustible 
material, with only one wood stairway. 

The main building is an old brick building with concrete arches on the two 
upper floors, but has large openings in floor between the two upper floors. 
The first floor is taken up entirely with wood file cases, filled with office records, 
all of which is highly combustible material. There is a small printing estab- 
lishment in an adjoining room of first floor. The second and third floors are 
occupied by the clerical force. There is quite a number of wood file cases 
filled with combustible records on these two floors, especially on the third floor. 
In these file cases in every record there is a celluloid film photograph which is 
kept in connection with the records. These films are highly inflammable and 
readily ignite. The use of the first floor for the storage of such a large amount 
of combustible material and the placing of the clerical force on the upper 
floors I deem improper, for the reason that in case of fire on the first floor it 
would be difficult for the clerical force to escape, especially so when quite a 
number of them are past the middle age of life. A separate building or 
compartment, built of fireproof material, should be provided for the storage of 
the file cases and their records. On each fioor of main building there is a 
small room, used principally as toilets. There is' a standpipe with about 50 
feet of 2i-inch unlined linen hose, and in the annex on third floor is a stand- 
pipe with about 100 feet of unlined linen hose. Upon testing this hose I found 
the valves leaking and the hose in what I deem poor condition ; being unlined, 
the water oozed through the pores of the hose, thus retarding the pressure of 
water. The streams of water were fair, but not sufficient to reach from one 
end of the building to the other. The hose where they were lapped in the 
racks were almost worn through, and did leak in some places, and showed 
plainly that they have not been taken from the racks in a long time. This hose 
should be rubber lined and proper care taken to prevent dry rot and mildew- 



BUSI^STESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEKAL. 285 

ing. The electric wiring through the buildings is bad and liable to cause a 
fire at any time, and should be replaced with piped wiring. Hand grenades 
were found in the buildings, but, in my estimation, of little value in case of 
fire. The doorways or openings between the two buildings should be provided 
with metal-lined self-closing doors. A few coats of paint would prevent the 
two fire escapes on east wall from decay. There is an iron stairway in the 
main building, but in an open hallway, and should be inclosed in fireproof 
walls. In fact, these two buildings are very old and. in my opinion, unfit and 
unsafe for its present use, and should be torn down and a modern fireproof 
building provided. The attic is constructed of wood, and in case of a fire 
would quickly spread all through these buildings. The windows leading to the 
fire escapes are so high that it is with difficulty that a person could get to the 
escape, radiators in front of windows blocking egress to fire escape. These 
obstructions should be removed and stationary steps provided. 

I have the honor to further recommend that a suitable number of fire extin- 
guishers be provided for each fioor, the 3-gallon dump kind preferred. In case 
of fire in any part of the buildings these extinguishers can easily be carried to 
the scene of the fire. In the present case the hose provides protection a cer- 
tain distance, but if not handled by an experienced person would be useless. 
Very respectfully, 

(Signed) P. W. Nicholson, 

Fire Marshal. 

Electric wiring. — At the request of the commission, the assistant 
electrical engineer of the District was detailed to make an inspec- 
tion of the electric wiring and equipment of the Ford Theater Build- 
ing. His report is as follows : 

In response to your request, the assistant electrical engineer made an in- 
spection of the electrical equipment in the old Ford Theater Building on 
Tenth Street, this city, in company with members of your commission. 

The defects therein are too numerous to mention in detail, but the general 
conditions may be summed up as follows : 

There is a large amount of open wiring, there are wires run in wooden 
molding, long and dangerous cord extensions, open fuse devices, bare wires, 
circuits very much overloaded and overfused, and many other defects. 

It is the opinion of this department that the building should be immediately 
rewired with rigid conduit in the basement, and rigid conduit, flexible con- 
duit, or metal molding for all wires in floors above the basement where not 
concealed. All the existing fittings should be replaced with fittings of an 
approved design, and all circuits should be reduced to 660 watts or 12 outlets, 
properly fused and controlled with approved switches. 

Were such conditions as exist in this building found in any private building 
in the District of Columbia, the entire installation would be condemned as de- 
fective and 'dangerous. 

General sanitary conditions. — At the request of this commission, 
an inspector detailed by the health officer of the District of Columbia 
made an inspection of the Tenth Street branch. The inspector's re- 
port states that the walls, ceilings, stairways, and landings were 
unclean and dusty; that foul conditions were found in some of the 
toilets ; that the building is inadequately ventilated ; that the natural 
light is insufficient; and that five employees are regularly working 



286 KEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

in a large toilet room, containing three water-closets, fovir wash-^ 
bowls, and a slop sink. The full report is as follows : 

Dr. Wm. C Woodward, 

Healih Officer, District of Golumhia. 

Sir : I have the honor to present the following special report relative to the 
inspection of the Ford Building, 509-515 Tenth Street NW., commonly known 
as the " Old Ford's Theater " : 

This is a three-story brick building; with attic and basement, of old-style 
architecture and construction. 

Basement. — The basement contains an engine room, furnace room, and 
machine room. It is provided with three doors and two windows, all opening 
on diminutive areaways covered by iron gratings, by which fairly good 
lighting and ventilation are had. No appreciable dampness is noticeable 
in the basement, except in a small areaway between this building and the one 
adjoining on the north, the result of the absence of sunlight and free circula- 
tion of air. The basement room contains one sink and water-closet, both of 
which are in fairly good condition. There is a narrow stairway leading from 
the basement to the first floor, through which a considerable quantity of heated 
air and dust passes to the floors above, being quite noticeable even on the third 
floor. This is evidently due to the draft occasioned by the light court which 
extends to the top of the building. The dust is quite in evidence upon the files 
and type cases on the first floor, and also upon the walls and ceiling. 

First floor. — The floor dimensions of the room on the first floor are approxi- 
mately 104 feet by 65 feet, and the ceiling height is 13 feet 4 inches. The room 
is provided with one door 5 feet 7 inches by 11 feet, with a transom, which is 
not used, and one door 7 feet by 3 feet, without a transom ; also four weighted 
windows, 5 feet by 8 feet 10 inches, and four windows 5 feet 6 inches by 8 
feet 10 inches each, the tops of which can be opened. This is used as a file 
room, and eight men are employed in it. In the toilet room adjoining, five men 
are employed on printing presses. This room is provided with three windows 
and one door, but is very dark and contains the following fixtures : Three water- 
closets, automatically fiushed, four washbowls with combined trap, and one slop 
sink. The floor around the closet bowls is covered with sheet iron, which, 
at the time of inspection, was in a foul condition. The entire first fioor is 
continually lighted during working hours by artificial means. 

Second floor. — The floor dimensions of the large room on the second floor are 
103 feet 10 inches by 65 feet. The ceiling height is 16 feet. There are 11 
weighted windows 3 feet 4 inches by 8 feet and 1 door 10 feet by 3 feet 8 inches, 
with a transom that is not used. Fifty male and four female employees perform 
their clerical duties in this room. I found two rows of file cases placed in front 
of the south windows, the clerical force being placed in the middle of the room, 
behind the same. Notwithstanding the fact that at the time of my inspection the 
sun shone brightly, this entire floor, with the exception of the west row of desks, 
was necessarily artificially lighted. The walls and ceiling of the room were 
unclean, and that portion of the wall where the coats, hats, etc., belonging to the 
female employees are hung was temporarily covered with paper in order that 
a clean surface might be had. The desks in use are of old style, cloth covered, 
and not in good repair. The drinking water is contained in wooden (metal 
lined) coolers, the waste running through a copper-lined funnel into a bucket 
inclosed within a wooden cabinet. These buckets are, apparently, emptied at 
irregular intervals, and the fioors around the same are generally damp and 
unclean. Adjoining this room, leading through a vestibuled entrance, is the 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 287 

toilet room, used also as a cloakroom by the male employees. This room is 
provided with 4 windows, 2 not weighted and 2 which open lengthwise. There 
are 8 stationary washstands and 3 urinals in the room, all provided with a 
combined trap. The urinal slates are foul. There are also in this room seven 
automatically flushed water-closets and one slop sink, all in fairly good sani- 
tary condition. One of the water-closet compartments is used for storing char 
supplies and appliances. (Note: The female employees on this floor are pro- 
vided with a toilet in the annex to the building, 509 Tenth Street. The fixtures 
therein are good, but there is not proper ventilation.) 

Third floor. — The third-floor office room is 103 feet 10 inches long by 65 feet 
wide, with an average ceiling height of approximately 18 feet. There are 11 
windows, size 3 feet 4 inches by 8 feet; also a skylight. Sixty persons are 
employed in this room, and it is artificially lighted. The walls and ceiling are 
unclean. The same conditions exist regarding the supply of drinking water 
as are noted above under remarks concerning the second floor. There is a 
vestibule leading from this room to the toilet room, which is provided with 
three windows that are not weighted. There are 8 washstands and 1 urinal, 
all connected with a combined trap. At the time of inspection the urinal 
slate was foul. There are 7 water-closets in the room, and each has an iron 
cover, the enamel on wh'ch is scaling. The closet bowls were not wholly 
clean. There is also one slop sink, which was unclean. 

Attic floor. — The attic floor is covered with dust and old paper. There is 
one louver in the east gable and one small circular window in the west gable. 
The heated air from the furnace room in the basement was quite noticeable in 
the attic as well as on the third floor. The skylights are so constructed that 
they can not be used for ventilation purposes. 

Heating and ventilation. — This building is heated by a steam plant located in 
the basement. Ventilation is only such as is provided by the windows and 
doors. 

Building as a ivliole. — The stairways and landings were unclean and dusty. 
The heating plant was not in use, and I was unable at the time of my inspec- 
tion to determine the adequacy of it. The structural condition of this building 
is not good, and it is maintained in an unclean condition. In my judgment the 
building is inadequately ventilated and is not supplied with sufficient natural 
light. I again call attention to the fact that men are employed at printing 
presses located in a toilet room, and that without proper ventilation. 

Annex. — The annex to this building (509 Tenth Street NW.) is of the ordi- 
nary house type, and though the walls are unclean and in need of repair, yet 
the building is fairly well fitted for the purpose for which it is used. 
Respectfully, 

(Signed) J. Frank Butts, Inspector. 

The commission requested the Bureau of Chemistry to make a bac- 
teriological examination of the drinldng water in the Ford Theater 
Building and annex. The report is as follows : 

I am sending you herewith the results of the bacteriological examination of 
water samples collected from water coolers from the Ford Theater offices of 
the War Department. The results of the examination show the water coolers 
in the chief clerk's office and the rear cooler on the second floor to be badly 
contaminated from filth. The cooler in the photographic room is also of a 
suspicious nature. All of the waste cans show decided filth. In no case do any 
of the coolers show as good results as did either the hydrant water or the ice 
used in the coolers. Perhaps some of the large numbers of organisms may be 



288 KEPOETS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

attributed to the cans used for filling the coolers, as the wash water from these 
cans showed a high bacterial content, but this count can not be wholly depended 
upon because the cans had been exposed without cover for some time. 



Results of the bacteriological exa-mination of water samples collected from 
water coolers in Ford Theater Building {War Department). 

[Carleton Bates, Analyst.] 



Number of bacteria per 
cubic centimeter after 
48 hours' incubation 
at— 


Presumptive B . 
coli present in 
bile fermenta- 
tion. 


Source of sample. 


25° C. 


.37° C. 


4 

10 

1,100 

1,700,000 

300 

151,000 

400 

70 

80 

420,000 

20 

107, 000 

70 

211,000 

400 

17 

2,200 


2 

4 

50 

1,500,000 

150 

122, 000 

100 

-10 

11 

57,000 

20 

92,000 

40 

119,000 

140 

20 

2,900 


None in 10 c. c 

do 


Ice used in coolers. 
Hydrant water used. 
Cooler, chief clerk's office. 
Waste can, chief clerk's office. 
Cooler, second floor front. 
Waste can, second floor front. 
Cooler, second floor rear. 
Cooler, photo room. 
Cooler, third floor front. 
Waste can, third floor front. 
Cooler, third floor rear. 
Waste, third floor rear. 
Cooler, type set room. 
Waste can, type set room. 
Cooler, boiler room. 
Water from filter. 
Wash water in can used for 
filling coolers. 


1 c. c 


0.001c. c 


None in 10 c. e 

1 c. c 


do 


5 e. c 


None in 10 c. c 

5 c. c 


None in 10 c. c 

1 c. c 


None in 10 c. c 

0.01 e. c 


None in 10 c. c 

do 


.... do 





October 7, 1912. 

Attention is invited to the fact that the employees of this build- 
ing are absent on sick leave a larger percentage of their time than 
are the employees in the State, War, and Navy Building. The Adju- 
tant General's Office was requested to furnish a statement showing 
the percentage of time employees of The Adjutant General's Office 
in the Tenth Street building and those in the State, War, and Navy 
Building were absent on sick leave during the past three years. This 
report shows that in 1909 the percentage of time absent on sick leave 
m the Tenth Street branch was 2.8 as against 2.2 in the State, War, 
and Navy Building; in 1910, 3 as against 2.1; and 1911, 3 as 
against 2.1. 

Plumbing. — The commission requested the Commissioners of the 
District of Columbia to detail an inspector of plumbing to cooperate 
with representatives from this commission in inspecting the plumb- 
ing of the Tenth Street branch. It was the opinion of the plumbing 
inspector, as will be seen from his report, which is here quoted in 
full, that if this building was the property of an individual or private 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 289 

corporation and a complaint was made to the District authorities 
they would require a complete remodeling and replacing oi plumbing- 
fixtures in this building. He further stated that the Avooden floors 
and wooden closet inclosures in this building should not be allowed 
iji a public building where so many persons are employed. 

j.Memorandum of inspection of plumbing at Ford's Theater, Oct. 1, 1912. Inspection 
requested by telephone same date.] 

MAIN BUILDING. 

First floor {printing office). — Battery of tliree straight hopper water-ciosets 
all connected on a single air-loclj trap of the general latrine type with air 
release. Cast-iron tank for automatic flushing of closets. This water-closet 
inclosure opens directly into the printing office, where people are employed, 
instead of being in a separate toilet room with exterior light and ventilation. 
The urinal in this room is not in use, and I am informed that the outlet has 
been plugged with cement, which is not gas tight. Battery of four wash basins 
without individual traps or vents, but connected into the general water-closet 
trap. The lead waste exceeds 20 feet in length and is all fouling surface. 
Cast-iron slop sink without visible trap or vent, possibly connected into the 
general water-closet trap ; if so, it is 4-inch waste line with fouling surface ex- 
ceeding 20 feet in length. This whole line is apparently airbound, and water 
backs up in slop sink every time water-closet is flushed. 

Second floor (toilet and cloaJc room). — Seven water-closets and eight lava- 
tories, same as in first floor printing oflice mentioned above. Slate urinal 
not in best of condition and with low vent. 

Third floor (toilet). — Seven straight hopper water-closets flushed by single 
chain-pull tanks. Closets are individually trapped, but not vented. Eight 
wash basins without either trap or vent allowing sewer air to enter this room 
freely. 

Third floor (flremen's locker room). — Sink and bathtub not tropped or vented, 
but the waste is connected to cesspool in center of floor. Water-closet in this 
room has dwarf partition and with no outside light and ventilation. 

SOUTH ANNEX, 

Toji floor (photographer's room). — Sink in dark room trapped and vented, 
but waste discharges over cesspool in first-floor area instead of being directly 
connected with sewer. 

Second floor (ladies' toilet). — One water-closet not vented. The other water- 
closet, no vent necessary, as it is within short distance of center of stack. 

First floor (printing room). — Sink, not trapped or vented, discharges into 
waste line from dark-room sink. 

First floor (toiiet room). — Obsolete type of horn-vented wash-out water- 
closets; urinals and slop-sink traps probably not vented (connections could not 
be traced out). 

GENERAL. 

On account of several openings directly between the soil lines and the interior 
of the building a peppermint or smoke test would be of little value. These 
openings permit sewer air to enter the building freely at all times, and inasmuch 
as evidence indicates that the main soil stack is partially obstructed at the foot, 
it is believed more or less sewer air is forced into the various rooms every time 
72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 19 



290 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

a large fixture is discharged. The long runs of waste pipe between the fixtures 
and the traps have large fouling surfaces and can not be considered sanitary. 
Straight hopper closets or wash-out closets, the latrine method of connecting up 
batteries of closets, horn-vented fixtures, the discharging of fixture waste over 
a cesspool trap, etc., are not considered sanitary, and would not be allowed by 
the District of Columbia regulations. If this building was the property of an 
individual and complaint was made to the District authorities, notice would be 
served upon the owner requiring a more or less complete remodeling and the 
replacing of these obsolete fixtures with fixtures of approved type. The toilet 
rooms in this building have wood floors and wooden water-closet inclosures, 
which should not be allowed in a public building where many persons are em- 
ployed. The number of fixtures is ample for the number of employees. 

Lighting. — ^A report on the lighting system was prepared for the 
commission by an expert detailed for this purpose. The report 
shows that the condition of the electric wiring is, in several respects, 
in violation of the regulations of the District of Columbia and of 
insurance underwriters; that the artificial light in some portions of 
the building is wholly inadequate to the needs ; that the natural light 
is obstructed by the arrangement of the file cases; that a large num- 
ber of lights are burning unnecessarily ; and that the cost of generat- 
ing current is over 60 per cent greater than the cost of current fur- 
nished by the local electric-light company. The full report on the 
lighting conditions is as follows : 

Plant. — This building is lighted by a plant maintained by The Adjutant Gen- 
eral's Office. The equipment consists of two high-pressure, hand-stoked 
boilers; one 2-wire, 110-115-volt, 30-liilowatt, direct-connected Ball engine and 
generator ; and one obsolete type of belt-driven unit. The switchboard is 
equipped with both modern and obsolete instruments, which, ?o far as can be 
determined, have not been calibrated for years and are not given correct read- 
ings. The ammeter at 150 amperes showed excessive heat, and its dial is dis- 
colored and charred. The connections between the generator and the switch- 
board are in wooden moldings. 

Wiring. — Conduits in both open work and moldings are run throughout the 
buildings and were installed about 20 years ago. Each floor is fed directly from 
the switchboard by one set of feeders connected to an exposed panel board and 
then distributed by several switches to fixtures on supporting pillars, with fuse 
cut-outs in canopies. This arrangement is disallowed by the District of Colum- 
bia regulations and by underwriters' rules. Branch circuits are also extended 
from panel circuits, with obsolete cut-outs, to fixtures, which are in most in- 
stances broken, leaving the contact point exposed. The panel boards are in a 
deplorable condition, switches loose, and fused beyond the capacity of the 
circuit. 

The feeders are loosely connected to the panel board on the second floor, and 
the insulation of the wires leading from the panel board to the point at the 
end of the circuit has been removed. This condition is forbidden by the Dis- 
trict regulations and by underwriters' rules. 

First floor. — On the first floor a recent installation has been made on the file 
cases, consisting of 40-watt tungsten lamps, equipped with reflectors not suitable 
for proper distribution of the light. No provision has been made for turning 
ofl: these lights, which are therefore burning constantly and entailing unneces- 
sary expense. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEKAL. 291 

In tlie printing section the illumination is not sufficient, and where extensions 
to the lighting system have been made they have not met the requirements. 
The part of the printing section in the larger building, vphich is installed in 
the same room vs^ith the toilet, has presses operated by a steam engine. This 
section has practically no light. One end of the room is used as a toilet for 
those employed on the first floor. 

Second floor (Ford Theater- Building). — The fixtures consist of brass chande- 
lirs, with four arms secured to them, and are equipped with 16 and 32 candle- 
power lamps, about 9 feet from the floor. The lamps are all of an old style. 
A majority of them are very old and give insufficient light. There are about 
79,081 watts of this character of illumination on this floor, and on very dark 
days the voltage is increased to brighten the lamps. The voltage reading on 
the day of inspection was 114. The toilet on this floor is also used as a cloak- 
room and is very poorly lighted. 

Second floor {Annex Building). — In the room occupied by the clerk in charge 
an old gas flxture has been remodeled with a glass reflector and three 32- 
candlepower lamps ; 360 watts are used. This gives a very poor light. In the 
communicating room a similar condition exists, except that 480 watts are used 
against 360 watts. One 250-watt tungsten lamp with the proper reflector 
would more than be sufficient for either of these rooms. 

Third floor {Ford Theater Building). — There are 16 gas fixtures on this floor 
about 5 feet apart, 8 on each side. They have been remodeled and have 
been equipped with two o2-candlepower lamps. In addition to this equipment, 
drop lights and desk lamps are used. 

Third floor {Annex Building). — This is used as a photostat room. The cir- 
cuit is taken ofl: of the lighting from the top of the chandeliers and bare wire 
is in close contact with the gas fixture. Drop lights in different parts of the 
building were found in bad condition and some were tied around gas fixtures, 
bare conductors being exposed in some cases. 

Arrangement of flUng cases. — The first floor of the Ford Theater Building is 
given almost entirely to flling, and the filing cases are arranged as well as they 
could be with a view to space. Those on the second floor are located on the 
south side of the building, shutting off the best natural light that enters the 
room. If the restrictions for weight did not prevent a proper arrangement of 
the files, these cases should be removed to the north side of the room in the 
place of the open shelves in which are stored envelopes, blanks, and other sup- 
plies, and these supplies should be arranged in the center of the room around 
the railing protecting the wall, the shelving not to be higher than the protecting 
rail. The clerical force should be located in the space occupied by the filing 
cases, thus further reducing the necessity of artificial light. The open shelves 
mentioned above are the receptacles for unnecessary articles and are dirty and 
dusty. The envelopes stored on these shelves are not well arranged, causing 
much waste of space ; some of them are apparently of a character that are not 
now in use, and doubtless if only the necessary envelopes were kept, a much 
smaller space would be required to store them. Owing to the insufficient sup- 
ports, the engineers will not allow the weight to be distributed as suggested, 
which further emphasizes the fact that this building is neither suited for clerical 
occupancy nor for the storage of files. 

Present cost. — At the present time 300 tons of chestnut coal are consumed 
yearly, and during seasons when the heating plant is in operation no live steam 
is used. The cost of the coal is $6.95 a ton. The average load is about 150 
amperes, and based on a seven-hour-day run will total 117 kilowatt hours. The 
force necessary to operate the plant is one engineer and one fireman. The en- 



292 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

gineer, in addition to tlie work connected with the plant, performs work of a 
different character, and in computing the cost of operation $2 is allowed for 
engineer service and $2 for fireman service per day. Oil and other incidentals 
have not been included. The cost for generating current is between 9 and 10 
cents per kilowatt hour. The cost per kilowatt hour of current from the city 
service is 6 cents. 

Method of turning ojf lights. — According to the statement of the engineer and 
electrician, the manner of turning oft the light has been to turn off the engine, 
paying no attention whatever to cut-off switches on the several boards on the 
two floors. This deprives the lighting system of a daily inspection that is es- 
sential to its proper upkeep and protection from deterioration. 

There are many unused lights constantly burning in different portions of the 
building. It was observed on one floor that as many as 16 lights burn con- 
stantly in a section occupied by coat and hat racks, which are only visited 
three times a day — in the morning, at noon, and the hour of departure. On all 
floors occupied by file cases there are a number of lights constantly burning 
which should be switched off when searches are not being made in the files. 

Experiment with new lights. — The commission's representatives made a care- 
ful investigation of lighting conditions in the location where old Confederate 
records are consulted. A 250-watt lamp was placed »in the center of each of 
four rectangular spaces, 13i by 11 J feet, taking the place of the thirty- two 60- 
watt, 16-candlepower carbon lamps (nineteen 20 watts, 512 candlepower). This 
resulted in a reduction of 920 watts and in an increase of 400 candlepower. 
By a similar installation in the rest of this floor of 250 and 150 watt lamps 
and by equipping the flling cases with individual lamps, a corresponding saving 
can be made throughout the room. This also is true on the third floor. 

Conclusions. — If this building is to be occupied it is recommended that the 
use of the present lighting plant be discontinued and that arrangemen's be 
made for the purchase of current from the local company. It is also urged 
that the use of gas be discontinued altogether. If current from the local com- 
pany were used in these buildings, it would be unnecessary at any time to use 
gas, as current would always be available. At the present time, however, the 
dyn.')mos are closed down at 4.30 and the watchmen and any clerks who may 
have overtime woi'k are compelled to use gas. The switchboard should be 
equipped with modern type of recording instruments. On each floor panel 
boards should be installed on improved metal cabinets ; all wiring should be 
run in metal conduits and installed in accordance with the regulations of the 
District of Columbia. 

Each filing section should be equipped with a 25-watt tungsten lamp and 
metal reflector, provided wiih means for turning off each light. In space not 
used for filing, 150-watt lamps with prismatic fixtures should be placed in the 
center of the structural arch. In the toilets 250-watt lamps should be installed, 
so that the rooms will be sufficiently lighted for proper cleaning. In the photo- 
graphic section, suitable outlets for the current used for operating equipment 
should be installed. 

2. It is recommsTided that the Tenth Street branch he discontinued 
as a separate organization. 

As stated in the discussion of office quarters for the Tenth Street 
branch, this organization is merely a group of unrelated work sec- 
tions, and is not based on a logical or efficient system of organiza- 
tion. The work of the several sections is not related, with the excep- 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 293 

tion of the printing and carding sections, of which the former should 
be abolished for reasons subsequently stated. A large part of the 
work of this branch is, however, closely connected with that per- 
formed at the State, War, and Navy Building, and the identity sec- 
tion should be located in that building. 

The present Tenth Street branch exists as an organization unit 
merely as the result of attempting to utilize an old building which 
had been assigned to The Adjutant General's Office. 

With the adoption of the recommendations for the proper housing 
and consolidation of the sections of this branch, it will be abolished 
as a distinct organization, and thus enable the office to assign to 
other work the employees now acting as the administrative officials 
of this branch. 

The saving to be effected by abolishing this branch as a separate 
organization consists of the salari€s of the clerk in charge, his 
assistant, and the record clerk, the first two receiving $1,800 each 
and the last $1,400, a total annual saving of $5,000. 

The maintenance of the Tenth Street branch has resulted in the 
employment of a larger messenger force than would be necessary for 
the organization plan suggested in this report. The reduction which 
msLj be made in the messenger force is discussed in the report on the 
Administration Division, in connection with similar reductions which 
may be made in the messenger force of other divisions. 

The salary of $1,650 paid to the man acting as engineer and super- 
intendent of building is larger than the salaries paid to men acting 
in similar capacities in other and larger Government buildings. It 
is suggested that the engineer be paid a salary of $1,400 and that he, 
the assistant engineer, the fireman, and watchman be employed in 
the proposed new file building. The proposed reduction in the 
engineer's salary is included with the other savings shown for the 
nonclerical force in the report for the Administration Division. 

3. It is recommended that the printing section he discontinued and. 
that all printing for The Adjutant GeneraVs Office he per- 
formed at the Government Printing Office. 

Location. — The printing section occupies three rooms on the first 
floor of the Tenth Street branch. Two of the rooms are used a?^ 
pressrooms and one as a composing or typesetting room. 

Equipment. — The composing room contains the necessary stands, 
cabinets, and type used in the work. It contains also a paper cutter, 
power operated, used in cutting paper stock, cards, etc. 

The pressrooms have six printing presses, two engines, and a 
numbering machine. Two of the presses are cylinder presses and 
four are platen presses. In size and style they are as follows: One 



294 KEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Hoe rotary, 16 by 23 inches ; one Hoe rotary, 26 J by 40^ inches ; two 
Universals, super royal; one Universal, half medium; and one 
Gordon, quarter medium. 

Condition of equifment. — The equipment of the composing room 
is much worn. No new type has been added for many years, and 
of the hundred and odd type fonts in the room many are practically 
useless because they are incomplete. 

The pressroom equipment is old. Some, if not all, of the presses 
were second-hand when purchased for the printing section, and 
they are known to have been in use for 20 or 30 years. 

Personnel. — Ten clerks were employed during the fiscal year 1912 
on the work of the printing section. Their salaries were: One 
clerk at $1,600, four at $1,400 each, three at $1,200 each, and two at 
$1,000. The percentages of their whole time given to the work of 
the printing section were as follows: One clerk, 100 per cent; three 
clerks, 90 per cent each; two clerks, 80 per cent each; and four 
clerks, 50 per cent each. Based on the salaries and percentages, the 
wage cost of the printing section for the fiscal year 1912 was $9,600. 

Purfose. — The section is maintained for the purpose of printing 
the various cards, blanks, checks, envelopes, and other miscellaneous 
matter used in the work of The Adjutant General's Office. 

Control. — As it is a part of The Adjutant General's Office, the 
printing section is under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of War. 
When the act of January 12, 1895, governing the public printing and 
binding was passed, placing various departmental printing offices 
under the control of the Public Printer and making them in effect 
branches of the Government Printing Office, the following proviso 
was inserted in the act : 

Provided, That the terms of this act shall not apply to * * * so much 
of the printing as is necessary to expedite the work of the Record and Pension 
Division of the War Department. * * * 

According to a statement contained in a memorandum prepared 
in The Military Secretary's Office — 

this exception to the law by which all printing offices in the departments were 
to be considered as part of the Government Printing Office and under control 
of the Government Printer was made after a thorough investigation of the 
subject by a special joint committee of both Houses of Congress under concur- 
rent resolution of February 9, 1891. 

The printing section is therefore free of any control outside of the 
War Department, and the employees engaged in the work of print- 
ing are classified as clerks and assigned to the printing section in 
such numbers and at such times as the exigencies of the office demand. 
While occasionally the Government Printing Office may be called 
upon to furnish a few minor articles, such as a roller for a press or 
an electrotype plate for printing, the service is rendered as an 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 295 

accommodation, and there is no official connection between the two 
establishments. 

Character of xoork. — The printing produced in the section may 
be classed as small job work, requiring generally only a small amount 
of typesetting and, in the case of single jobs, being usually contained 
on cards or sheets ranging in size from 3^ by 8 inches to 8^ \)^ 11 
inches. Taken as a whole, the work might properly be divided into 
two classes, the first to contain what are known in The Adjutant 
General's Office as " index " and " record " cards, and the second to 
comprise any other printed matter not properly belonging to the 
first, such as envelopes, penalty cards, time checks, slips, circulars, or 
other miscellaneous matter. 

Index and record cards defined. — These cards are simply what their 
names suggest. In size they are 3^ by 8 inches, and are printed on a 
fair quality of writing paper, so that certain blank spaces may be 
filled in with pen and ink. The " record-index " cards give the mili- 
tary history of the men who took part in the different wars in which 
this country engaged, and the " general-index " cards contain infor- 
mation relating to various matters connected with these wars and are 
used as guides to the whol^ subject. 

Variety of cards used. — The " record-index " cards are prepared 
from the old regimental rolls. A typical card contains, in reference 
to an individual, such information as the name of regiment and com- 
pany, with blank spaces for the entry of such particulars as date of 
enlistment, place of enlistment, by whom enlisted, period for which 
enlisted, when last paid, by whom paid, and to what time. Space is 
provided for the entry of necessary remarks. A short printed para- 
graph near bottom of card gives a brief history of the company, by 
whom commanded, and various facts of interest concerning it. 
Though a variety of cards is required to cover the different regi- 
ments, there is substantial uniformity in the main features, and the 
difference between the printed matter on one card or form and the 
matter on another card is merely the difference in the regimental or 
company number and in the wording of the paragraph giving the 
history of the organization. Including the index and record cards 
and the miscellaneous printing of all kinds, it is estimated that 500 
different blank forms are handled in the printing section. 

Printing during fiscal year. — ^During the fiscal year 1912 the fol- 
lowing blanks, etc.. were printed: 

Miscellaneous printed forms 1, 924, 275 

Index cards 331,250 

Record cards, slips, etc 1,054,240 

Envelopes, jackets, etc 1, 427, 890 

Letterheads 202, 880 

Total 4, 940, 535 



296 EEPOETS OF COMMISSIOlSr ox ECONOMy AND EPFICIENCY. 

General conditions. — Without going into too many details, it may 
be said that the general conditions surrounding the production of 
printed matter in this section are such as Avork against economy and 
efficiency. The condition of the type used is such that much labor is 
wasted in producing results that are not creditable from a mechanical 
point of view, and the general methods pursued in turning out 
printed matter are such as to increase, in some instances by more 
than 100 per cent, the cost of mechanical processes. For instance, 
the printing section is so organized that certain operations cost twice 
as much as the same operations performed for the same department 
in another office, but under different conditions. The War Depart- 
ment, therefore, is paying two prices for the same kind of service, 
one price being twice as much as the other. 

Necessity for change. — In the interests of economj'- and efficiency 
in an important division of Government work the printing section 
of the Tenth Street branch of The Adjutant General's Office should 
be discontinued and the work transferred to the Government Print- 
ing Office. Without extending the illustrations already used to show 
the unnecessary and excessive cost in connection with the work as at 
present performed, it may be said that these unnecessary expenses 
would be wiped out because of the better facilities, methods, and 
organization of the Government Printing Office. To this saving 
should be added the rental value of the space now used to accommo- 
date the Tenth Street printing section. While the change would be 
followed by instant economy in cost, needed improvement in char- 
acter of work produced, reduction or elimination of pay roll in the 
printing section of the Tenth Street branch, it would add compara- 
tively nothing to the expense of operating the Government Printing 
Office, but would be automatically cared for by the existing organiza- 
tion of that establishment. 

Change tvithout inconvenience. — ^Under the heading " Printing 
during fiscal 5^ear " it was shown that 4,940,535 copies of various 
forms were printed during 1912. An examination of 201 samples, 
covering 1,924,275 copies, brought out the fact that they are of 
such character that it is unnecessary to maintain a plant for their 
production. Of these 201 forms, none were printed monthly; 55 
forms (about one-half of 1 per cent) were printed every second 
month; 1^ per cent every third month; 6| per cent every fourth 
month; 27^ per cent every sixth month, and 128 forms (or 64 per 
cent) every twelfth month. As these forms are mostly blanks, slips, 
circulars, or other miscellaneous printing, it is apparent that there is 
nothing in their character or in the frequency of their printing that 
would justify the maintenance of the printing section so far as they 
are concerned. Considered as separate orders, these forms average 
less than one for each day of the working year, and they are easily 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 297 

within the average daily capacity of a single press. Their transfer 
to the Government Printing Office would promote economy without 
interfering in the least degree with anything necessar}' to expedite 
the Avork of The Adjutant General's Office. 

Preventable expense. — Included in the work of the printing sec- 
tion for the past fiscal year were ^ penalty envelopes, military card 
jackets, manila envelopes for general orders, and circulars " to the 
number of 1,427,890, and letterheads to the number of 202,880. 
Even under the most favorable conditions possible in the printing 
section of the Tenth Street branch the printing of penalty and 
manila envelopes can not be economical. In the Government Print- 
ing Office such work would be done at low cost by an automatic 
press, working rapidlj^ In the Tenth Street branch the work is 
done by high-priced labor, employing methods which are, by com- 
parison, extremely slow. 

Because of its nature this work also could be transferred without 
causing embarrassment to the office of The Adjutant General; so 
that, of the entire work of the printing section, omitting all mention 
of the record and index cards, it is easily possible to transfer almost 
72 per cent, secure economy, and cause no inconvenience in the 
administration of the office. 

Most important work. — It is generally understood that the most 
important printing performed in the Tenth Street branch is the 
index and record cards already mentioned, and it may be said that 
the production of these cards constitutes the main reason for the 
existence of the section, despite the fact that they represent only 
28 per cent of the printing done there in the course of a year. A 
careful study of these cards, the method of their preparation and 
printing, and other facts connected with their production shows 
that there is no good reason for maintaining a printing office in 
connection with them. The existence of this separate plant in no 
way hastens the work in which the cards are used, and the transfer 
of the printing to the Government Printing Office could not pos- 
sibly retard that work. Even if printed singly their daily average 
would reach only about 4,600 copies. As the Government Printing 
Office would print 8 or even 16 at a time, the job would represent 
perhaps 30 minutes daily on a single press. From the mechanical 
standpoint there is need of a change. These cards are now being- 
printed from type that is long past use, and it is difficult to see 
how it can be much longer employed for its present purpose. 
Valuable time is spent in trying to make a readable print. The 
character of the work would not justify the purchase of new type, 
even if that were thought desirable. Though the typesetting, or 
composition, of these cards is of the simplest character, it is, owing 
to the limitations of the Tenth Street printing section, done entirely 



298 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

by hand at a cost approximately three times larger than in the 
Government Printing Office, where the composition would be done 
largely on typesetting machines. 

But the disadvantages and the lack of economy in the present sys- 
tem might be overlooked if the transfer recommended would result 
in delaying the work of the office. This, however, can not be. The 
cards are usually prepared and printed from one to six days in ad- 
vance of the time when actually used. Therefore it would be a sim- 
ple matter to order them in advance and to have the proper number 
on hand when needed. So the transfer to the Government Printing 
Office would cause no change in present practice of ordering cards 
and could result in no delay. 

Savings illustrated. — In addition to the sum of $9,600 expended for 
salaries in the printing section of the Tenth Street branch there was 
an outlay for paper stock, envelopes, card jackets, etc. As no cost 
records are kept for the printing section full information regarding 
this outlay could not be obtained. But among the known expendi- 
tures were $1,458.46 for paper, $2,017.94 for t-nvelopes, $721.64 for 
card jackets, and $352 for various items, a total of $4,550.04. For 
the purpose of comparison, the sum covering paper stock, enve- 
lopes, and jackets must be discarded, for, although 1,427,890 enve- 
lopes and jackets were printed, the sum spent on them purchased 
only 723,000, or a little more than half, and the paper purchased rep- 
resents only a portion of that actually used. To arrive at an ap- 
proximately correct figure it would be necessary to almost double the 
sum given above for envelopes and jackets and increase propor 
tionately the sum covering paper. Therefore, omitting doubtful 
figures and using only quantities that are known, we have the follow- 
ing comparison, showing cost of labor, repairs, etc., at the Tenth 
Street branch and cost of same items at Government Printing Office ; 



Item, 


Tenth 
Street 
branch. 


Govern- 
ment Print- 
ing OflQce. 


Saving. 


Per 

cent 

saved. 


Labor, 1912 


$9,600 
352 


%2, 216. 81 


$7,383.19 
352.00 


76.9 
100 






Total 


9,952 


2,216.81 


7,735.19 









1 Included in cost of printing. 

But an additional saving may be shown, because the $2,216.81 here 
given for the Government Printing Office contains an initial expense 
of about $400, which would not be repeated after the first printing. 

If the reported expenditure for envelopes and jackets is considered 
and the sum increased proportionately so as to cover the full number 
printed, applying the same principle of proportionate increase to the 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 299 

cost of paper, the following table would illustrate the relative costs, 
the items marked with an asterisk being based on reported expendi- 
tures during 1912: 



Item. 



Labor, 1912 

Paper 

Supplies and repairs for engines, presses, etc. 
Envelopes and jackets 

Total 



Tenth 
Street 
branch. 



Govern- 
ment Print- 
ing Offlce. 



$9, 600. 00 

* 1, 983. 24 

352. 00 

* 5, 194. 28 



17,129.52 



S2, 210. 81 
1,790.35 

* 4, 259. 31 



8,266.47 



Saving. 



7,383.19 
192. 89 
352. 00 
934. 97 



8,863.05 



Per 

cent 
saved. 



76. C 

9.7 

100.0 

17.9 



1 Included in cost of printing. 

Effect on some items. — Eegarding the penalty envelopes, card 
jackets, etc., as approximately 28 per cent of the total printed matter 
and charging them with 28 per cent of the salaries paid in the print- 
ing section, their cost in labor alone would be $2,688, as against ap- 
proximately $582.70 in the Government Printing Office, a saving of 
$2,105.30, or about 78 per cent. 

Considering the record and index cards, slips, etc., in the same 
way, the cost would be $202.77 in the Government Printing Office, 
as against $2,688 in the Tenth Street branch, a difference of $2,485.23, 
or over 92 per cent in labor cost. In fact the record and index cards 
could be reproduced complete, including composition, presswork, 
stock, etc., for about one-half the estimated cost of labor alone on 
these cards in the Tenth Street branch. 

Proviso in the printing act. — Mention has been made of the pro- 
viso which excepts from the printing act of 1895 " so much of the 
printing as is necessary to expedite the work of the Record and 
Pension Division of the War Department." As the defining of 
such printing must be largely a matter ©f executive judgment, and 
as it has been shown that the work of The Adjutant General's Office 
could not be adversely affected by the transfer of the printing, there 
would seem to be no important obstacle in the way of such transfer. 

Net saving. — Having regard to all the existing conditions and 
making reasonable allowance for a number of economies that would 
necessarily follow the transfer of the printing to the Government 
Printing Office, it is evident that, using figures that are believed to be 
conservative, there would be a net saving of at least $10,000 in the 
present cost of printing, with improved quality of product and with- 
out inconvenience to the service. 

The net saving of $10,000 is based upon an annual labor cost of 
$9,600, as previously stated. This amount was reported to the com- 
mission's representative as the labor cost for the fiscal year 1912. It 



300 REPORTS OF COMMISSION" OX ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

vas found, however, that in August, 1912, when the descriptive report 
for the whole Tenth Street branch was prepared, there were nine men, 
with salaries aggregating $11,600, devoting their entire time to print- 
ing, and one man at $1,400 devoting part time to printing. With the 
labor cost at the larger figure, the net saving would haA^e been 
greater than that stated, but it is the intention to make conservative 
estimates of possible savings, and therefore the figure is given as 
$10,000. 

In considering the number of employees available for transfer 
from the printing section, account is taken of those men who were 
reported as devoting their full time to that section in August, 1912, 
I'.amely : 

1 clerk, class 3 $1,600 

3 clerks, class 2 , 4,200 

4 clerks, class 1 . 4, 800 

1 clerk nt .$1.000 1,000 

9 clerks, with salaries aggregating 11,600 

The gross saving in salaries is thus stated as $11,600, of which it 
is assumed that $1,600 (the difference between the salary roll of 
$11,600 and the net saving of $10,000) is an offsetting item resulting 
from the proposed method of purchasing all printing. In other 
words, it is assumed that in the future the printing bills will be 
increased to the extent of $1,600 of the present salary roll plus the 
former expenditures for printing stock, supplies, and repairs. This 
computation leaves $10,000 of the present salary roll as the net 
saving. 

IDENTITY SECTION. 

4. It is recom/mended that the identity section he transferred to the 
State^ War, and Navy Building. 

As has been stated in the descriptive report, the identity section 
is engaged in classifying, filing, and searching the identification 
records of enlisted men in the Regular Army. This work pertains to 
the administration of current military affairs, and provision must, 
therefore, be made for its prompt and efficient conduct. It is highly 
important that work connected with current military administration 
should be concentrated, so far as possible, at War Department head- 
quarters in the State, War, and Navy Building, and that such work 
should be conducted in office quarters suitable for the prompt and 
proper dispatch of business. 

The identity section is located in the rear of the third floor of the 
old Ford Theater Building, in wholly inadequate quarters, which are 
difficult of access. There is no telephone service provided for the 
chief of this section, so that when he finds it necessary to telephone 



BUSINESS METHODS OP OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 301 

to the headquarters of The Adjutant General's Office in the State, 
War, and Navy Building or whenever the latter office wishes to tele- 
phone to him it is necessary for him to walk the length of the build- 
ing and down a flight of stairs into the office of the clerk in clrarge 
of the branch. 

In connection with the work of this section approximately 15,000.- 
000 circulars and hundreds of thousands of envelopes are used an- 
nually. In the present location of this section it is necessary for this 
large quantity of supplies to be hoisted by block and taclde from the 
ground floor of the Tenth Street branch to the third floor and then 
to be lowered for shipment. Such a crude method of handling sup- 
plies would be unnecessary in a modern building. A further disad- 
vantage of the location is found in the fact that it is necessary for 
a considerable number of communications to be sent daily between 
the State, War, and Navy Building and the identity section. This 
involves a loss of time in handling current Army business. 

It is recommended that this section, with its files, be transferred 
to the State, War, and Navy Building and assigned to rooms where 
the work of this section can be conducted advantageously. The sug- 
gested recommendation of the commission for the transfer from the 
State, War, and Navy Building of the files of old military records 
will make available a large number of rooms, some of which ma}^ 
be set apart for the identity section. The location of this section in 
the State, War, and Navy Building and in rooms adapted for its 
needs would save considerable amount of the time of the chief of 
this section, of his assistant, and of several employees, who now 
work to disadvantage in being so far removed from the central office 
and without telephone or elevator service. The work of the laborers 
who now hoist the supplies to the indentity section by means of a 
block and tackle would be largelj^ done away with if the recom- 
mendations herewith made were adopted. 

5. It is recommended that the finger-print records of men with good 
records and of men with had records he filed in separate sec- 
tions of the file, and that only the latter records he searched in 
cases of reenlistment. 

One of the most important classes of work of the identity section 
is searching finger-print records to ascertain whether a newly en- 
listed man has performed prior military service. The searching of 
the records consumes on an average the full time of two employees. 

The finger-print records are now arranged in the file according 
to Henry's standard classification. The file, however, is divided into 
several sections, the records of white men being filed separately from 
those of colored men, and the records of honorably discharged sol- 
diers being filed separately from those for other men. The records of 



302 REPORTS OP COMMISSION OK ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

white men exclusive of those honorably discharged form the largest 
section of the file and constitute the great majority of all finger-print 
records in the office. The present method of filing the records pro- 
duces subdivisions some of which contain a large number of records, 
the average number being 150 records to each subdivision. Whenever 
a search of the file is made, it is necessary to examine all finger-print 
records in the subdivision which is being searched. It is evident that 
further subdivision of the files would enable the searchers to perform 
their work much more quickly, since each search would require the 
examination of a smaller number of records. 

It is therefore recommended that the file of finger-print records be 
divided into two additional sections, one for the records of those men 
who have not been found guilty of being deserters, criminals, or de- 
linquents, and the other section for the records of those men who have 
been found guilty of desertion, crime, or some delinquency. Such a 
division of the file would, in the opinion of the chief of the identity 
section, greatly facilitate the search of the finger-print records. With 
the file thus divided, the searcher would first examine the finger-print 
records of men who had been charged with desertion or found guilty 
of some other delinquency and would avoid the necessity of examin- 
ing the records of all those men who had not been charged with any 
delinquency. Inasmuch as the file of records of "bad" men would 
contain about one-fifteenth of the total finger-print records, it is ob- 
vious that much time would be saved in ascertaining whether the 
man whose record is under consideration has had any previous record 
of delinquency. If no finger-print record of the recruit is , found 
among the file of soldiers with a record of delinquency, the recruit's 
record would then be placed in the file for men having good records. 
When filing this case, the records of the " good " men could be ex- 
amined to ascertain if by chance the new recruit had had previous 
service in the Army and had never been found guilty of any delin- 
quency. If such a search were made, every contingency would be 
provided for under the suggested method as fully as under the pres- 
ent method. The advantages to be gained by dividing the file into 
two parts are that it would enable the identity section to quickly dis- 
cover whether a recruit or any other man under investigation had had 
a former military service with a record of delinquency. This would 
enable The Adjutant General's Office to advise the recruiting or 
proper ofiicer of such fact in much less time than is possible under 
the present method. 

It is, however, questionable whether it is necessary or desirable to 
search the records of " good men," when filing the finger-print 
records of a newly enlisted man for whom there is no record in the 
file for " bad men." No fact of importance would be ascertained 
from the search of the records of " good men " and the utility of 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 303 

such a search is not evident. Moreover, the present method of search- 
ing finger-print records develops a comparatively small number of 
cases where a record is found on file for the man whose case is being 
investigated. During the fiscal year 1911 there were only 326 cases 
of " discovered identities," or between 1 and 2 per cent of the total 
number of searches made. It is therefore recommended that as a 
general rule no search of the finger-print records of " good men " be 
made in the case of original enlistments. 

The principal part of the work of the searchers is searching the 
records in connection with each original enlistment. During the 
fiscal year 1911 there were 22,444 original enlistments, for each of 
which a search of the finger-print records was made. The searches of 
the finger-print file made in connection with other business, such as 
requests from the Navy and from civil authorities, would not exceed 
2,500 per annum, or about 10 per cent of the total. In connection 
■ ith searches made on account of enlistments, it has been pointed 
out that the separation of " good men " from the " bad men " would 
reduce the work of the searcher so that he would find it necessary to 
examine approximately one-fifteenth of the number of cards which 
he is now forced to examine. 

It is the opinion of the officials with whom this matter was dis- 
cussed that the recommended reduction in work would result in the 
saving of three-fourths of the time which is now spent in searching 
the files. This would represent the saving of approximately $1,800 
per annum without detracting from the efficiency of the work as 
now performed. At the time of the preparation of the report for 
the identity section, one employee at a salary of $1,200 was spending 
his full time in making searches of finger-print records, and part of 
the time of four other employees was also spent upon this work. 

The time spent by the four men last mentioned in searching finger- 
print records varies greatly, but the total of the time so spent by 
them is the equivalent of the full time of one man. 

6. It is recommended that the identity section discontinue recording 
assignments to inilitary organizations on the identity records. 

At the present time the telegram or letter received in The Adjutant 
General's Office announcing a desertion always states the name of 
the deserter, time and place of desertion, the military organization 
to which the man belonged, and the time of enlistment. In all cases 
the time and place of enlistment are shown on the records of the 
identity section. The name of the military organization is entered 
on the jacket containing the photograph and negative of the enlisted 
man and on the finger-print record. For the work of the identity 
section it is desirable that the place, as well as the time, of enlistment 
be given in reporting desertions, since the identity records show 



304 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EEFICIENCY. 

the place and time of enlistment. The name of the military organi- 
zation from which the man deserted would then be of no value to the 
identity section, since their records are not filed by military organi- 
zations. The only use now made of the name of the military organi- 
zation in the identity section is to enable them to determine which 
of several men bearing the same name is the one who has been re- 
ported as a deserter. If the place as well as time of enlistment were 
given, these facts would enable the identity section to determine, 
in all cases, the man reported upon. 

It is recommended that officers reporting desertions be required to 
state the place of enlistment, and that the identity section discon- 
tinue recording assignments to military organizations. These 
changes would result in the saving of the time of one man in the 
identity section who is now engaged in entering military assign- 
ments on the negative jackets and identity records. The man en- 
gaged upon this work receives a salary of $1,200. 

Unless the name of the military organization to which a deserter 
belongs is needed in the rolls or some other division of The Adju- 
tant General's Office, it is recommended that the name of the military 
organization be omitted from telegrams advising The Adjutant 
General's Office of desertions. 

The record of delinquencies or of any other facts pertinent to 
the work of the identity section which is now made on the "nega- 
tive" jacket should be made a matter of record in the file of finger 
prints. This change will be necessary if the recommendation for 
the discontinuance of the descriptive circulars and of the photo- 
graphs is adopted. 

7. It is recommended that the fresent method of circularieing de- 
serters from the Army he discontinued and that a printed form 
having the description of the deserter inserted thereon he sent 
to a restricted list of persot%s and places. 

At the present time it is the practice of the Army to make an out- 
line figure card with front and rear view ; two photographs, profile 
and full face; and take the finger prints of each recruit enlisting in 
the Army. These records and photographs are sent to The Adjutant 
General's Office for filing. If an enlisted man of the Army deserts, 
after a period of 10 days has elapsed he is circularized throughout 
the United States by The Adjutant General's Office. This is done by 
issuing a circular 8 hy 12 inches with a halftone cut of the photo- 
graph of the deserter. The circular offers a reward of $50 for the 
arrest and delivery of the deserter and gives a full description of 
him, with place of enlistment, residence at time of enlistment, and 
the name and address of the soldier's beneficiary. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 305 

The Adjutant General's Office novr has a mailing list of over 1,100 
addresses to which all circulars are mailed. This list contains the 
names of military posts, departments, divisions, etc., and the names 
of United States marshals, the chiefs of police in the principal cities, 
a large number of private detectives, officials of the Department of 
Justice and of the Secret Ser^dce Division of the Treasury Depart- 
ment, and county officers of the counties bounding the home of the 
deserter. In the past three years 36,756,100 of these circulars have 
been sent broadcast over the United States. The practice of issuing 
descriptive circulars of desertion was inaugurated in 1908. 

Purpose of descriftive circulars. — It is claimed by The Adjutant 
General's Office that the issue of circulars has been one cause for the 
reduction in the number of men deserting and also has been a very 
important factor in causing the apprehension of deserters. There is 
no question as to the fact that the number and percentage of deserters, 
have been materially decreased in the past eight years and that the 
percentage of men regained has increased. The percentage of de- 
sertions to the enlisted strength of the Arni}^ has decreased from 
6.8 per cent in 1905 to 2.2 per cent in 1911 and to 3 per cent in 1912. 
The percentage of deserters regained within the year of desertion has 
increased from 14 per cent in 1905 to approximately 28 per cent in 
1912. 

Effect of circulars on desertions. — It is difficult to ascertain accu- 
rately the factors which have been responsible for the decrease in 
the number of desertions. It is apparent that Army officers have 
in recent years had a clearer realization of the importance of adopt- 
ing every possible measure for reducing the number of desertions. 
The practice of issuing descriptive circulars is but one of the meas- 
ures taken for reducing desertions and for attempting to apprehend 
a larger number of deserters. 

A corresponding decrease in the number of deserters has also been 
effected in the Navy during the past eight years. Here, again, it is 
impossible to determine accurately just what factors are most largely 
responsible for the improvement. The Navy, however, has never, 
made use of descriptive circulars, so that the improvement in this 
branch of the service is in no way traceable to the use of circulars. 
The percentage of desertions in the Navy has decreased from 7.8 
per cent in 1905 to 3.5 per cent in 1912. The reduction in the Navy 
during this period is fully as great as that in the Army. (The 
Army and Navy figures are computed on somewhat different bases, 
so that they can be utilized only for showing the relative decrease 
in desertion in each branch of the service.) These facts show that 
the reduction in the number of desertions in the Army can not be 
traceable to the practice of issuing descriptive circulars. 

72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 20 



306 EEPOKTS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

As has been stated, the explanation of the reduction in the number 
of desertions can not be stated with certainty. The number and 
percentage of desertions fluctuates from year to year. The per- 
centage of desertions from the Army during the year 1911 was 2.2 
of the total enlisted strength, but the percentage increased slightly 
in 1912 to 3 per cent, and it is highly probable that in 1913 the 
percentage will be considerably higher. It has been ascertained 
that during one day in August, 1912, there were 77 desertions from 
the Army, and the total number of desertions for that month indi- 
cates that the aggregate for the fiscal year 1913 will be considerably 
larger than for the several preceding years. It is thus seen that 
whatever efficacy may be claimed for the descriptive circular in the 
way of reducing desertions is temporarily at least inactive. 

Effect of circulars on apprehension of deserters. — The increase dur- 
ing the years from 1905 to 1912 in the percentage of deserters re- 
gained has been stated. This increase was most marked from 1908 
to 1909, the percentage for the former year being 17 per cent, and 
for the latter year 26 per cent. This gain was probably due in part 
to the issue of the despriptive circulars. As has been stated, these 
circulars were first issued in the latter part of the year 1908, It is 
doubtless true that during the first year of their issue the circulars 
proved of assistance to the local authorities and other persons who 
make arrests of deserters, but after the circulars have been issued in 
large quantities for several years the files containing circulars for 
those men who have not been regained become so bulky that it is no 
longer possible to make use of the circulars. Since the issue of cii'- 
culars was commenced over 15,000 men have deserted from the Army. 
Of these it is estimated that nearly 10,000 have not been apprehended 
or have not surrendered themselves. For each of these deserters 
now at large a descriptive circular is on file in such of the 1,100 offices 
on the mailing list as have considered that the circulars are worth 
filing. In the offices which have kept files of descriptive circulars 
it is evident that the papers can not be so arranged as to be utilized 
in the work of attempting to apprehend deserters. 

It is believed that a number of offices to which circulars are regu- 
larly sent do not consider them of sufficient importance to maintain 
a file. In one instance, which came to the attention of the commis- 
sion's representatives, circulars were returned unopened after having 
been thrown into a lot adjoining the place addressed. It was de- 
veloped upon investigation that requests have been received for the 
discontinuance of these circulars on the ground that they entail con- 
siderable work and that no benefit had been derived from them. 

It is understood that some officers of the Army believe that the 
issuance of these circulars is not justified by the results secured. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 307 

In the Navy the percentage of deserters regained is smaller than 
in the Army, and the percentages show greater fluctuations during the 
past eight years. The figures for the two branches of the service are, 
however, not comparable, as the Army allows only 10 days of absence 
without leave before entering a charge of desertion and the Navy 
allows 3 months. Moreover, allowance should be made for the fact 
that the majority of all deserters from the Navy occur among the 
stokers. 

It is the opinion of several prominent police officials that the cir- 
cular is not a desirable method to be followed in apprehending de- 
serters. One police official stated that the principle was wrong and 
that the method of attempting to put this principle into effect was 
useless. It was his opinion that the great number of deserter cir- 
culars, which are daily sent out, has had the effect of rendering them 
entirely useless, and cited one instance in which his office had re- 
ceived more than TO circulars of deserters in one day. He stated that 
his files were becoming burdensome and that he could not remember 
ever identifying a deserter by one of these circulars. It was the 
opinion of this official that if a small percentage of the money that 
v,^as yearly expended for these circulars was used for the purpose 
of increasing rewards the number of apprehensions would be con- 
siderably larger. 

Mailing list. — The present mailing list, which is used in distribut- 
ing circulars is a matter of as much importance for consideration as 
is any subject connected with the practice of issuing the circulars. 
At the present time there is a regular mailing list containing between 
1,100 and 1,200 names to each of which a copy of each circular or, in 
the case of some offices, a large number of copies of each circular are 
sent. In addition to this regular mailing list a special mailing list 
is prepared for each desertion. The special mailing list includes the 
names of the county officials in the counties near the locality in which 
the deserter formerly lived, or in which the person whom he named 
as his beneficiary lives. This special list also contains the names of 
any places which it is thought might be visited by the man who is 
being circularized. In other words, the special mailing list is pre- 
pared with special reference to those localities in which the deserter 
is most apt to be apprehended. Such benefits as are now obtained 
from the issue of descriptive circulars come without question from 
those mailed to the places on the special mailing list. The practice 
of sending copies of a circular for each of the 3,000 or 4,000 men 
who may desert within a year to each of 1,100 offices is clearly a 
waste of money. 

Recommendations. — In view of the fact that the decrease in the 
percentage of desertions can not be attributed in any material extent 
to the issue of descriptive circulars, and in view of the further fact 



308 EEPOETS OF COMMISSIOX ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

that the circulars have accumulated to such an extent that they 
are of very little or no assistance to officers who may apprehend 
deserters, it is recommended that the issue of them to a large number 
of offices be discontinued. In place of the present practice, it is 
recommended that a carefully selected list of persons be prepared, to 
whom a personal description of each deserter shall be sent. 

Every advantage now gained by the issue of descriptive circulars 
of deserters would be retained by substituting therefor a. printed 
form in which would be entered a personal description of the de- 
serter, place of desertion, and other pertinent data. These forms 
should be sent to a restricted and selected list of persons and places, 
including such as are now entered on the " special " mailing lists, 
together with the names of other persons who might be reasonably 
certain of being able to use the information. Among the latter are 
those detective agencies which make a specialty of apprehending 
deserters. 

The advantages to be gained by substituting this method for the 
present circular method are (a) the avoidance of filling up the files 
of Army posts, city detective offices, and other offices with thousands 
of circulars which are of no value to them; (6) securing greatly in- 
creased attention for such descriptions as are sent out, since they 
will be sent only to those persons who are concerned with the cases; 
and (c) effecting a large saving. 

Savings. — The preparation and distribution of the present circu- 
lars require the full services of eight employees and part of the time 
of two employees of the identity section, and the services of several 
employees detailed to this section from other sections of the Tenth 
Street branch. The time of the detailed employees is equivalent 
to the full time of five men. 

The direct cost to The Adjutant General's Office of preparing 
and issuing the circulars is estimated as follows : 

(1) 1 clerk, class 2, full time $1,400 

3 clerks, class 1, full time 3, 600 

4 clerks at $1,000, full time 4, 000 

5 detailed clerks, full time 5, 400 

14, 400 

(2) Half tones for pictures of deserters 2,500 

(8) Printing descriptive circulars (cost for 1911) 25,103 

(4) Envelopes (estimated at lower price for purchase in 

bulk, $1,856.77, plus estimated cost of printing at 

Tenth Street branch) 2,200 , 

Total 44,203 

In addition to this total the annual cost of the photographs, in- 
cluding the supplies and materials, is estimated at $15,000. This 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 309 

item of cost is paid from the appropriation for the Surgeon Gen- 
eral's Office, which furnished the estimate here used. 

The cost of preparing and issuing the descriptions of deserters here 
recommended would include a small part of the clerical services now 
employed on work connected with descriptive circulars and a small 
amount for supplies. This is evident when it is considered that 
between 4,000 and 5,000 circulars are now sent out for each desertion, 
and that only a small fraction of this number of descriptions should 
be distributed. The clerical work connected with . the preparation 
of the material, the mailing lists, etc., for the personal descriptions 
of deserters would require approximately the full time of one clerk 
of class 2, one of class 1, and two at $1,000, making an aggregate 
salary cost of $4,600. The cost of supplies would depend upon the 
number of names wdiich should be included on the mailing list and 
the number of circulars necessary to send to each address. The esti- 
mated cost of the supplies should include the cost of printing or mul- 
tigraphing copies of such circulars as it may be found necessary to 
issue in considerable quantities. It is believed that $3,000, or some- 
what over one-tenth the present cost of printing and supplies, would 
be a sufficient allowance to make for this item. 

The proposed method will be fully as effective as the present one, 
and will effect an annual saving in The Adjutant General's Office 
of $9,800 in salaries and of $26,800 in printing, half tones, and sup- 
plies, together with an annual saving in the Surgeon General's Office 
of $15,000 in photographic supplies and material, a total direct sav- 
ing for the War Department of approximately $51^600. The total 
saving to the department would be much larger than this because 
of the indirect elements of cost which can not be definitely measured, 
such as the handling by laborers, messengers, mail clerks, recording 
clerks, index clerks, file clerks, and officers of thousands of commu- 
nications annually. The saving to the Post Office Department in 
the handling of from 12,000,000 to 15,000,000 circulars put up into 
approximately 2,000,000 pieces of mail would be a large element of 
saving in addition to that noted for the War Department. 

8. It is recoTYhinended that the review of the reports of the identity 
section hy the Administration Division he discontinued. 

The reports prepared by the identity section on men who are re- 
ported as deserters and on other cases are sent to the Administration 
Division, where they are reviewed before being dispatched from the 
office. As stated in the critical report on the Administration Divi- 
sion, this review of the work of the identity section seems wholly 
unnecessary, and that section should be held responsible for its work, 
just as divisions are generally held responsible for the work per- 



310 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

formed by them. In order to insure the proper performance of the 
M'^ork of the identity section, it is not necessary that its work be 
reviewed in the Administration Division. The recommendation 
made in the critical report of the Administration Division that 
this review work be eliminated, is repeated here. The elimina- 
tion of the Administration Division's review of the identity sec- 
tion's work will simplify and lessen the work of that section. 
Upon the adoption of this recommendation, it will no longer be 
necessary for the identity section to prepare duplicate copies of the 
special mailing list, prepared in connection with each case of deser- 
tion, and of other records. It is estimated that the preparation of 
the duplicate mailing list and other special lists for the Administra- 
tion Division, consumes on an average of more than one hour each 
day for one clerk in the identity section. 

Furthermore, upon the adoption of the commission's recommenda- 
tion for the discontinuance of the record card, it will be unnecessary 
for the identity section to prepare the special form of record card 
now made out in the case of each desertion. 

It is not possible to definitely state the amount to be saved by 
eliminating the Administration Division's review and by arranging 
for the identity section to deal directly with the rolls and other divi- 
sions with which it must cooperate in the preparation of reports on 
deserters. The present methods, however, involve a considerable 
amount of unnecessary handling of cases, and there would be a 
saving in cost and in the time required for the preparation of 
reports. 

Savings in identity section. — The present force in the identity sec- 
tion consists of 20 employees, receiving salaries aggregating $23,600. 
The recommendations for a new arrangement of the finger-print 
records, for discontinuing the recording of the names of military 
organizations, for the adoption of new methods of circularizing de- 
serters, and for the discontinuance of the review of the identity sec- 
tion's work by the Administration Division will effect sufficient sav- 
ings in clerical work to enable the identity section to perform its 
work with the following force: 

1 clerk class 3 $1, 600 

2 clerks class 2 2, 800 

8 clerks class 1 9,600 

2 clerks at $1,000 2,000 

13 clerks, with salaries aggregating 16, 000 

Thus, a saving of seven clerks with total salaries of $7,600 will be 
effected in the identity section. An additional saving of $5,400 in 
salaries and of five men will be effected in the carding sections as the 
result of the reduction in work in the identity section, thus making 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTAISTT GENEKAL. 311 

it no longer necessary for clerks to be detailed from those sections to 
the identity section. This is a total reduction in force of 12 men and 
in salaries of $13,000. 

A further saving to be noted in connection with the identity sec- 
tion is $26,800, on account of decreased requirements for supplies, 
printing, etc., making an aggregate saving to be here recorded of 
$39,800. 

The proposed saving of $15,000 in photographic supplies should be 
taken into consideration in making estimates for appropriations for 
the Surgeon General's Office. 

9. It is recoinTnended that all military record cards and personal 

papers he transferred to the Regimental Records Division. 

There are now filed in the Tenth Street branch all military and 
medical record cards and personal papers for men in the War of 1812, 
Spanish- American War, Philippine insurrection, and in the Confed- 
erate Army, together with a small part of the military record cards 
for volunteers in the Union Army during the Civil War. The corre- 
sponding records for the Revolutionary War, Indian wars, War with 
Mexico, and, in large part, for the Civil War, are filed in the Regi- 
mental Records Division. 

All such records logically belong in that division, both from the 
standpoint of consultation of records and from the standpoint of 
subject matter. Material savings in the time and expense required 
for furnishing information will be effected by placing all record cards 
of volunteer troops in the Regimental Records Division. The largest 
saving will be effected through the transfer and consolidation of the 
record cards for the Civil War Volunteers, which subject is discussed 
in detail in the following section. 

The space occupied by the files to be transferred to the Regimental 
Records Division is stated in Section III, where a recommendation 
is made for the placing of all old military records in a new file 
building to be rented for that purpose. 

10. It is recommjended that the military -record cards for Givil War 

volunteers he transferred to Regimental Records Division andj 
consolidated with the file of similar cards in that division. 

As stated in the descriptive report of this branch, information was 
furnished during the fiscal year 1912 from the records in answer to 
approximately 45,000 requests for information. The records of the 
Tenth Street branch show that over 26,000 of these requests are 
" statement of service " cases requesting information concerning vol- 
unteers who served in the Federal Armies of the Civil War and of 
men who served in the Spanish-American War. 



312 REPOETS OF COMMISSION OX ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

From information furnished by the Eegimental Eecords Division 
and verified by the officials of the Tenth Street branch, it is learned 
that at least nine-tenths of the 26,000 statement of service cases are 
cases relating to men who served in the Civil War and are referred 
from the Regimental Records Division to the Tenth Street branch. 
This practice is now necessary because of the fact that the military- 
record cards for volunteers in the Civil War are filed in part in the 
Regimental Records Division, in the State, War, and Navy Building, 
and in part in the Tenth Street branch. The present practice is to 
send the cards from the Tenth Street branch to the Regimental Rec- 
ords Division whenever the latter division makes a call upon the for- 
mer for information. Such cards as are sent under this practice to 
the Regimental Records Division are permanently filed there. 

The illogical division of the file of military-record cards results in 
a large amount of unnecessary handling of approximately 25,000 
cases per annum. The military-record cards for Federal troops in 
the Civil War now in the Tenth Street branch should be transferred 
to and filed in the Regimental Records Division at once. Sufficient 
space in the files of the Regimental Records Division for filing these 
cards can be procured by adopting the commission's recommendation 
with respect to the cross-reference jackets now used. Moreover, the 
consolidation can be easily effected, as the files in the Regimental Rec- 
ords Division and Tenth Street branch are arranged in exactly the 
same manner. Such a transfer and consolidation of the files of mil- 
itary-record cards would enable the office to furnish the requested in- 
formation from one file, in place of searching the two files as at pres- 
ent. The additional work thrown upon the searchers in the Regi- 
mental Records Division would be very slight and would consist only 
of handling a few additional cards for those men whose military-rec- 
ord cards are now filed at the Tenth Street branch. This additional 
work would not make necessary any increase in the force of the Regi- 
mental Records Division. 

The transfer of the military record cards of the Civil Y/ar to the 
Regimental Records Division would eliminate at least one-half of 
the work now performed by those employees of the Tenth Street 
branch who are engaged in furnishing the statements of service from 
military card records. Eight men were reported as devoting their 
full time to the work of searching, and five as devoting part time. 
It is estimated that this is the equivalent of the full time of 9 men, 
as follows : 

1 clerk, class 3, full time $1,600 

5 clerks, class 1, full time 6, 000 

3 clerks, class 1, full time 3,000 

9 clerks, with salaries aggregating 10. 600 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GEITEEAL. 313 

Tlie consolidation of the files of cards for Civil Vfar volunteers 
will effect an annual saving in the salaries of employees searching 
the files of approximately $4,600, and a reduction in force of four men. 

In addition to this direct saving there would be a large indirect 
saving as the result of the elimination of unnecessary handling of 
approximately 25,000 cases yearly. The extent to which these cases 
are now unnecessarily handled is evident from the follov>^ing list, 
showing the steps now taken in the handling of cases referred from 
the Eegimental Records Division to the Tenth Street branch, but all 
of which would be eliminated upon the consolidation of these files : 

1. Searcher in Regimental Records Division malves an entry upon the green 

record card, as follows : " Tenth Street branch please furnish cards of 
case." 

2. Searcher folds up the communication and inserts it with the green record 

card in mail jacket. 
8. The messenger on the five-minute messenger service collects case and de- 
livers it to the proper place for forwarding to the Tenth Street branch. 

4. Communication is carried by mail wagon, which leaves the State, War, and 

Navy Building at specified times each day, to the Tenth Street branch. 

5. The case is opened, examined, and assigned to the clerk in charge of the 

military card records at the Tenth Street branch. 

6. The case is recorded by the clerk in charge in a record containing the fol- 

lowing facts : 

(a) Date of receipt. 

(6) The serial number of the case. 

(c) Initials of the searcher to whom the case is assigned. (Note: 

It has been the custom in the past to also record the name 
of the soldier concerning whom the information is requested 
and the military organization in which he served. It is now 
proposed to omit this information from the record.) 

(d) The case is assigned to the searcher, who will procure the 

requested information from the record. 

7. The searcher in procuring the requested information performs a number of 

different kinds of work, as follows : 
(a) Opens the case. 
(6) Reads it to ascertain what is called for. 

(c) Goes to the proper section of the files and withdraws therefrom 

the record bearing upon the case. 

(d) Returns to his desk with the record card. 

(e) Enters on the statement of service-record card the fact that 

" The cards furnished herewith." 
(/) Folds up the communications and the accompanying cards, fas- 
tening them together with an elastic band for forwarding to 
the examiner. 

8. The case is reviewed by the examiner to insure that the requests appear 

to be properly complied with. 

9. The examiner folds up the case for transmission to the clerk in charge of 

searching work. 



314 EEPOETS OF COMMISSIOISr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

10. (a) Clerk in charge unfolds and opens up the case. 

{!)) Records in his record the date on which it is sent out from the Tenth 

Street branch, 
(c) Folds up the case again for forwarding to the Regimental Records 

Division. 

11. The case is carried by the mail wagon to the State, War, and Navy 

Building. 

12. The case is delivered by the five-minute messenger service to the searcher 

who originally handled the case in the Regimental Records Division. 

13. The searcher in the Regimental Records Division removes the case from the 

mail jacket and opens it up. 

14. Searcher in Regimental Records Division — 

(a) Examines case. 

(&) Places the cards forwarded from the Tenth Street branch in the 
proper place in the Files and Regimental Records Division. 

It is impossible to estimate the cost of all of these unnecessary steps 
which are now taken in the handling of approximately 25,000 com- 
munications each year. It is evident, however, that considerable 
saving would result from the elimination of this unnecessary work. 

11. It is recommended that printed forms he used^ as far as practi- 
cable, in furnishing information from military card records 
for men in the Confederate Armies. 

Requests for information concerning men who served in the Con- 
federate Armies formed the second largest class of communications 
requesting information from records in the custody of the Tenth 
Street branch. These requests form the larger part of the 16,000 
"correspondence file" cases requiring a search of the files at the 
Tenth Street branch. These cases are received from the Corre- 
spondence and Examining Division, which enters on the white record 
card accompanying the cases a request on the Tenth Street branch to 
furnish information as called for in the communication accompany- 
ing the record card. The Tenth Street branch enters such informa- 
tion as it has on the case upon the record card. If the action at this 
branch completes the case, it is then forwarded to the Correspondence 
and Examining Division for the preparation of a reply, which is 
based upon the statements made by the Tenth Street branch on the 
record card. If additional information must be furnished by some 
other division, the Tenth Street branch forwards the case to that 
division for entering on the record card such information as is con- 
tained in its file. The second division handling the case will also 
enter its information upon the record card and forward the case to 
the Correspondence and Examining Division for the preparation of 
the reply. 

This method of work makes it necessary for the information con- 
tained in the reply to be written twice, first upon the record card, 
and then recast and written by the Correspondence and Examining 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTAN'T GENERAL. 315 

Division in the form of the final reply. An examination of a number 
of these requests for information concerning the service of men in 
the Confederate Armies disclosed the possibility of using a printed 
form for reporting such facts as are a matter of record in the division 
having custody of the files. In cases where the Tenth Street branch 
furnishes all information concerning the military service, no diffi- 
culty would arise in entering the information upon a printed form. 
In the opinion of the officials of the Tenth Street branch a difficulty 
would be encountered, however, in indorsing information on a printed 
form when it was necessary for two or more divisions of The Ad- 
jutant General's Office to supply the information necessary for a 
complete reply. It is believed that this objection applies only to 
requests concerning men who served in military organizations for 
which the record cards have not yet been prepared. Inasmuch as the 
military record cards have been prepared for all Confederate troops 
excepting those furnished by Virginia, it is evident that only a small 
fraction of the total requests would fall into this class of cases. 

It is recommended that a printed form be prepared for use in fur- 
nishing information from the records concerning the military service 
of men in the Confederate Armies. This recommendation is in line 
with the practice long ago adopted by The Adjutant General's Office 
for furnishing information to the Pension Office and the Auditor for 
the War Department concerning military service of men in the Fed- 
eral Armies. In any cases which must be handled by two or more 
divisions, each division could enter such information as it had on the 
printed form and if it was found that the information entered was 
not in proper form for sending out, a new statement could then be 
prepared from the form. This would not entail any work in addi- 
tion to such as is now performed in entering the information on the 
record card. In this connection, it should be noted that a recom- 
mendation in another part of this report will, if adopted, eliminate 
the record cards for communications of this class. 

SAVINGS IN CONNECTION WITH OLD MILITARY KECOEDS. 

With the adoption of these recommendations, it will be possible to 
perform all work connected with these records with the following 
force : 

1 clerk, class 3 — $1, 600 

2 clerks, class 1 2,400 

2 clerks, at $1,000 2,000 

5 clerks with salaries aggregating 6, 000 

This is a saving of $4,600 in salaries and a reduction in force of 
four men. 



316 REPOETS OF COMMISSION OX ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

12. It is recormnended that a temporary division he organized for 
the completion of the carding of Confederate Army records. 

Record cards showing the military and medical history of men in 
the Confederate Army are being prepared in Sections I, II, IV, and 
V of the Tenth Street branch. This work has been in progress for 
several years and, with the force emjoloyed during the past year, it 
is estimated that two years will be required for the completion of the 
work. 

As stated in Section III of this report, the total salary of employees 
reported as devoting the whole or part of their time to carding work 
is $103,400. This includes, however, $6,600 paid to clerks for work 
performed in connection with the descriptive circulars and with 
searching and reporting from records. The carding sections derive 
no benefits from these salaries, and accordingly only that part of 
the force which is regularly employed on carding work is here con- 
sidered. That part of the force which is regularly detailed is con- 
sidered in connection with the work to which detailed. The force 
regularly employed on carding includes the following: 

3 clerks, class 4 $5,400 

8 clerks, class 3 12,800 

10 clerks, class 2 14,000 

88 clerks, class 1 45,600 

19 clerks, at $1,000 19,000 

78 clerks with salaries aggregating 96, 800 

Since the work to be performed by this force is wholly distinct 
from that of other divisions, it is recommended that this force be 
organized as a separate division. 

Recapitulation of savings for the entire Tenth Street branch. 

Abolishment of branch as a separate organization $5, 000 

Transfer of printing work 10, 000 

Changes in identity section 13, 000 

Changes in methods of furnishing information from mili- 
tary records 4,600 

Total savings in salary expense 32, 600 

Printing descriptive circulars 26, 800 

Total savings for The Adjutant General's Office 59, 400 

Materials for descriptive circulars furnished by the Sur- 
geon General's Office 15,000 

Total savings for the War Department 74, 400 



BUSINESS METHODS OP OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 317 

Seventeenth Steeet Branch, 
summary of recommendations. 

It is recommended : 

1. That the building occupied by the Seventeenth Street branch, 
situated at 610 Seventeenth Street NW., be vacated at the expiration 
of present lease. 

2. That the branch be discontinued as a distinct organization. 

3. That the Confederate prisoner-of-war records be transferred to 
the Archives Division. 

4. That the duplicate military records be placed in the custody of 
the Archives Division. 

5. That the work of repairing mutilated documents and records 
be transferred to the Archives Division. 

6. That the rebinding of book records be transferred to the Gov^ 
ernment Printing Office. 

7. That the manufacture of " box-index cards " and " double mail 
jackets " be performed at the Government Printing Office. 

8. That the carpenter shop be abolished. 

With the adoption of the foregoing recommendations, the present 
force of employees can be reduced to two clerks, with a total annual 
salary expense of $2,200, thereby saving in salary expense $4,640. 

The estimated expense for bookbinding, carpenter work, box-inde^c 
cards, and mail jackets will be approximately $1,550, making a net 
monetary saving of $3,090 per annum. 

The approximate saving in housing cost will be $1,000, which will 
be available for meeting a part of the expense of the new file building. 

1. It is recommended that the building occupied by this branch 
be vacated. 

The building occupied by the Seventeenth Street branch is situ- 
ated at 610 Seventeenth Street NW., and is a five-story brick struc- 
ture of old construction. It is not suitable for clerical or office 
purposes, nor is it strong enough to be used to advantage for filing 
purposes. 

The rent for this building is $1,500 a year, and the cost of opera- 
tion is comparatively high. On an average, 30 tons of coal, cost- 
ing approximately $210, are used annually, and the electric-light 
and gas bills average approximately $50 per annum. Additional 
expense is incurred for a watchman and messengers. 

It is recommended that this building be vacated at the expiration 
of the present lease. 

The adoption of this recommendation, together with those for the 
transfer of the files and of the work of this branch will effect a 



318 KEPOETS OF COMMISSION" OlST ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

saving in housing cost of approximately $1,000 per year. This 
saving will result in part from doing away with the Seventeenth 
Street branch as a separate organization, thus making it unneces- 
sary to utilize space for the office of a clerk in charge ; in part from 
the transfer of the- work of binding to the Government Printing 
Office; in part from the transfer of carpenter repair work to the 
War Department carpenter shop, and the discontinuance of the con- 
struction of office equipment. A part of the saving in housing cost 
would also be due to the fact that a considerable portion of the 
Seventeenth Street building is not fully utilized. 

With regard to the failure of The Adjutant General's Office to 
fully utilize the building, it is estimated that the second, third, and 
fourth floors of this building would accommodate with safety, and 
without interfering with the performance of work now carried on, 
at least 55 additional file cases. Furthermore, the basement is only 
utilized in part and that part is used merely for the collection of 
rubbish and old equipment and for drying out a small quantity of 
lumber to be used in the carpenter shop. This basement is dry, has 
a concrete floor, and could be used for filing purposes. It is esti- 
mated that 60 file cases could be stored in the basement. There is a 
brick wall separating that portion of the basement which is here 
suggested for filing purposes from that portion which is used for 
furnace purposes, thus insuring a proper protection from dust and 
dirt. 

Fire risks. — In compliance with the request of the commission, 
the Commissioners of the District of Columbia detailed Mr. P. W. 
Nicholson, fire marshal, to inspect the premises at 610 Seventeenth 
Street NW. He reported that the use of gas between the rows of 
file cases is dangerous; that the stairway should be of fireproof 
construction; that there should be at least two 3-gallon fire ex- 
tinguishers provided for each floor; and that a standard platform 
fire escape should be erected on the east or west wall for the pro- 
tection of the occupants. 

His report on this building is appended hereto. 

October 11, 1912. 
Frank J. Wagnee, 

Chief Engineer District of ColiimMa Fire Department. 

Sir : I have the honor to report that in accordance with the order of the 
Commissioners of the District of Columbia, and upon the request of Mr. M. O. 
Chance, secretary of the President's Commission on Economy and Efficiency, 
accompanied by Mr. W. H. Fowle, a representative of the commission, I visited 
and made an examination of premises 610 Seventeenth Street NW., occupied 
by the Seventeenth Street branch of The Adjutant General's Office, for the 
purpose of ascertaining what protection is afforded the occupants, the building, 
and contents in case of fire. 

The building is a five-story brick structure; the basement is used for the 
storage of lumber and records; the heating plant is located in the hallway of 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL. 319 

basement; the first floor is used as a carpenter shop; electric light is used on 
the first floor and in basement. The second floor is used for the clerical force, 
the custodian of department, and the storage of wood file cases and paper 
records. Third floor is used for the clerical force with four employees, wood 
file cases, and paper records. Fourth floor, nine employees ; wood file cases and 
paper records are stored. Fifth floor is used for the storage of wood filing 
cases, with paper records only, and extend from ceiling to floor and cover the 
entire length of building; there is no heat or light provided for this floor. Gas 
is used on the third and fourth floors; the use of gas between the rows of 
file cases I consider dangerous, for the reason that on cloudy days it would be 
necessary to light the gas to find or replace records ; electric light of modern 
construction should be provided throughout the entire building. 

The storage of these file cases with their records are considered highly com- 
bustible; the floors are of wood laid on brick arches, but the stairway is of 
wood construction in an open hallway; this stairway should be of fireproof 
construction and built on inside of fireproof walls or inclosure. From the 
crowded condition of these file cases on each floor, I consider the building poorly 
lighted and ventilated ; there is a fire-alarm box. No. 367, on first fioor in hall- 
way, but no other protection to guard against fire ; there should be at least two 
3-gallon fire extinguishers provided on each floor or a storage chemical tank 
with outlets and hose on each floor provided ; a standard platform fire escape 
should be erected on the east or west wall for the protection of the occupants, 
the stairway being of wood, and the amount of other combustible material 
stored on the different floors. I do not deem this building at all suitable for 
office purposes ; a fireproof building should be provided for the clerical force 
and a separate building erected for the storage of the filing cases and their 
records. 

Very respectfully, P. W. Nicholson, Fire Marshal. 

Electric wiring. — In compliance with the request of the commis- 
sion, the office of the engineer commissioner of the District of Co- 
lumbia detailed an inspector to make a report on the electric wiring 
and equipment in the building at 610 Seventeenth Street NW. His 
report is quoted in full as follows : 

[Adjutant General's Office, 610 Seventeenth Street NW.] 

1. Reenforced cord should be used for the extension light over the planer. 

2. Wires run in conduit should be substituted for the cord extension for the 
light over the buzz saw. Reenforced cord should be used for the drop-light at 
this point. 

3. Motors should be inclosed with substantially constructed iron boxes made 
of one-sixteenth inch iron instead of unlined wooden boxes. 

4. Motors should be set in drip pans constructed of one-sixteenth inch iron 
and of such size that they will span the motor bearings. 

5. The motor rheostats should be inclosed with approved iron boxes and 
mounted on slate at least seven-eighths inch thick and thoroughly insulated. 

6. The wooden floor under the motor boxes should be thoroughly painted to 
prevent the absorption of oil. 

7. Conduit for motors should enter and be properly fastened to the switch 
and rheostat boxes. 

8. The 5-horsepower motor should be protected with an approved circuit 
breaker inclosed with an iron box. 



320 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

9. Motors should be protected by approved cartridge fuses placed in iron 
boxes with hinged covers, in place of the existing link and cartridge fuses. 

10. The switch box for the S-horsepower motor should be of such size that the 
door of same will close when the switch is fully open. 

11. All conduit in switch, outlet, and junction boxes should be provided with 
terminal bushings and lock nuts. 

12. The snap switch on the basement stairway should be placed on or in an 
approved switch box or fitting. 

13. The cord extension for the light at the foot of the basement stairway 
should be removed and wires rerun in an approved manner in conduit or leaded 
armored cable substituted. 

14. The circuit for the lights should be protected by an approved fuse block 
placed in a metal box having a hinged cover. 

15. The conduit for the lights should be continuous from the junction box in 
which the wires are connected to the various outlets. 

16. The receptacle for the light at the furnace should be placed on or in an 
approved outlet box or fitting. 

17. The meter loop should be constructed in an approved manner by means 
of an outlet box, the cover of which should contain a porcelain bushing for the 
meter-loop wires. The conduit for the feeder wires at this point should enter 
the meter-loop outlet box. 

18. The conduit system should be grounded to a water pipe in an approved 
manner. 

It is recommended that the owners of this property be required to 
comply with the recommendations of the inspector if the building 
is to be occupied hj the Government. 

/Sanitary condition.- — -The commission requested the Commissioners 
of the District of Columbia to detail a sanitary inspector to inspect 
this building. The sanitary inspector reports the general sanitary 
condition to be fair. He criticizes, however, the condition of the 
water coolers and of the floor in one of the toilets. 

The report of the sanitary officer on this building is as follows : 

October 11, 1912. 
William C. Woodward, M. D., 

Health Officer, District of Columbia. 

Sir: I have the honor to present the following special report relative to the 
inspection of the Seventeenth Street branch of The Adjutant General's Otiice, 
located at 610 Seventeenth Street NW. 

This is a five-story and basement brick building of old style architecture and 
construction. The dimensions are approximately 70 feet long and 28 feet wide, 
and has high ceilings with the exception of the fifth floor. 

Lighting, heating, and ventilation. — ^Ample natural light is had by a sufficient 
number of windows at every point where persons are regularly employed, 
except in the hallway on the fourth floor. 

The building is heated by a furnace and apparently is adequate. Sufficient 
ventilation facilities are provided by means of doors and weighted windows. 
The toilet rooms, however, on the first and second floors ventilate directly into 
the hallway. 

There are 11 males and 2 females employed in the building, and no overcrowd- 
ing of employees exists. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENEKAL. 321 

Separate and sufficient toilet facilities are provided for the male and female 
employees. The plumbing fixtures throughout the building are generally not 
good, and some are of the very old type. 

The iron tops to the water-closets on the first floor have become dilapidated 
and rusty, the bowls are discolored and foul, also the floor is unclean. 

The urinal in toilet room on the second floor is foul. The toilet room on the 
third floor, for the use of the female employees, is kept in fair amitary condi- 
tion, but one of the water-closets in this room is apparently not used, hence the 
danger of the water evaporating in the trap. 

The basement is free from dampness, and is used for storage purposes. The 
yard drainage is fairly good. The presence of dust is quite noticeable on the 
file cases and records in some parts of the building, and as a whole the mainte- 
nance is not of the best. 

Dates of inspection : October 10 and 14, 1912. 

J. F. Butts, Sanitary Inspector. 

Plumhing. — The commission requested the Commissioners of the 
District of Columbia to detail a plumbing inspector to inspect this 
building. His report states that the plumbing equipment is in bad 
condition, with the result that the toilet rooms are in an insanitary 
condition. He recommends that the plumbing be entirely remodeled. 
The full report is as follows : 

[Memorandum of inspection of plumbing at the Seventeenth Street branch, Adjutant 
Generars Office, 610 Seventeenth Street NW.] 

Third floor — Ladies' toilet : 

Two straight hopper closets. 
Marble wash basin with reverse vent. 

It is probable that closet traps are vented, but there was nothing to indi- 
cate it. 
Second floor — Men's toilet : 

Two combined hopper and trap closets, one of which is badly cracked. 
Double marble basin on a single trap. Trap is deformed and leaks slightly. 
Urinal trapped, but not vented. The bowl is badly cracked and is set 

against a wooden wainscoting, which is saturated with urine. 
Dirty lead pan under slat floor. 

Main vent offset at this floor line and probably obstructed. 
First floor — Men's toilet: 

Same plumbing as third floor except that the wash basin is low vented,, but 

not reverse vented, as on the top floor. 
Basement : 

Unvented trap under sink in front. This fixture is also loose. 
Unused straight hopper closet covered by wooden box. 
General : 

All of these toilet rooms are open to main hallway, so that odors can 

ascend and enter the various rooms, and the first floor toilet room has 

no outside light and ventilation except through a door to the rear. 
A peppermint test showed an odor of peppermint in the third-floor toilet, 

which could not be located, as it was from a point under the floor, and a 

very bad leak at the base of the soil stack. 
The plumbing work in this building should be entirely remodeled, unused 

fixtures done away with, and modern fixtures installed in a tight and 

workmanlike manner. 

72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 21 



322 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

2. It is recomiiiended that the hranch he discontinued as a distinct 

organisation. 

This branch consists of a number of sections and work units en- 
gaged upon wholly unrelated work. Mr. Claude K. Zappone, salary 
$1,600, is designated as the clerk in charge of this branch, and is 
also the custodian of the files located here. The files logically belong 
in the Archives Division, and the work being performed at this 
branch properly belong in other divisions, or is work of such a 
nature that it can not be performed to advantage by The Adjutant 
General's Office. There is no reason why such an organization unit 
as the Seventeenth Street branch should exist, and it is therefore 
recommended that this branch be discontinued as a distinct organi- 
zation. The adoption of this recommendation, together with those 
for the transfer of the files and of the several classes of work now 
performed at the Seventeenth Street branch, will enable The Adju- 
tant General's Office to utilize Mr. Zappone's services on other 
branches of work, thus effecting an annual saving in salary of $1,600. 

3. It is recoiThmended that the Confederate prisoner of war records 

he transferred to the Archives Division. 

A part of the records of the Confederate prisoners of war is 
located in the Seventeenth Street branch and the balance in the 
Archives Division of the State, War, and Nav}^ Building. The 
result of the division of this file is that whenever it is necessary to 
consult these records the clerk in the Archives Division, Mr. Thomp- 
son, salary $1,800, must leave his desk and visit the files in the 
Seventeenth Street branch. This causes a large waste of Mr. Thomp- 
son's time, since he must travel from the fourth floor of the State, 
War, and Navy Building to the third floor of the Seventeenth Street 
branch at least once a day. Whenever he visits the Seventeenth 
Street building a substitute must be assigned to his desk in the 
Archives Division. The transfer of these files to the Archives Divi- 
sion, where they properly belong, would effect a saving in clerical 
services, as has been pointed out in the constructive report for that 
division. 

There are only 17 file cases of these records, so that very small 
expense and difficulty would be encountered in transferring them. 

4. It is recommended that the duplicate military records he placed in 

storage in the custody of the Archives Division. 

The military records in the Seventeenth Street branch are dupli- 
cates of records in the Archives Division of The Adjutant General's 
Office, and logically should be in the custody of that division. The 
clerk in charge of the Seventeenth Street branch explained that these 
files are considered a part of the Archives Division files, but are not 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 323 

in the custody of that division for lack of space in the State, War, 
and Navy Building. 

These files are very seldom consulted, since they contahi merely 
duplicates of records filed in the State, War, and Navy Building. 
These duplicate records should be transferred to the custody of the 
Archives Division and placed in storage where it would be unneces- 
sary to have any custodian in charge of them, 

5. It is recoinTYhended that the work of repairing maitilated docu- 

ments and records he transferred to the Archives Division. 

A clerk at $1,200 and a clerk at $1,000 are employed in repairing 
mutilated documents and old records which need to be repaired, but 
do not need to be bound. 

Since most of the documents and records to be repaired are filed in 
the State, "War, and Navy Building, there are unnecessary expense 
and work involved in carrying the documents and records to the 
Seventeenth Street branch. The repair of torn documents and records 
is but one type of work connected with the care and custody of the 
old military records. 

It is recommended that the men who are employed in repairing 
mutilated documents and records be transferred to the Archives Di- 
vision, which has the custody of a large part of the old records. 
Other divisions having documents or records requiring repair could 
send them to the Archives Division more readily than they are now 
sent to the Seventeenth Street branch. 

6. It is recommended that the rehinding of hook records he trans- 

ferred to the Government Printing Office. 

The section engaged in rebincling book records occupies somewhat 
more than half of the third floor of the Seventeenth Street branch. 
The clerk in charge of this work, salary $1,200, is an employee of 
The Adjutant General's Office, while the other three employees en- 
gaged on the rebinding work are detailed from the Government 
Printing Office and make daily reports to that office. Such equip- 
ment as is now used by the binding section is owned by the Govern- 
ment Printing Office and is loaned to The Adjutant General's Office. 

This section has limited facilities for binding records as compared 
with the Government Printing Office, thus making it necessary to 
work to disadvantage with resulting high costs and small output. 
A material reduction in cost could be effected by transferring the 
work to the Government Printing Office, as well as a great reduction 
in the time needed for completing the work. 

It is of great importance that the rebinding should be done as 
soon as possible so as to gain the advantages thereof, these advan- 
tages being a material gain in filing space through the elimination 



324 REPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

of blank pages from old records and the placing of the records in 
better condition for consultation and preservation. With respect to 
the gain in filing space, it is estimated that the records of the Ar- 
chives Division, which are now being rebound, are reduced in size 
b,y about one-third in the course of rebinding. It is stated that the 
rebinding work which has been performed in the past has resulted 
in the saving of the equivalent of the space of three rooms. 

In discussing the factors involved in this work of rebinding, some 
of the officials of The Adjutant General's Office have stated that it 
was very important to have the records rebound in The Adjutant 
General's Office so as to have them available for reference if any 
occasion arose to consult these records while they were in the hands 
of the binder. It has also been argued that since these records are 
very valuable they should not be allowed to go out of the jurisdiction 
of The Adjutant General's Office. 

In answer to the first objection, as to having the binding done out- 
side of The Adjutant General's Office, it may be stated that such 
information as might be needed from these records during the process 
of rebinding could be furnished by the clerk in charge of the work. 
This could be effected very readily if Mr. Britt, who now has charge 
of the rebinding and who was formerly an employee of the Govern- 
ment Printing Office, was either transferred to the Government 
Printing Office or detailed from The Adjutant General's Office to 
the Printing Office to have charge of the rebinding of these records. 
It may be added with respect to this point that there is no real rea- 
son why it should be necessary to consult these original records 
during the short space of time required for them to be rebound in 
the Government Printing Office. An arrangement could be made 
with the Public Printer whereby old records could be sent to the 
Government Printing Office twice each week, the first lot of records 
being returned at the same time that the second batch of records is 
sent to the Printing Office. 

With respect to the second objection to having the binding done 
outside The Adjutant General's Office, namely, that of permitting 
the records to go outside of the jurisdiction of that office, it is only 
necessary to state that the Government Printing Office is constantly 
handling documents and matters of even greater importance than 
these valuable war records. 

In view of the facts stated in this report, it is recommended that 
the binding work be transferred to the Government Printing Office. 
Such a transfer of work will not endanger the records nor interfere 
Avith the proper dispatch of business, but will (1) reduce the labor 
cost of the work, (2) effect a saving in housing cost, and (3) result 
in the completion of the work in a much shorter time than is possible 
under the present arrangement. 



BUSINESS METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 325 

7. It is recommended that the manufacture of ^^ hox index cards'"^ 

and '-' double mail jackets^' be jjerf armed at the Gdverjiment 
Printing Office. 

The production of 10.000 box index cards and 8,000 double mail 
jackets by hand in the bindery of The Adjutant General's Office in- 
volves unnecessary expense. These cards and jackets are made by 
hand by Mr. Britt, the $1,200 clerk in charge of the binding section. 
Each card must be cut out according to a model, and it requires a 
number of distinct operations in order to produce a single card. The 
production of the mail jacket is more involved and requires a much 
larger number of separate motions. 

At the Government Printing Office both the cards and the jackets 
could be stamped out by machinery at a very small cost compared 
with that at which they are now produced at The Adjutant General's 
Office. The production of these cards and jackets requires one- 
fourth of the time of Mr. Britt, thus meaning that the labor cost in- 
volved in the production of these supplies is $300 per j^ear. The 
labor cost at the Government Printing Office of producing 10,000 of 
the index cards would be $5 and the labor cost of producing 8,000 
mail jackets would be $51, a total of $56. The manufacture of these 
supplies at the Government Printing Office would thus effect an 
annual saving in salaries of $244. 

It is recommended that the work of making the box index cards 
and the mail jackets be performed at the Government Printing 
Office during such time as these supplies may be needed in The 
Adjutant General's Office. The adoption of the commission's rec- 
ommendation for the flat filing of correspondence will eventually 
render the use of these supplies unnecessary. 

8. It is recommended that the cary enter rejyair worh l>e joer formed in 

the War Department carpenter shop and that new eqidpme7it be 
purchased. 

The work performed in the carpenter and blacksmith shop is 
largely the construction of new filing equipment and other office 
equipment and to a smaller extent the repair of furniture and other 
equipment. An examination of the work done by this shop shows 
that it is of a high grade and finished character, the mechanic in 
charge being a skillful workman. 

The cost of constructing new equipment is, however, very high 
when consideration is given to all elements of cost, including the 
rental value of space occupied by the carpenter shop, the high cost 
of hand methods as compared with machine methods, and the rela- 
tively high prices which The Adjutant General's Office must pay for 
materials and supplies purchased in small quantities. 



326 REPORTS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

It is recommended that the repair work now performed in this 
carpenter shop be performed in the carpenter shop maintained by 
the War Department. It is further recommended that when new 
equipment is needed it be purchased in place of being constructed in 
The Adjutant General's Office. It is evident that a material saving 
can be eifected through the release of the first floor of this building 
for other purposes, through the consolidation of all repair work in 
one shop for the War Department as a whole, and through the pur- 
chase of equipment from dealers. 

SAVINGS. 

There are now six employees in this division, four clerical and two 
nonclerical, with salaries aggregating $6,840. With the adoption of 
our recommendations this force can be reduced to two clerks, at a 
total annual salary expense of $2,200, a reduction in force of four 
persons and in salary cost of $4,640 per annum.* The approximate 
saving in housing cost by the vacation of the present building will 
be $1,000 per annum, but this is considered as an offset to the expense 
of operating the proposed new file building. 

In order to compute the net saving to be gained it is necessary to 
deduct from the saving in salary cost of $4,640 certain offsetting 
items, as follows: 

1. The cost of box index cards and mail jackets, if purchased from 
the Government Printing Office. 

2. The estimated cost of such repair work and new equipment as 
are now produced in the carpenter shop. 

These items are estimated at $1,500. Deducting this amount from 
the gross saving leaves a net annual saving of $3,140. 

The expense to be incurred by the transfer of the bookbinding 
work to the Government Printing Office will be offset by the saving 
in salary expense of the bookbinder and the two book sewers now 
detailed from the Government Printing Office. 

APPENDIXES. 

A detailed description of the general functions and work of The 
Adjutant General's Office is contained in Appendix I. 

Descriptive statements of the location, work, methods, and organi- 
zation of each division of the office are contained in Appendix II. 

A brief on the legal aspect of the carbon copy as compared with 
the press copy is attached to this report as Appendix III. 
Respectfully submitted. 

Feedekigk a. Cleveland, 
Walter W. Warwick, 
Merritt O. Chance, 

G omonissioners . 



Appendix I. 
FUNCTIONS AND WORK OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE. 

General. 

The functions aud work of The Adjutant General's Department are pre- 
scribed in part by statute, in part by Army Regulations, and in part hy "War 
Department general orders. The Army Regulations describe The Adjutant 
General's Department as " the department of records, orders, and correspond- 
ence of the Army and the militia." 

The Adjutant General's Department includes the central " office " in Wash- 
ington and such officers and men in the military organizations as may be de- 
tailed for duty to The Adjutant General's Department. This report is limited 
to the consideration of the " office " in Washington. 

The work of this office consists principally of the handling and filing of cor- 
respondence, including Army reports on personnel and movements of troops, 
aud of furnishing information from the records in its custody. The work falls 
into two main classes, (a) that connected with present military personnel 
and operations, and (&) that connected with the records of former officers and 
men and of former military organizations. Incidental to these two main classes 
of work The Adjutant General's Office conducts printing, binding, aud carpenter 
shop work. 

WORK CONNECTED WITH PRESENT MILITARY PERSONNEL AND OPERATIONS. 

This work, as stated above, consists principally of the handling of the corre- 
spondence, orders, and records of the Army. The work may be divided into 
the following groups : 

1. Recording, authenticating, and communicating to troops and individ- 

uals in the military service all orders, instructions, and regulations 
issued by the Secretary of War through the Chief of Staff. This 
includes printing and distributing approximately 17,650,000 Army 
orders and circulars. 

2. Preparing and distributing commissions. 

3. Compiling and issuing the Army Register and the Army List and 

Directory. 

4. Examining, recording, and consolidating the general returns of the 

Army, which include the (a) bimonthly muster rolls, (6) monthly 
"Army returns" of services of officers, (c) recruiting reports, (d) 
enlistment contracts, and (e) miscellaneous reports. 

5. Arranging and preserving the reports of officers detailed to visit en- 

campments of militia. 

6. Preparing the annual returns of the militia required by law to be 

submitted to Congress. 

7. Managing the recruiting service. 

327 



328 EEPOETS or COMMISSIOISr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

8. Eecorcliug and issuing orders from tlie War Department remitting or 

mitigating sentences of military convicts wlio have been discharged 
from the military service. 

9. Maintaining the personal identification system. 

10. Furnishing information from the records concerning the personnel 

and operations of the j.-resent Military Establishment. 

11. Forwarding personal mail to officers and enlisted men. 

The number of communications received annually by The Adjutant General's 
Office in connection with the business of the present military organization is 
given in the War Department's report on " Handling and filing of corre- 
spondence " under date of February 15, 1911, as follows : 

Orders issued by Army commanders 159. 000 

Current Army reports and returns 189,000 

Letters from the staff departments and the Army at large_ 140, 000 
Letters from miscellaneous sources ST, 000 

Total 575. 000 

In addition to these incoming communications, 70,000 private letters for officers 
and enlisted men were received in The Ad.1utant General's Office and forwarded 
to them. 

The number of outgoing communications was not reported in any detail, so it 
is impossible to state separately the number of communications sent out in 
connection with the business of the present military organization, and the 
number sent out in connection with the work on the records of former military 
orgaizations. The total number of outgoing communicatins of the two classes 
was reported as " about 356,000. This number does not include approximately 
17,650,000 printed Army orders and circulars issued from this office annually." 
The methods followed in handling and filing correspondence are described in 
Section IT of this report. 

WORK CONNECTED WITH RECORDS OF FORMER ORGANIZATIONS. 

The Adjutant General is vested with the custody of the military and hospital 
records of the volunteer armies and of the permanent military establishment. 
Upon the muster out or discharge of volunteers or militia from the service of 
the United States, and upon the disbandment of any organization in the perma- 
nent military establishment, all the records that pertain to them and that have 
not been filed in The Adjutant General's Office are transferred to and filed in 
that office. The archives of The Adjutant General's Office include the following: 

1. All military records of the Revolutionary War. 

2. liecords of all organizations, officers, and enlisted men that have been 

in the military service of the United States since the Revolutionary 
War. 

3. Records of the movements and operations of troops. 

4. Medical and hospital records of the Army. 

5. Reports of physical examinations of recruits. 

6. Identification cards. 

7. Records of the Provost Marshal General's Bureau. 

8. Records of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen. and Abandoned Lands. 

9. Confederate records, including those pertaining to the legislative, ex- 

ecutive, and judicial branches of the Confederate Government. 
The Adjutant General takes any necmessary steps to complete and correct 
the records in his custody. 



APPENDIX I. 329 

At the present time about 30 employees are employed in preparing record 
cards showing the military services of the men who served in the Confederate 
Army during the Civil War. This work was begun in 1902. and it is estimated 
that with the present force the work will be completed in two or three years. 
Record cards showing the military service of the men in the Union Army have 
been prepared. These record cards are used for furnishing information re- 
quested in connection with the settlement of pension claims and other cases 
involving military histories. 

The Adjutant General's Office answers all inquiries for information contained 
in the archives in its custody, provided these inquiries do not require adminis- 
trative action by any other bureaus of the War Department. The information 
furnished from the documents and records include that concerning pension, 
pay, bounty, and other business pertaining to or based upon the military or 
medical histories of former officers and enlisted men in both the volunteer and 
the permanent military organizations. 

The War Department's report on the handling and fliing of correspondence 
states that about 135,000 letters requesting statements of military service of 
individuals are received annually. These requests are received from the Pen- 
sion Office, Auditor for the War Department, General Land Office, and other 
Federal departments and offices, from the adjutants general of the several 
States, the Grand Army of the Republic and other associations, and from indi- 
viduals. 

Another function performed by The Adjutant General's Office is the compila- 
tion of historical data on former military organizations. At present the " pub- 
lication branch " is compiling record cards showing the military history of the 
companies and other military organizations in the Federal Army during the 
Civil War. It is the expectation that this compilation will eventually be pub- 
lished. The distribution of the voluminous report on the Official Records of the 
Rebellion is handled by The Adjutant General's Office in accordance with an 
act of Congress approved March 3, 1903. 

ORGANIZATION. 

The Adjutant General's Department includes («) the central •"office" in 
Washington, (&) the officers and enlisted men in the several commands detailed 
to perform the work of The Adjutant General's Department, and (c) the re- 
cruiting stations. This report is restricted to the consideration of the " office " 
in Washington. 

The personnel in The Adjutant General's Office consists of officers detailed 
for such duty and of the civilian force authorized by Congress in appropriation 
acts. In addition to The Adjutant General, who is the head of the department, 
five officers are usually detailed to the "office" in Washington and are desig- 
nated as "adjutants general." For the fiscal year 1913 Congress authorized the 
employment of 638 civilian employeesinTheAdjutant General's Office, as follows : 

Chief clerk, at $2,000 1 

Chief of division, at $2,000 10 

Clerks of class 4 4S 

Clerks of class 3 64 

Clerks of class 2 9i 

Clerks of class 1 232 

Clerks, at $1,000 SS 

Engineer, at $1,400 1 

Assistant engineer, at $900 1 



330 REPORTS OF COMMISSION OlST ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Firemen, at $720 2 

Skilled mechanic, at $1,000 1 

Messengers, at $840 10 

Assistant messengers, at $720 ^ 58 

Messenger boy, at $360 1 

Watchmen, at $720 8 

Superintendent of building, at $250 1 

Laborers, at $660 18 

Total 638 

Salary roll $781,950 

The appropriation act stipulated that " all employees provided for by this 
paragraph for The Adjutant General's Office of the War Department shall be 
exclusively engaged on the work of this office for the fiscal year nineteen hun- 
dred and twelve." 

The divisions into which The Adjutant General's Office is divided, together 
with the titles of the employees in charge, are as follows : 

1. Administration : Chief of division. 

2. Orders: Clerk, class 4. 

3. Distribution : Clerk, class 4. 

4. Mail and Record : Clerk, class 4. 

5. Correspondence and Examining : Clerk, class 4. 

6. Miscellaneous: Chief of division. 

7. Appointments, Commission, and Personnel : Chief of division. 

8. Military Academy: Chief of division. 

9. Returns : Clerk, class 4. 

10. Enlisted Men's Division : Chief of division. 

11. Rolls division : Chief of division. 

12. Recruiting Division : Chief of division. 

13. Regimental Records : Clerk, class 4. 

14. Tenth Street: Clerk, class 4. 

15. Medical Records : Clerk, class 4. 

16. Archives: Chief of division. 

■«» 17. Seventeenth Street: Clerk, class 3. 
IS. Publication : Clerk, class 4. 

PEESENT METHODS OF HANDLING AND FILING COERESPONDENCE. 

The methods of handling and filing correspondence in The Adjutant Gen- 
eral's Office are described in War Department orders of May 15, 1894, and in 
General Orders. No. 92, under date of May 5, 1909. The latter orders were 
issued for the purpose of directing the headquarters of military divisions and 
departments and of specific posts to adopt the same methods which were in 
use in The Adjutant General's Office. 

The methods differ for each of the more important classes of communica- 
tions handled in The Adjutant General's Office and will be separately described 
for each of the following classes : 

(o) Letters from the staff departments and the Army at large and from 

miscellaneous sources. 
(6) Current Army reports and returns. 
(g) Orders issued by Army commanders. 
{(I) Personal mail for officers and enlisted men. 
(e) Letters requesting statements of military service. 
Letters from the staff departments and the Arm/y at large and from m.iscel- 
laneous sources. — This is the largest of the five classes of communications, 



APPE^S'DIX I. 331 

approximately 227,000 letters of this class being received annually, according 
to the report made by the War Department to the commission. Some of these 
letters are very important and some are trivial, but all are handled in the 
same manner, so far as the principal processes of briefing, recording, indexing, 
preparing, and filing are concerned. Such letters as those requesting the ad- 
dress of an officer or requesting copies of blank forms, or letters belonging to 
another department and erroneously received in The Adjutant General's Office, 
are passed through the same processes as letters of great importance to the 
War Department. It has been stated to members of the committee that for- 
merly letters having no record value, as requests for addresses, were not re- 
corded and filed, but the requested information was simply written on the 
request, which was then returned to the writer. 

An outline has been prepared showing in some detail the processes and sub- 
processes followed in handling letters from the staff departments and the Army 
at large and from miscellaneous sources. This detailed outline is presented 
herewith, since this is the largest class of communications and the procedure 
of handling these letters is much more involved than that for handling other 
classes. Moreover, the cost of handling this class of letters is very high. 

The sequence in which the processes are performed varies according as the 
letter is classified as a " new case," an " additional," or a " received back." 
The order presented in the following outline is that used in handling a "new 
case" received from a staff department, the Army at large, or a miscellaneoua 
source. 

Outline of processes followed in The Adjutant GeneraVs Office in handling and 
filing correspondence with staff departments, the Army at large, and miscel- 
laneous correspondence. 

A. INCOMING COBEESPONDENCE. 

1. Receiving and opening (Mail and Record Division) : 

(a) All mail addressed to The Adjutant General's Office is received in 
the Mail and Record Division from the War Department post office.. 

(&) Mail removed from envelopes by messengers and sent to "receiving 
clerks." 

2. Stamping and classifying for distribution (Mail and Record Division, receiv- 

ing clerks) : 
(a) Stamp mail with date of receipt and name of office. 
(&) Record the number of communications of each class, 
(o) Classify and arrange for distribution to division or section to which 

the communication pertains, 
(f?) Attach the blank record and index cards. 
(e) Forward to "briefing section." 

3. Briefing, recording, and indexing (Mail and Record Division, briefing section) : 

(a) Brief all important communications on the back of the first fold. 

(6) Prepare record cards. 

(c) Prepare general index cards and " duplicate general index cards." 

{d) Prepare, whenever necessary, cross-reference cards. 

(e) Indicate by red-ink check mark on record cards all subjects, names,. 

and titles for which index cards are prepared. 
(/) Forward communications and record and index cards to numbering 

clerks. 

4. Numbering (Mail and Record Division, briefing section) : 

(a) Serial number placed on communication and all accompanying 

papers. 
(6) Communications with cards forwarded to index files. 



332 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSIOjN" OX ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

5. Searching index for previous communications in tlie case (index file) : 

(a) File number (which is the number of the lowest numbered, i. e., 
oldest paper in the case) placed on document, record, and index 
cards. 

(6) Duplicate general index card and cross-reference cards placed in 
files, 

(c) Original general index card sent to tally clerk, who holds it until 

disposition of the case is finally made. 

(d) Communication with new record card attached sent to record-card 

files. 

6. Withdrawing and examining record cards of previous papers in the case 

(record-card files) : 

(a) Withdraw earlier record cards. 

(&) Determine whether the new communication is to be filed with or 
merely cited to the earlier communications; and, if filed with the 
earlier communications, determine whether it shall be made a 
" new case " or an '• additional " to an older case. 

(c) Make cross references on the new communication and its record 

card if the new communication is connected with earlier ones. 

(d) File slips are placed in the numerical places of any new record 

cards filed with earlier ones. 

(e) Fox-ward the communication, with its record card and any pertinent 

earlier record cards, to tlie relevant division. 

B. OUTGOING CORRESPONDENCE. 

T. Preparing and recording outgoing communications (Correspondence Divi- 
sion or any one of several other di^'isions) : 

(a) Correspondence clerk prepares first draft of letter on cards measur- 
ing 34 bj^ 8 inches. Whenever he considers it necessary, the cor- 
respondence clerk couHults laws, regulations, or precedents before 
preparing his first draft. Unusually important cases are submit- 
ted to a superior officer for instructions before the correspond- 
ence clerk prepares the first draft. 

(6) The first draft is reviewed, any necessary corrections being made in 
ink. This corrected card becomes the office record of outgoing 
communications. 

(c) The "fair copy" is prepared from the corrected copy of the first 

draft. 

(d) The "fair copy" is compared with the first draft. 

(e) A brief is made by the correspondence clerk of letters prepared in 

The Adjutant General's office and addressed to 'the Secretary of 
War. 
(/) Any papers in the case which are to be filed in the office are sent 

to the document files. 
(g) The communication, with record card attached, is sent to proper 
official for signature. 
8. Indexing: 

(Note. — The index of incoming correspondence serves ''as the index of 
outgoing correspondence, except when the reply contains new subjects 
and when the outgoing correspondence is the first communication in a 
case. In these two latter cases index cards of outgoing correspond- 
ence are prepared. See No. 13.) 



APPEXDIX I. » .333 

9. Press copying (chief clerk's office) : 

(a) Upon receipt of the communication from the signing officer a loose- 
leaf press copy is made, which is sent to the document files, where 
it is filed with the communication to which it applies. 

(6) The communication is forwarded to the dispatch clerk. 

10. Dispatching (Mail and Record Division, dispatch clerks) : 

(a) The dispatch clerk addresses the envelope, inserts the communica- 
tion in the envelope, and places it in a mail pouch. 

(6) Stamps the name of the signing officer and the date of disposition 
of the case on the record card and turns the card over to the tally 
clerk. 

11. Tally clerk's record (Mail and Record Division) : 

(a) The general-index card is received by the tally clerk from the index 
clerk, as stated above in 5 (c). This constitutes an advice that 
a case is under consideration, and the general-index card is held 
by the tallj' clerk until the case is disposed of. 

(&) The record card is received by the tally clerk from the dispatch 
clerk, as stated in 10 (&). This constitutes an advice that the 
case has been disposed of. 

(c) After the receipt of the record card the tallj^ clerk stamps on the 

general-index card the date on which the case is disposed of. 

(d) The general-index and record carjls are forwarded to the files. 

12. Review of briefing (Mail and Record Division) : 

(a) The briefing of incoming correspondence as made on the record 
cards is reviewed by clerks in the record-card file section. If unr 
satisfactory, the work is returned to the briefing division for cor'r 
rection or explanation. 

13. Preparation of additional index cards (Judex card file section). 

(a) Upon its receipt in the files the record card is examined in order to 
determine whether any additional cross-reference index cards are 
needed. 

(6) The record card and any new cross-reference index cards are filed, 

C. FILING. 

14. Record card file : 

(a) The cards are filed in boxes measuring (inside dimensions) 8| inches 
high, 3f inches wide, and 11 inches long. The card is filed undej 
the number corresponding to the serial number given to the com- 
munication, except in cases described in (&) and (c). 

(6) When a communication is received which is to be classified as a 
continuation of or " additional " to a case on file, the record of 
the letter is made on the card containing the record of the earlier 
communications in the case or upon " extension slips " attached 
to this card. 

(c) Where there have accumulated three or more record cards in inti- 
mately connected cases on the same subject, the cards are brought 
together in a jacket which is filed under the lowest number borne 
by any of the cards. On the jacket is entered the number under 
which the cards are filed, the subject to which they pertain, and 
the numbers of all cards contained in tlie jacket. 

15. Index card file : 

(a) General index cards for all communications are filed by subjects. 
The index card file box is the same size as the record card file box. 

(6) Cross-reference index cards are filed by names of persons concerned 
in all " necessary " cases. 



S34 EEPOETS OF COMMISSIOjST OISJ" ECOISrOMY AND EFFICIEISrCY. 

16. Document file : 

(a) Documents are folded and filed in bcxes measuring (inside dimen- 
sions) 9| inches liigb, 4i inches wide, 11^ inches long. An excep- 
tion is made when documents are exceptionally large or bulky, , 
when they are filed in large boxes and reference slips are placed 
in the regular file. 
(&) Documents are filed under serial numbers corresponding to the 
numbers under which the record cards are filed. Whenever rec- 
ord cards are brought together and filed under one number, as 
described under 14 (c), the corresponding documents are brought 
together in the document file. 
The time at which each communication reaches a division is entered on its 
index or record card by the clerk handling the letter, so that responsibility for 
any delay may be located. Furthermore, the initials of each person taking 
action on a communication are entered on the record card for the same purpose 
of placing responsibility. 

Current Army reports and returns. — This class of communications consists of 
tiurrent reports regularly submitted on prescribed forms. The number of these 
reports is givea by the War Department as approximately 189,000 per annum. 
The procedure for handling these reports is simpler than that outlined above 
for letters and consists of the following principal processes : 

1. Receiving and opening. 

2. Stamping and classifying for distribution to division or section to 

which the communication pertains. 

3. Recording receipt on a check list or record sheet. 

4. Examining for completeness and correctness. 

5. Preparing letters regarding any defects in reports. 

6. Recording and tabulating data contained in specified classes of re- 

ports, as the "Army Returns " of services of officers. 

7. Forwarding report to any other division concerned therewith. 

8. Filing. • 

Orders issued hy Army commanders. — The War Department reports that 
approximately 159,000 of these communications are received annually. The 
procedure followed involves onlj' a few principal processes, as follows : 

1. Receiving and opening. 

2. Stamping and classifying for distribution to divisions concerned. 

3. Examining to ascertain whether the order affects any other division, 

and, if so, preparing and forwarding a copy to such division. 

4. Filing the orders by serial number under the command from which 

issued. 
Personal mail for officers and enlisted men. — Approximately 70,000 letters are 
Received annually in The Adjutant General's Ofiice for forwarding to officers 
and enlisted men. The procedure taken is as follows : 

1. Receiving. 

2. Distributing to division having address of officer or enlisted man. 

3. Writing address on mail. 

4. Dispatching. 

Letters requesting statements of military service. — These requests are re- 
ceived principally from the Pension Office, Auditor for the War Department, 
General Land Office, and other Federal offices or bureaus. A smaller number 
is received from associations and individuals. The total number of requests 
for statements of military service is reported as about 135,000 per annum. 



APPENDIX I. 335 

The procedure followed in handling tliis class of communications is as follows; 

1. Receiving and opening. 

2. Stamping and distributing to division handling such communications. 

3. Preparing record and index cards. Special forms of record and index 

cards are used for this class of communications and these cards are 
filed in special files whollj^ distinct from the record and index card 
files described for all preceding classes of correspondence. 

4. Searching record files for information requested. 

5. Entering data for reply on the record card. (This process corre- 

sponds to the preparation of " first draft " in other classes of com- 
munications. ) In some cases, the information must be furnished 
by several divisions. The first division handling the letter enters 
on the record cards such facts as it can supply and forwards the 
letter with its record card to the second division, which makes 
additional entries on the record card. 

6. Entering on file jacket abbreviations indicating the nature of infor- 

mation requested. 

7. Preparing reply by filling in blanks on printed forms or by writing 

letter. 

8. Examining reply for completeness and correctness. 

9. Affixing signature. 

10. Dispatching. 

11. Filing incoming requests and record and index cards. 

The record cards prepared for requests of statements of military service are 
not used in answering subsequent communications, as is done in the case of the 
record cards described for preceding classes of communications. The record 
cards of statements of military service simply serve the purpose of indicating 
the number and source of, and the action taken on, these communications. 

COST OF HANDLING AND FILING CORBESPONDENCE. 

The aggregate cost of handling and filing correspondence in The Adjutant 
General's Office has not been ascertained, but the following items of expense 
have been reported to the commission : 

1. Briefing (this requires 15 per cent of the time of 46 

clerks, whose salaries range from $1,000 to $1,800) ___ $8,700 

2. Recording and indexing incoming correspondence (this 

requires the remaining 85 per cent of the time of the 46 
clerks engaged on briefing) 49,300 

3. Distributing (this requires 2 per cent of the time of 13 

clerks, whose salaries range from $1,000 to $1,800)— 1, 216 

4. Preparing correspondence (this requires from 25 to 100 

per cent of the time of 185 employees, whose salaries 

range from $1,000 to $2,000) 204,940 

5. Recording and indexing outgoing correspondence (this 

requires 2 per cent of the time of 1 clerk at $1,600 

and of 2 clerks at $1,400) 88 

6. Press copying (this requires 50 per cent of the time of 1 

clerk at $1,400) 700 

7. Dispatching (this requires the full time of 1 clerk at 

$1,800 and of 1 at $1,200) 3,000 



336 REPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

S. Filing correspondence (this requires from 20 to 95 per 
cent of the time of 10 clerlis, whose salaries range 
from $1,200 to $1,800) $7,650 



Total reported cost 275, 594 

The total appropriation for salaries of civilian employees in the Adjutant 
General's Office for the fiscal year 1913 was $781,950. The amount expended 
during the fiscal year 1911 for the same object was reported to the commission 
as $759,918.10. In view of the fact that the work of The Adjutant General's 
Office is principally that of handling and filing correspondence, it is evident 
that further items of cost must be added in order to show the total cost of this 
work. 



Appendix II. 

DESCRIPTIVE STATEMENTS OF THE LOCATION, WORK, METHODS, 
AND ORGANIZATION OF EACH DIVISION OF THE OFFICE. 



A. STATEMENT OF THE LOCATION, WORK, AND METHODS, AND THE ORGANIZA- 
TION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'S 
OFFICE. 

I. Location. 

This division and the files in its custody occupy three rooms and parts of two 
other rooms in the State, War, and Navy Building. The rooms wholly occupied 
{ire Nos. 254, 256, and 2.57 on the second floor, and the rooms partly occu- 
pied are storerooms Nos. 401 (fourth floor) and 559 (fifth floor). The num- 
ber of employees in each room is as follows : 254, 5 ; 256, 1 ; 257, 4 ; total, 10. 

One clerk, assigned to duty in this division as precedent file clerk, is in room 
360, being also engaged on work of the Correspondence and Examining Division. 

II. Functions. 

In general, the functions of this division consist in a supervision of all mat- 
ters connected with the administration and general conduct of business of 
The Adjutant General's Office. It exercises this supervision with regard to the 
efficient, prompt, and economical performance of the work of the office, either by 
suggesting the reassignment of employees or by formulating such methods as 
seem best adapted to the conditions and needs of the office. 

Specifically, the functions relate to : 

I. In regard to the personnel of the office — 

A. The changes, such as appointments. promotio7is, transfers, resigna- 

tions, deaths, and discharge. 

B. Questions of discipline and instruction. 

C. Keeping time records of employees. 

D. Preparation of the office pay rolls. 

E. Assignment and supervision of messengers. 
II. Eequisi lions for office supplies and printing. 

III. Conduct of correspondence regarding — 

A. Inquiries of a general, historical, and statistical nature. 

B. System of personal identification of enlisted men of the Army. 

C. Copying of official records of organizations to complete the collec- 

tion of records in the custody of States. 
IV. The recording of precedents. 
V. Supervising the preparation and issue of Army deserters' descriptive cir- 
culars and preparation of The Adjutant General's annual report. 
VI. Answering personal and telephonic inquiries from outside sources regard- 
ing matters connected with the office; finally reviewing some of the 
office correspondence and handling special cases requiring extraor- 
dinary investigation or report. 
VII. The prompt performance of the correspondence work of the office. 

72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 22 337 



338 REPORTS OF COMMISSIOISr ON i;CONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

I-A. THE CHANGES, SUCH AS APPOINTMENTS, PROMOTIONS, TEANSFEES, BESIGNA- 
TIONS, DEATHS, AND DISCHARGES, AFFECTING THE PERSONNEL OF THE 
ADJUTANT general's OFFICE, 

Appoint meuts of employees are made by selection from a list of eligibles 
furnislied by the Civil Service Commission upon request, and are probationary 
for a period of six montbs for the purpose of ascertaining the appointee's 
adaptability and qualifications for the work to which he is to be assigned. 
The selection of appointees from the list of eligibles submitted is usually 
based upon the requirements of particular positions vacant, which therefore 
govern their assignments to divisions in the office, while their subsequent 
reassignments are governed by the needs of the several divisions of the office 
and by the adaptability of employees for their present work and their con- 
sequent efficiency in performing it. On the expiration of the probationary 
period, if the employee's work has been satisfactory the appointment is made 
permanent, as of the original date of entry into service. All appointments 
are made to the lowest grade in the class of work to which appointment is 
made, this causing the higher grades to be filled by promotion only. Appoint- 
ments and promotions are made when vacancies occur through transfer, resigna- 
tion, discharge, or death of employees, and the promotions are determined by 
the semiannual efficiency ratings prepared by the efficiency board. The board 
is composed of four chiefs of office divisions and four members of the Adminis- 
tration Division, including the chief clerk of the office as chairman. The 
ratings as fixed by this board are based on the semiannual reports of chiefs 
of the several divisions of the office and such other information as has come to 
the attention of members of the board. 

Employees are not transferred to other bureaus and departments, except at 
their own specific request, and only on evidence submitted to show that detri- 
ment to the work of the office will not result thereby. Applications for trans- 
fers and tenders of resignations are submitted to the Secretary of War, with 
such recommendations of The Adjutant General as seem for the best interests 
of the office. In each case the employee makes a written request through the 
chief of his division who forwards it to the chief clerk with such remarks as 
will enable The Adjutant General to intelligently consider the request. 

Recommendations for the discharge of employees occur rarely and are usually 
[based on their alleged misconduct or inefficiency. In such cases a memorandum 
ijS; prepared and sent to the Secretary of War, recommending that steps be taken 
wttli a view to discharging the said employee for misconduct or inefficiency. 
This memorandum sets forth the facts and circumstances upon which the 
charges of misconduct or inefficiency are based. A copy of the recommendation 
is included in a letter of notification to the employee, stating that he will be 
allowed three days in which to answer in writing the charges as contained in 
the said recommendation, the employee being required to address and forward 
his answer to the office of The Adjutant General. His answer is then forwarded 
to the Secretary of War with such remarks as may seem advisable. The em- 
ployee is notified by The Adjutant General of the decision of the Secretary 
of War. 

The ratings fixed by the efficiency board and all appointments, assignments, 
and promotions, transfers, resignations, and discharges must be approved by 
The Adjutant General before final action is taken. Appointments, promotions, 
transfers to positions outside the office of The Adjutant General, resignations, 
and discharges are effected on the recommendations of The Adjutant General 
and the approval of the Secretary of War. 



APPENDIX II. 339 

I-B. QUESTIONS OF DISCIPLINE AND INSTRUCTION OF EMPLOYEES. 

Employees are directly under the supervision of their respective chiefs, and 
aU instructions of a detailed nature are given by such chiefs. General instruc- 
tions are issued by the chief clerk of the office. 

Breaches of discipline are reported by the chiefs of divisions to the chief 
clerk, either orally or in writipg, and such corrective measures are taken as the 
chief clerk or The Adjutant General may deem for the best interests of the 
office. 

When uiateriiil errors occur in the work, the cleric making the error is re- 
quired to write an explanation stating "(«) the cause of the apparent error; or, 
if the cause is not known, (.l)) the probable cause, or, (c) a theory as to the 
cause." The purpose of investigating errors is to learn their specific cause or 
causes, with the view of adopting measures to reduce the possibility of their 
■occurrence, or to entirely prevent them, according as such remedy may be found 
feasible. Having this end in view, the clerk is also requested to "(rf) suggest a 
remedy for or guard against or means of prevention of this kind of error." 
The request (Form A. G. O. 215) for explanation may be sent to an employee 
by the chief of a division or by the chief clerk of the office. Each case is in- 
vestigated minutely. Detailed instructions have been issued as to the manner 
in which such explanatory reports should be prepared. Copies of these instruc- 
tions and of a memorandum bearing upon the subject are shown in another 
part of this report. 

I-C. THE KEEPING OF TIME KECORDS OF EMPLOYEES. 

The clerical force of The Adjutant General's Office is presumed to be present 
•daily unless reported absent by the various chiefs of divisions. When leave of 
absence is granted for periods longer than one day, the time clerk makes an 
entry on the time-record card of the employee under the heading "Application 
for leave," showing the number of days granted and giving the inclusive dates. 
Hed-ink marks are made on the reverse side of the time-record cards, a dot 
indicating date from which leave of absence has been granted, and a dash date 
to which it has been granted. . Each day duriiig the period of absence of the em- 
ployee the chief of his division reports him as absent on leave, and each day 
the time clerk makes an entry on the employee's time-record card in tlie proper 
space, thus, " IL." If the employee is granted five days' leave and only takes 
three, surrendering the other two, red-ink dots are placed in the space corre- 
f^ponding to the dates surrendered and a notation made on the face of the card 
to the effect that two days were surrendered. This notation is made under 
" Remarks " opposite the entry of the amount of leave granted. 

Employees requesting leaves of absence use a blank and submit the same to 
their respective chiefs of divisions who forward them with recommendations to 
the chief clerk for action. If leave of absence is granted for one day or less 
the time clerk makes no note of it, but charges employees with such absences as 
are reported by the chiefs of divisions in their daily time reports. When leave 
for more than one day is granted the time clerk fills out a card which is given 
the employee through the chief of his division. 

l-D. PREPARATION OF OFFICE PAY ROLLS. 

The mid-month and end-month pay rolls are prepared on forms printed once 
each month. Two copies, used for the mid-month pay roll with the names of 
employees in strict alphabetical order and numbered consecutively according to 
their alphabetical position, are printed, with the amount of pay omitted. The 
individual amounts are then written in, the mid-month pay being considered 



340 REPOETS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

only as an advance on the monthly salaries and serving as a memorandum 
account only. Three copies are used for the end-month pay roll with the names 
of the employees arranged alphabetically by grades, and numbered consecu- 
tively regardless of grades, the full amount of the monthly salaries being 
printed opposite each name. The original of this roll is used by the disbursing 
clerk as his voucher. All changes caused by the addition or loss in the number 
of employees are made monthly only. 

Employees do not sign the pay-roll sheets, but are provided w^ith individual 
receipts to sign. These are filled out by the" pay-roll clerk by showing the 
number of the employee on the pay roll, the amount he is to receive according 
to the pay roll is printed in and the date rubber stamped. The name of the 
clerk is written in pencil at the left-band end of the mid-month receipt. The 
receipts are distributed among the employees by the pay-roll clerk. Receipts 
for the end-month pay roll are accompanied by slips bearing the name and the 
end-month pay-roll number of the employee showing the amount of the advance 
on the mid-month pay roll and the amount due. The slips are printed for each 
month of the year and are initialed by the pay-roll clerk as also are the receipts. 

A sheet showing the estimate of funds required for each pay roll is prepared 
and is an exhibit of the quantity of each denominatioii of money required for 
the pay of each clerk. One of its purposes is to aid in lurnishing the disbursing 
clerk data for determining the quantities necessary for each pay day. 

It is the practice of the disbursing clerk for the War Department to require 
all employees thereof to draw their pay at his oSice between the hours of 10 
and 2 of each pay day. 

(A. G. O. comment : Employees on duty in the Tenth Street branch and the 
Army Medical Museum Building are paid by the disbursing clerk at these places 
between 1 and 3 p. m.) 

I-E. THE MESSENGER SERVICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'^ OFFICE, WAR 

DEPARTMENT. 

A. Tlte flre-iibinutc 'messenger mail service. — In a memorandum from The 
Adjutant General's Office, dated June 4, 1912, this service was described as 
follows : 

" The method of transporting cases from one desk or division to another is by 
a five-minute mail service, instituted 22 years ago. The system is operated as 
follows: On each of the desks of clerks who have frequent occasion to obtain 
information from certain other desks in cases there is placed a mail box meas- 
uring 15 inches in length, 5 in width, and 4| in height, divided into three equal 
compartments ; the middle one being designed for mail received at the desk 
and the two end ones for outgoing mail ; one for up and the other for down the 
route. There are at least 125 such mail-box desks. Some rooms have only 1, 
others have as many as 12 — one for every clerk in the room. Twelve messen- 
gers serve this route, each going from the first box of the route — on the base- 
ment floor — to the second, and so on, until he reaches the farthest one on the 
fourth floor, and then returning by the same route to the first box. The mes- 
sengers collect and deliver as they go from box to box according as they find 
mail. 

" Each clerk is supplied with mail .jackets (.an average of about 80 to each 
clerk) conspicuously addressed to the desks with which he has occasion to com- 
municate daily. When he wishes to obtain information in a case from a cer- 
tain other desk in the building he writes his request on the record card of the 
case, and places the case in, or straps it to, the addressed jacket and stands it 
in the up or down compartment of his mail box according to the direction in 
which it is to go and, dismissing it from his mind, takes up his next case; 



APPENDIX II. 341 

and within two and a half minutes, on an average, a route messenger will come 
to his desk, unobtrusively take that case and carry it to its destination, what- 
ever one of the other 125 desks that destination may be ; whether it be in the 
next room to the right or the left, or the next floor above or below. The fol- 
lowing is taken from the annual report of the officer in charge of the Record 
and Pension Division of the War Department for the year ending June 30, 1890 : 
" ' Quick messenger service is then all-important to carry this mail to and 
from all parts of the office until final action is had in each case. Fol* this 
purpose a regular 5-minute mail service has been established, and deserves a 
full description as it has proved a remarkable success, silently and promptly 
moving papers and packages in all directions every five minutes in the day, 
with automatic precision, accuracy, and dispatch, and without the necessity of 
calling or ringing for messengers, giving them any directions, or addressing 
communications or packages with pen or pencil, and without any addition to 
the messenger force employed in the office under the former system. 

******* 

"'By means of clearly marked boxes and plainly addressed mail cards (or 
jackets) the messengers collect and deliver mail without halting in their steps. 
An actual count on an ordinary business day showed that they carried 9,020 
mail cards (each conveying one or more cases). 

" ' In oucler to obtain the full benefit of this means of speedy communication 
every clerk is required to be diligent in his work and is not permitted to have 
jnore than one case under consideration at a time, and as soon as he has fin- 
ished his jiart of the work on this case, or finds that he needs information from 
the records in another branch of the division, he immedia'iely dispatches it to 
the proper desk or room. For this purpose he is provided with suitably ad- 
dressed mail cards (or jackets) placed in a convenient box, each set of cards? 
being clearly indicated by projecting tags so that he can pick out the desired 
card as readily as a typewriter can touch a particular key. He then draws his 
next case out of the receiving box on his desk or in his room. 

" ' One of the important advantages of this system of mail boxes is that all 
cases not actually undergoing action in any room or section of the office stand in 
full view in the receiving boxe?. * * * The fact that each clerk has only 
one case in hand at a time instead of from 10 to 50 as under the old system, 
and the ease and rapidity with which he can send for information from the 
records filed in the remotest portions of the office, enable him to give his work 
more careful consideration and to exhaust more thoroughly the records bearing 
•on ;i case than was possible under the former practice, wherein the ever-vexa- 
tious question to be answered in almost every complicated ca.^e was, Shall 
this case be subjected to a further delay of weeks or months in order to have a 
doubtful point cleared up? Under the present method of work he knows that 
every inquiry he addresses to any branch of the office whatever will be taken 
up within a few minutes after it leaves his hands and as promptly returned to 
him, and he feels a pleasure in causing every available source of information 
to be exhausted before allowing his work to finally leave his desk.' 

" To show the extent of the system it may be said that there are 125 mail 
boxes (stations) ; each station can communicate with any one of the other 124 
by this system, making 125 by 124 communication combinations, making 15,500 
combinations (regardless of time of day), no two of which combinations are 
alike; and as there are 84 five-minute periods in the day, there are on any one 
day 84 by 15,500 possible combinations, niaking 1,302,000 possible communica- 
tion combinations, no two of which are alike, and each consisting of three 
factors, viz, (1) calling at and taking a case from one stated desk (2) to 
another stated desk (3) at a stated five-minute period of the day. Every combi- 



342 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

nation that the business of tlie office requires of these many combinations isf 
served automatically throughout each day by this system. 

"A messenger is likely to collect and deliver on an average over 100 sepa- 
rately addressed mail pieces in one round trip, and in some instances over 200, 
collecting and delivering as he goes along, having sometimes at any one instant 
as many as 30 mail pieces in his delivery box. The fact that the mail pieces^ 
are only about 8 inches long and 3i inches wide and that folded papers have 
a rigidity that large sheets do not have enables him to arrange them in stich 
order in his carrying box, as fast as he collects them, that he can always have 
in conspicuous view in the front of his box the address of that piece of mail 
which is next to be delivered. 

" The mail boxes and the addressed jacket boxes now on the desks of the 
clerks occupy all the available space of those desks. 

"The moving of unfolded papers of a large size has been excluded from the 
system, except from only 5 out of the 125 desks; and for these desks large 
mail jackets are provided. When a route messenger collects one of these he 
places it under his box, and has to charge his mind with the point where it is 
to be delivered, because he can not see the address on it while carrying it. 

" It is estimated that over 10,000 movements of separate mail pieces are being 
made in this office in one day ; some of these movements may be a distance of 
only 10 feet, while others move from one end of the building on one floor to 
another end of the building on another floor. Most cases require many move- 
ments before they are ready for final disposition." 

B. TTie special or room messenger service. — In addition to the regular five- 
minute messenger service, there is a corps of special messengers consisting of 
31 employees, one or more of whom are stationed in nearly every division of 
The Adjutant General's Office. The main duty of these messengers is to carry 
correspondence cases from their respective divisions to The Adjutant General 
in charge for approval or signature or to carry special cases to other divisions 
for necessary data. In addition to strictly messenger service, these messengers 
are required to clean up the rooms, mop the floors, and straighten out the desks 
in their divisions. They are also charged with the cleaning of cuspidors,, 
emptying of waste baskets, and filling of ink wells and other miscellaneous 
matters in connection with the desk equipment of the department. The fol- 
lowing is a list of messengers, showing the rooms and divisions to which the 
messengers are assigned : 

Recruiting Division 1 

Orders Division 2 

Enlisted Men's Division 1 

Distribution Division . 3 

Rolls Division 3 

Mail and Record Division T 

Appointment, Commission, and Personnel Divisions 1 

Miscellaneous Division 1 

Correspondence and Examining Division 2 

Medical Division 1 

Regimental Records Division 1 

Archives Division 1 

Publication branch, 1712 G Street 2 

Seventeenth Street branch 3 

Administrative Division 2 

Tenth Street branch & 

40 



APPENDIX 11. 343 

A mail Wcigou is used in hauling the "deserter" mail from branch printing 
office (1725 F Street NW.) to Tenth Street branch and from Tenth Street 
branch to city post office. This wagon is also used in transferring supplies and 
records. 

II. Requisitions for office supplies and stationery. — The several divisions of 
the office make out requisitions for supplies and stationery each month, which 
are consolidated in the Administration Division and sent to the Supply Divi- 
sion of the War Department to be filled. A separate requisition is required for 
stationery. Each form contains a column for the item number of each article 
desired, this number being entered by the division chiefs from the schedule 
supplied by the War Department. 

Requisitions for printing and binding are made out on forms supplied by the 
Government Printing Office. Each requisition must be approved by the chief 
clerk of tJie War Department and then sent to the Government Printing Office 
or to the War Department branch printing office. 

Property records are kept on cards, showing the number or quantity in each 
division and the additions and deductions during the year. Annual reports 
of the several divisions showing the property on hand June 30 are combined to 
show the quantity on hand in the office, and this forms the basis of a report to 
the War Department for the fiscal year. 

In addition to showing the quantity on hand at the end of the year, the 
amounts received and disposed of during the year and the amount on hand 
at the beginning of the year are shown. 

III-A. Inquiries of a general, historical, and statistical nature. — Because of 
the frequency of these inquiries, some of them caused by curiosity only, but 
most of them being of general interest or importance sometimes involving ex- 
tended searches or compilations to answer the inquiries, the work of answering 
them has been confined to this division to enable The Adjutant General to 
supervise it personally. The methods pursued in drafting a reply are the same 
as those used in the other divisions of the office. A search of the record cards 
is always made to learn if the information requested has been compiled. If 
many requests come in for the same information a printed circular is made 
and sent to the inquirer as a reply. 

III-B. System of personal identification of enlisted men of the Army. — Iden- 
tification records are received at the mail desk in the Mail and Record Divi- 
sion of the office without letter of transmittal and directly from the posts at 
which the records are made. The records are sent from the mail desk directly 
1() the identity section of the Tenth Street branch, where they are examined and 
classified, and a search made of the finger-print records of former soldiers whose 
!<ervices have been terminated in a manner that if known to the enlisting 
officer would, or be likelj^ to, prevent their reenlistment. If the recruit is 
identified as one of these former soldiers, a slip is made out showing the iden- 
tity, and sent, together with the identification records for all the services of the 
man, to the Administrative Division. When received in the Administrative 
Division the Identification records are examined for the purpose of being certain 
that the reported identity is established by the records and that the classifica- 
tion marks on all records agree or are reconcilable. If the case is one in which 
there is any question as to the advisability of directing the confinement of the 
identified man, the question is submitted to an adjutant general for decision. 
The slip showing identity is sent from the Administrative Division to the Rolls 
Division, where a record of prior service is entered on it and sent directly to 
the 'Enlisted Men's Division. A telegram directing confinement — or, if other 



344 REPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

action may be required, au indorsemeut or letter — is prepared iu that division 
and talcen to one of the adjutants general for signature. The case is then 
recorded. On receipt of information that the man is in confinement, the case 
is sent to the Administrative Division, that the identfication records may be 
put with it and directions given to prepare the photographic copies of the 
identification records that are to be used in the trial of the identified man, and 
then sent to the identity section. After the photographic copies are received 
from the identity section, they are examined to see that they are satisfactory 
and the case sent to the Enlisted Men's Division, where the final indorsement 
upon which the charges are to be based and with which the copies of the 
identification records are inclosed is prepared. 

If, when identification records are examined in the identity section, it is found 
that any of them are unsatisfactory, a draft of a letter is prepared setting forth 
wherein the record is unsatisfactoiy, and together with the record is sent to 
the Administrative Division. If it is deemed advisable in the latter division to 
return the identification record, the draft is reviewed, the record card, showing 
prior correspondence relative to defective records with the post from which 
the record to be returned was received, is taken up for action, the draft is 
attached to that record card, and the case then sent to the Correspondence and 
Examining Division to have a letter prepared for signature. 

Questions relative to supplies for identification work at the various posts that 
need action in The Adjutant General's Office are decided in the Administrative 
Division. 

III-C. Copying of official records of organizations to complete the collection 
of records in the custody of States. — (A. G. O. comment: Representatives of the 
States of Louisiana, South Carolina, and Virginia have recently made photostat 
copies of several thousand muster rolls of organizations from those States. 
This work is done under the supervision of the Administrative Division and all 
copies are examined in that division before any of them are allowed to be sent 
out of the office. ) 

IV. The recordng of precedents. — In each case where the action taken therein 
cither establishes a precedent or applies a principle, of which the clerk handling 
the case is in doubt if a notation on the precedent file has been made, a card 
Is attached which sends the case to the precedent file clerk. He reviews this 
correspondence and examines the precedent cards filed under the specific subject 
or subjects. If an adequate precedent has been established prior to the writing 
of this correspondence the correspondence is filed without a precedent card 
being made. In case it establishes a precedent, a draft, partly longhand, is 
made of the principle involved. This draft is then given to a typist, who places 
the matter on a card. 

In all cases where the Secretary of War, Chief of Staff, and The Adjutant 
General make decisions, the precedent file clerk gets the papers, and precedent 
eards are made. 

New precedent cards go to the chief clerk with suggestion of class mark, if 
a relevant class is named'in the file, or of class name and class mark (if new), 
for approval, and are then returned to the precedent file clerk, and copies made 
for the files of, or the administrative file precedent card is circulated to, the 
divisions whose work will be affected by the precedent established. About 1,000 
cards per year are made. 

The file is composed of about 400 main subjects (or main classes) ; each main 
subject (viewed as a whole or a genus) is primarily divided into subordinate 
subjects (viewed as parts or species), and these primary divisions are likewise 



APPENDIX II. 345 

subdivided, and so on throiigbout as need therefor arises. The main subjects 
are numbered serially, the primary divisions of the main subject are lettered 
serially, and the further subdivisions are serially numbered and serially lettered 
alternately, e. g., 165 B 1 C 3. The aim or scope of the precedent file is that it 
shall be a file containing a guide for any and every contemplated action what- 
ever regarding the propriety of which there may be reasonable doubt in the 
mind of any person in the office who is to recommend or to take any official 
action, be the matter one of inserting or omitting a comma in a certain im- 
portant class of sentences or a question whether a thought or proposition or 
judgment, contained in a proposed composition or communication of the office is 
warranted by principle, law, regulation, order, or decision of superior authority. 
Consequently the scope of the precedent file includes useful information gath- 
ered from many sources, such as treatises on grammar, rhetoric, logic, ethics, 
economics, and hermeneutics (these being sciences and arts applicable practi- 
cally to every subject), newspaper articles, and matters of a historical nature 
pertaining to the business of the office. 

About 350 items of such miscellaneous information are filed annually. An 
alphabetical and numerical index or key is kept of subjects and subdivisions 
of subjects. 

V. Supervising the preparation and issue of Army deserters' descriptive 
circulars, etc. — When a desertion occurs from the enlisted ranks of the Army, 
the first information in regard to it is usually received by telegraph from the 
commanding officer of the post where the man was serving. When this telegram 
is received it is transmitted, special, to the Administrative Division. The tele- 
gram, together with an order for engraving a half tone and the accompanying 
record card are transmitted to the Tenth Street branch with a request that 
the photograph of the enlisted man which was made at the time of his enlist- 
ment be sent to the engraver and that data for a deserter's descriptive circular 
be prepared. When the data slip is received in the Administrative Division, 
it is reviewed, given a serial number, and sent to the branch printing office 
for proof. After proof is received it is read and returned to the printer, with 
instructions to print. A local engraver has the contract for the preparation of 
the halftone cuts used, and delivers them to the Administrative Division, where 
they are examined and sent to the printer, and the descripti^'e circulars are 
printed. 

VI. Preparing the report of The Adjutant General. — One of the clerks in the 
Administrative Division has charge of the consolidation of this report, with the 
exception of that which is drawn up and written by The Adjutant General 
personally. The tables of statistics on which this report is based are prepared 
by the various divisions of the office. 

VII. Personal and telephonic communications fro^n outside persons. — -When- 
ever the information requested can not be given readily, but is available by 
referring to another division, a messenger is sent there or the telephone used. 
It often happens that many inquiries come in for the same information, and 
in such cases the subject matter of what the reply would be verbally has been 
printed, and the inquirer is handed one of these printed slips which will be 
the full reply to his inquiry. 

VIII. Final review of correspondence of the office. — All the correspondence 
of The Adjutant General's Office comes over the desks of two of the employees 
of the Administrative Division. Letters and telegrams are gone over for the 
purpose of having the division advised of the transactions so that that division 
would be in position to reply to inquiries offhand. Some of the corresi)ondence 



346 REPOKTS OF COMMISSION &'N ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

requiring tlie approval of tlie chief clerk prior to signature comes over the 
desk of the assistant chief clerk, who reviews and passes on the same. The 
lime of sending telegrams is recorded on the record card. 

IX. The prompt performance of tJiel correspondence work, of the office. — 
The chief clerk of the office inspects the tally cards on the tally desk in the 
Mail and Record Division every day to see whether any case on hand in any 
division of the office seems to have received avoidable delay, and whenever 
need for or utility of inquiry into the cause of delay is observed by him he 
institutes oral or written investigation with a view to discover the cause or 
probable cause, and if avoidable delay is developed to institute measures teuding 
to prevent recurrence. 

III. Organization. 

List shoiving names of persons emploifed in the Administrative Division of The 
Adjutant General' s Office, the nature of their duties, and their salaries. 



Name. 



Jacob Freeh 

John C. Hesse 

Alonzo W. Shiink 

J. Claude Keiper. 



Charles Shelse 

Gus W. Waiaen... 
Samuel B. Evans.. 
Thomas A, O'Brien 



Sidney H. Kent... 

Jesse H. Powell... 
Fred M. Ashbaugh 



Nature of work upon which engaged. 



Chief clerk 

Assistant to chief clerk 

Correspondence regarding identification and desertion business, 
payment of rewards, statistical and historical inquiries; com- 
pilation of annual report of The Adjutant General. 

In charge of that portion of olRce nonclerical force on duty in State, 
War, and Navy Building and nearby branches; supervision of 
property, printing, and supplies; changes in personnel of office 
force; and matters connected with the copying of records of or- 
ganizations to complete State collections. 

Office pay roll 

Precedent file work and general correspondence 

General correspondence 

Correspondence regarding identification business, desertions, and 
investigations of circumstances attending escapes of military 
prisoners; reviewing data slips for desertion circulars and other 
work connected with the printing of those circulars. Compila- 
tion of data for desertion chapter for aimual report; correspond- 
ence regarding staiistical and historical inquiries (in absence of 
Mr. Shunk). 

Business pertaining to time records of employees, applications for 
leaves of absence, and file of personal papers of employees, and 
assists in work of pay rolls. 

Answering personal and telephonic inquiries from outside parties, 
and miscellaneous work. 

Stenographer and typewriter; correspondence regarding identifi- 
cation business; requisitions for and distribution of supplies; 
and substitute for other clerks of division during their absence. 



Salary. 



$2,000 
2,000 
2,000 



1,800 
1,800 
1,800 
1,600 



1,600 

1,600 
1,400 



The following is a list of subclerical employees of The Adjutant General's 
Office, located in the State, War, and Navy Building, the Seventeenth Street 



APPENDIX II. 



347 



branch, the publication branch, and the blank room. Lemon Building, with 
nature of work upon which each is engaged and the salary of each : 



Name. 



Nature of work upon which engaged. 



Salai'y. 



Otto UMckson 

Reuben T. Caton 

Harry P. Davis 

Lloyd Badon , 

Wm. A. Baltimore 

Kenneth Camp , 

Frank Coalman 

Burton G. Cox 

Richard Craig 

Wm. E.Hall, jr 

John T. Marshall 

James D. Miller 

James H. Smith 

Detlef F. Von Bottger.. 
Thos. R. J. Cavanaugh. 
James E . B arnwell 



John A. Dunmore 

Berry S. Inghram 

Burroughs J. Jackson. 
Lorenzo R. F. Mims. . 

Lewis W. Oldham 

Charles W.AVhite 

Benjamin J. Askew. . . 



Butler Berry 

George W. Cole 

William Compton 

James Connell 

Frank W. Dixon 

Sanford T. Farmer 

Septimus T. Graham.. 

James R. Harris 

Joseph C. Higgs 

Benjamin Jacobs 

Henry C. James 

Charles E. Jones 

Thomas G.Jones 

Fred Kemp 

Daniel Killigan 

John E. Lemos 

Solomon H. Lomex. . . 

Warren McBeth 

Jacob Madert 

Andrew Mills 

William Miner 

Henry H. Naylor 

Alexander Oglesby 

Wilham H.Pike 

Isaiah R. Reed 

William P. Robinson. 

John T. Simmons 

Ransom Smart 



Making and repairing ofB^ce furnitiure. 
....do 



Typewriter repairs and operating addressograph. 

5-minute mail-route messenger 

....do \ 



.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 



Cleaning rooms, moving office furniture, and substitute 5- 

minute mail-route messenger. 
do 



.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 



Cleaning rooms, moving office furniture, and general messenger 

duty. 
do 



.do., 
.do., 
.do., 
.do., 
.do., 
.do., 
.do., 
.do., 
.do., 
.do., 
.do., 
.do., 
.do., 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 



$1,000 
840 
840 
720' 
720 
72a 
720 
720 
720 
720 
720 
720 
840 
720 
360 
720 



348 KEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 



Name. 



Hobert E. Syphax. 



Henry A. Taylor 

Hal. Timmons 

Benjamin F. Turner. . . 

Harry W. Ussery 

Hezekiah Weeks 

Dennis W. Whitehead . 

James E. Williams 

Joseph W. Williamson. 

Ira F. T. Wright 

John S. Younger 

John Connelly 

Robert Manning 

Thomas E . Jones 

Robert B . Brown 

Jesse Chiun 

John T. Gray 

Howard H. Hennings.. 



Nature of work upon which engaged. 



Cleaning rooms, moving office furniture, and general messenger 

duty. 
do 



.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
-do. 



John F. Jackson 

Ehas Johnson | do 

Andrew Laster i do 



General messenger duty 

Carrying mail to and from department post office and opening mail 

Watchman, Seventeenth Street building 

Cleaning rooms, moving office furniture, and general laborer duty. 

....do 

....do 

Cleaning rooms, mo^^ng office furniture, general laborer duty, and 

driver of office wagon. 
Cleaning rooms, moving office furniture, and general laborer duty 



Clement L. Marshall . 
William A. Parker. . . 
James R. Pendleton. 
Charles G. Prentiss.. 

Freeborn Sudler 

Lloyd F. Ward 



.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 



Driver of office mail wagon. 



Salary. 



840 
720 
720 
720 
720 
720 
720 
720 
840 
720 
840 
720 
720 
660 
660 
660 
660 

660 
660 
660 
660 
660 
660 
660 
660 
660 



B. STATEMENT OF THE LOCATION, WORK, METHODS, ORGANIZATION, AND 
EaxJIPMENT OF THE PUBLICATION BRANCH OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'S 
OFFICE, 

I. Location. 

This braucli occupies the building laiown as 1712 G Street NW., consisting of 
nine rooms. 

Tlie number of employees on each floor is as follows: Clerks on first floor, 
10; clerks on second floor, 5; clerks on tliird floor, 1. 

II. Functions and Work. 

The work of this branch consists of the following main classes : 
(1) This branch, which was originally the War Records Office of the War 
Department until February 24, 1899, when it was merged into the Record and 
Pension Office of the War Department, compiled and prepared for publication 
iind published the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. This 
publication consists of four series and contains 128 separate parts, exclusive of 
the atlas which accompanies it. This publication has been completed, and the 
work of the division, so far as the publication referred to is concerned, consists 
of furnishing information of a statistical and historical nature from the publica- 
tion and atlas to the other divisions of the office. The information thus fur- 
nished is usually entered on the record cards of current cases in which the in- 
formation is requested. 



APPENDIX II. 349 

(2) Tlae matter contained in tlie publication is also used in verifying the teit 
of inscriptions proposed to be placed on monuments, tablets, or other memorials 
to commands or individuals in the various national military parks. Under the 
regulations adopted by the War Department such inscriptions must be purely 
historical; must be based upon and conform to the official records, and must 
be submitted to the Secretary of "War for his approval before being adopted and 
placed within the parks. Upon the submission of such proposed inscriptions 
they are referred to this division and if found to agree with the official reports 
an indorsement is prepared returning them to the Secretary of War with the 
recommendation that the proposed inscription be approved. If found to dis- 
agree, such corrections therein as are necessary are made and the corrected 
inscription returned with the recommendation that it be approved as corrected. 

(3) The division is also engaged in preparing, with a view to publication, a 
compilation showing the geographical and tactical organization, engagements, 
and casualtes of the Union and Confederate Armies. This compilation, upon 
which considerable progress has been made, will contain a sketch of the organi- 
zation and operation of armies and army corps, and the component parts thereof^ 
and the organization of military departments so far as shown by the records in 
the possession of the War Department. It will also include lists of troops com- 
prising the several brigades, divisions, and corps, with their commanders and 
their stafCs, and the period of service therein, together with tables showing, 
wherever practicable, the numerical strength and the losses by regiments in the 
principal engagements and battles. 

(4) The division is also preparing for publication a subject index of the 
General Orders and Circulars of the Department from 1860 to 1911, inclusive. 
One volume, consisting of 650 pages, and covering the period from 1881 to 1911, 
has just been completed and is now in process of distribution. Another volume, 
covering the period from 1860 to 1880, is in course of preparation. 

(5) In addition to the duties heretofore enumerated the division is called 
upon to read and revise the proof of the Army Regulations, to prepare indexes 
for the same, to read and revise the proof of the annual report of the Secretary 
of War so far as it pertains to the existing military divisions and departments, 
and to prepare an index of the volume containing the particular part of the 
report described. More or less frequently, too, the division is called upon to 
read the proof and revise other departmental publications, such as the Annual 
Report of the Superintendent of the United States Military Academy, the 
Annual Report of The Adjutant General of the Army, and mustering or other 
regulations that are printed by the department from time to time. 

III. Methods. 

(l) FURNISHING STATISTICAL AND HISTORICAL DATA. 

When questions of a statistical or a historical nature are received from other 
divisions of the office the general index of the Official Records of the Union 
and Confederate Armies is examined for the purpose of ascertaining what par- 
licular volumes of the publication contain information upon the question re- 
ferred to. The volumes having been determined, the indexes of those particu- 
lar volumes are examined for reference to the pages containing information 
desired. If the information is brief, it is furnished on the record card, or, if 
it is extensive, reference is made to the particular volume, part, and page. In 
connection with questions of this kind received from historians and statis- 
ticians it is frequently necessary to consult some of the Government publica- 
tions and State and private publications on file in the branch and make proper 
reference to them when found to bear on the subject in question. 



350 REPOKTS OF COMMISSIOlSr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 
(2) VERIFYING TEXT OF INSCRIPTIONS FOR MONUMENTS. 

In verifying the text of inscriptions it is necessary to examine tlie indexes of 
the volumes of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies that 
cover the particular period involved in the text, for such references to the 
command or individual concerned as may be necessary to corroborate or con- 
tradict the proposed inscription. Sometimes, in case the published official 
records do not satisfactorily determine the question at issue, it becomes neces- 
sary to search the original records bearing upon the point involved. 

(3) PREPARATION OF COMPILATION SHOWING THE GEOGRAPHICAL AND TACTICAL 
ORGANIZATION, ENGAGEMENTS, AND CASUALTIES OF UNION AND CONFEDERATE 
ARMIES. 

The compilation referred to in paragraph 3 consists, first, of a historical 
■sketch, shovping the organization, orders under vs^hich organized, movements, 
principal engagements, and discontinuance of the particular command ; second 
the command, commanders, staff officers, and troops; third, consolidated lists 
-of troops ; fourth, numerical strength ; fifth, table of principal engagements and 
numerical losses ; sixth, flags and badges. The information for this purpose is 
elicited from vs^hatever source it is thought to be obtainable — orders, general 
and special ; battle reports, returns of the various commands, casualty lists, 
corps books, and medical and personal papers. In many cases it is necessary, 
in order to settle apparent conflict in the records, to refer to the personal 
papers in the document files of the particular officers concerned. In short, no 
record in the office that may be thought to be of use in furnishing information 
lor this compilation is left unsearched in its preparation. After all pertinent 
Information is obtained from any one record it is entered on a card and the 
cards are assembled in the hands of one clerk, who drafts the compilation, after 
"vvhich it is revised, typed, and filed for future use. 

(4) PREPARATION OF SUBJECT INDEX OF GENERAL ORDERS AND CIRCULARS, 1860-1911. 

Each general order and circular published within the period specified is care- 
fully read and each subject referred to therein is entered separately on a card, 
with a brief statement of the particular reference to the subject contained in 
the order or circular. After all the orders and circulars are so carded, the 
cards are thrown in dictionary order. All cards relating to any particular sub- 
ject thus being placed together, each subject is then copied on a sheet or sheets 
of paper, and such proper subsubjects prepared as the matter contained in the 
order may warrant. The subsubjects are also arranged alphabetically, and 
the number and year of the order to which reference is made are shown. It 
will be apparent that special care must be exercised in studying and under- 
standing the purport and meaning of each order and circular in order to extract 
from it, briefly and properly, its effect upon any particular subject included in 
the index. After each subject is completed it is revised and typed as copy for 
the printer. 

(5) PROOF READING AND INDEXING SUNDRY PUBLICATIONS. 

With respect to the miscellaneous proof reading done in this division it is 
thought to be unnecessary to say any more than that it requires the same care 
find att-ention that are exacted of all proof readers in the preparation of publi- 
cations such as those referred to. The indexes are prepared in much the same 
Avay as the index to general orders and circulars. 



APPENDIX II. 351 

IV. Personnel. 

The names, salaries, and duties of tlie employees of tliis branch are as 
follows : 

Ronald McDonald, $1,800, in charge of branch: (1) Makes search of records 
for purpose of answering historical and statistical questions and verifying me- 
morial inscriptions. In the actual work of looking up references assistance is 
rendered by some of the other clerks, but the reports are prepared by either 
Mr. McDonald or Mr. Woodward. (2) Mr. McDonald also has supervision of 
nil the other work of the branch, and none of it is permitted to leave the branch 
until it has been subjected to his personal examination. 

Elon A. Woodward, $1,800 : (1) Makes searches of the records for the purpose 
of answering historical and statistical questions. (2) Prepares the historical 
sketch to be included in the compilation referred to in function 3 and arranges 
the other carded matter in systematic manner ready for typewriting. (3) 
Cards orders and circulars referred to in function 4 ; arranges cards in dic- 
tionary order ; prepares dafts of subjects for typing and entry into index. 

Joseph S. McCoy, $1,800: (1) Reviews the various parts comprised in the 
Compilation Showing the Geographical and Tactical Organizations, Engage- 
ments, and Casualties of the Union and Confederate Armies with a view to 
detecting errors. (2) Cards orders and circulars; arranges cards in dictionary 
order. 

Marcus J. Wright, $1,800: Cards information from records for use in compila- 
tion referred to in function 3. 

Charles F. Keefer, $1,600: Prepares the historical sketch included in the 
compilation referred to in function 3 and arranges the other matter in sys- 
tematic manner ready for typewriting. 

George W. Cox, $1,400: (1) Assistant to clerk in charge of the publication 
branch, having general supervision of the office in the event of the absence of 
the clerk in charge ; assists in searching the records for data to be used in the 
official correspondence of the office. (2) Prepares copy, revising and reading 
proof. (3) Cards orders and circulars; arranges cards in dictionary order; 
prepares drafts of subjects for typing and for insertion into index. (4) Searches 
returns and other official records for purpose of compiling tables of the nu- 
merical strength of military organizations, which tables are used in the Compila- 
tion Showing the Geographical and Tactical Organization, Engagements, and 
Casualties of the Union and Confederate Armies. 

Robert A. Kantz, $1,400: (1) Cards information from records for purpose of 
■entry in compilation referred to in function 3. (2) Cards orders and circulars; 
arr.anges cards in dictionary order. 

William R. Lee, $1,400: (1) Proof reading and holding proof copy. (2) 
Searches returns and other official records for data concerning general and staff 
officers to be used in the compilation covered in function 3 ; renders special as- 
sistance to the chief of the division in final action on the compilation. (3) 
Cards orders and circulars ; arranges cards in dictionary order ; prepares drafts 
of subjects for typing and for entry into index. 

John N. Bovee, $1,400: (1) Cards information from records for use in compi- 
lation referred to in function 3. (2) Cards orders and circulars; arranges 
<;ards in dictionary order. 

Watson B. Mundelle, $1,200: (1) Sometimes aids Mr. McDonald and Mr. 
"Woodward in searching the published records. (2) Typewrites historical com- 
pilation referred to in function 3; also typewrites the copies of indexes for 
printers. (3) Cards orders and circulars referred to in function 4; arranges 
cards in dictionary order; prepares drafts of subjects for typing and entry into 
index. 



352 REPORTS OF COMMISSION OX ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Roy Zapf, $1,200: (1) Typewrites official correspondence, compilation men- 
tioned in function 3, indexes, and other typewriting as called upon. (2) Keeps 
time and property records; makes requisitions for supplies used in office; exer- 
cises partial supervision over tlie cleaning of the building occupied by branch. 
(3) Cards orders and circulars; arranges cards in dictionary order; prepares 
drafts of subjects for typing and for enti-jr in index. (4) Searches records for 
data used in compilation covered in function 3 ; records and files compilations 
as finished ; aids in searching records for data to be used in correspondence of 
the oflice. 

Emma Leckie (Mrs.), $1,200: (1) Cards orders and circulars; arranges cards 
ia dictionary order. (2) Does such typewriting in connection with the work of 
the division as called upon to do. 

Carolina L. Harrold (Miss), $1,200: (1) Cards information from records foi 
use in compilation referred to in function 3. (2) Cards orders and circulars; 
arranges cards in dictionary order ; prepares drafts of subjects for typing and 
entry into index. (3) Does such typewriting in connection with the work of 
the division as called upon to do. 

Julia P. Humphrey (Miss), $1,200: (1) Cards information from records for 
use in compilation referred to in function 3. (2) Cards orders and circulars; 
arranges cards in dictionary order ; prepares drafts of subjects for typing and 
entry into index. 

Mary F. Guss (Miss), $1,200: (1) Cards information from records for use in 
compilation referred to in function 3. (2) Cards orders and circulars; arranges 
cards in dictionary order. (3) Does such typewriting in connection with the 
work of the division as called upon to do. 

Frances O. Smalley (Miss), $1,200: (1) Aids in comparing the cards pre- 
pared from the records for use in the compilation referred to in function 3, 
and in verifying numerical tables. (2) Carding personal subjects from general 
orders and circulars and arranging cards in dictionary order. 

Subclerical emtiloyees. — Butler Berry, assistant messenger ; Isaiah R. Reed, 
assistant messenger. 

The assistant messengers care for the building, keep It clean, attend the fires, 
and carry mail to and from the main building. There are 10 deliveries of mail 
each way per day. 

V. Equipment. 



Besides the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, the 
division has in its library approximately 200 publications, national, State, or 
iprivate, relating to the Civil War period, that are frequently consulted and 
referred to in the consideration of historical questions. Use is also freely made 
of similar publications in the War Department library. 

TELEPHONE. 

The division is supplied with a telephone for inside service. 

TYPEWEITING MACHINES. 

The division has four typewriting machines. All are Remingtons, three 
No. 6 and one No. 7. 



APPENDIX II. 353 

HEATING EQUIPMENT. 

The building is lieated by a bot-air furnace, supplemented by one latrobe and 
two open grates for use in coldest weatber. 

C. DESCRIPTION OF THE LOCATION, WORK, METHODS, ORGANIZATION, AND 
EXPENSES OF THE DISTRIBUTION DIVISION OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'S 
OFFICE, 

I. Location. 

This division and tbe files in its custody occupy four rooms in tbe basement 
of tbe State, War, and Navy Building. These rooms are numbers 48, 49, 50, 
and 050. The number of employees in each room is as follows: Room 48, 2 
clerks ; room 49, 1 clerk ; room 50, 3 clerks. 

One clerk is employed in tbe " blank " room, Lemon Building, in receiving 
and dispatching blank forms and books used by the Army, the militia, and 
educational institutions. 

II. Functions and Work. 

(l) CUSTODY OF FILES. 

Much of the floor space of this division is occupied by the files of orders 
issued from The Adjutant General's Office. These files date back to 1813, and 
form the principal source of information relative to the official orders issued 
from The Adjutant General's Office during all years up to the present. Refer- 
ence is made to these orders whenever changes of previously existing orders 
are made or former orders are rescinded or amended. 

(2) PREPARING REQUISITIONS TO HAVE FORMS, CIRCULARS, ORDERS, AND REGULATIONS 

PRINTED. 

These forms originate with the administrative officers and are forwarded 
from this office to the printer, accompanying the requisition for printing, with 
number of copies signified as deemed necessary for general distribution. When- 
ever this supply runs low this office makes requisition for a renewal to meet 
the demand. All forms and circulars used throughout the office in answer to 
correspondence are kept here for distribution. These are distributed to the 
respective divisions upon request therefor, memoranda being kept of their dis- 
position. All new orders are distributed from this office as soon as received 
from the printer. Following is an annual report for July, 1911-12 : 

Blank forms 2, 569, 615 

General orders 1, 135, 900 

Special orders (grouped) 184,422 

Enlistment circulars 8, 000 

Changes in Army Regulations, manuals, etc 110, 174 

Record of cost. — The chief of this division, Mr. Kerr, keeps record of the 
cost of printing and binding by the Public Printer of all forms, circulars, etc., 
for the information of The Adjutant General. By this means an account can 
be kept of the expense of printing current orders, etc., for the year, also the 
amount available for future orders, etc. 

(3) DISTRIBUTION OF GENERAL ORDERS, FULL COPIES OF SPECIAL ORDERS, BULLE- 
TINS, AMENDMENTS TO ARMY REGULATIONS, AND OTHER REGULATIONS AND 
MANUALS OF THE WAR DEPARTMENT, BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, AND BLANK FORMS 
USED BY THE OFFICE, THE ARMY, AND CERTAIN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. 

Orders. — ^A distinction has recently been given the term "orders" as for- 
merly used which it will be well to note. Orders are distinctly orders or com- 
72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 23 



354 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

mands issued by one in autliority, in contradistinction to " bulletins," wliicli 
merely convey necessary information useful to the service. Orders are divided 
into general orders and special orders. At tlie end of each calendar year a 
combined alphabetical index (a personal index followed by a subject index) 
is printed and bound in paper cover, and is distributed as are general orders. 
A limited number of sets of general orders issued during the year are bound 
with the index. Special orders are mailed by the Orders Division direct to those 
affected by them. Surplus copies are kept. 

Pamphlets. — The Army List and Directory is printed and distributed at the 
rate of 2,000 per month. Annual reports of The Adjutant General and that of 
the board of commissioners of the United States Soldiers' Home are also dis- 
tributed through this division. In no sense is any private mailing list main- 
tained. All such mailing is done upon request. When matter is of such impor- 
tance that the office needs to be assured that it has been received, it is registered. 
By doing this a receipt is returned, which assures the office of its delivery. 

Forms. — Office forms, such as those submitted as exhibits in the reports of 
each division using same, are distributed from this division. Each form bears 
a distinguishing number by which requisition is made on memoranda card, 
which is kept by the office making requisition thereon. 

III. Organization and Salary Roll. 

This division has seven employees, of the following salary grades : 

1 clerk of class 4 (in charge of division) $1,800 

2 clerks of class 3, with salaries aggregating 3, 200 

1 clerk of class 2 1,400 

3 clerks of class 1, with salaries aggregating 3,600 

Total salary expense 10.000 

The following is a list of persons employed in the division, and shows the 
nature of the work upon which each is engaged and the salary. 



Name. 



Nature of work upon which engaged. 



Salary. 



R. W. Kerr 

John G. Johnson. 



Thomas R. Senior. 



Edward Emmett. 



Susan S. Logan 

Georgia K. Gordon. 
Albert T. Gore 



Chief of division 

Assistant chief of division (keeps accounts of sales, record of issue 

of certain blanks, etc.). 
Indexing, recording, and filing requisitions and bills relating to 

printing and binding, distributing Army List and Directory, 

Station List, etc. 
Counting and dispatching blank forms and books mailed to the 

Army, militia, and certain educational institutions. 

Typewriting and correspondence clerk 

Counting and dispatching general orders and other publications . . 
do 



1,600 
1,600 

1,400 

1,200 
1,200 
1,200 



D. DESCRIPTION OF THE LOCATION, WORK, METHODS, ORGANIZATION, AND 
EXPENSES OF THE ORDERS DIVISION OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE. 

I. Location. 



This division occupies three rooms in the basement of the State, War. and 
Navy Building, and one storage room on the fifth floor of the same building. 
These rooms are Nos. 40, 42, 45, and 506. The number of employees in each 
room is as follows: Room 40, 4 clerks; room 42. 2 clerks; room 45, 2 clerks; 
room 506, none. 



APPENDIX II. 355 

II. Functions and Work. 

PREPARATION OF ORDERS. 

The fnuctions of the Orders Division consist in A-erifying and preparing for 
printing and distribntion all drafts for (a) special orders, (&) general orders, 
(c) bulletins, (d) changes in Army Regulations and manuals. 

These drafts are prepared in other divisions of The xldjutant General's OfRce. 



Drafts for special orders after being printed are filed serially by years in 
document files, together with the proofs, i. e., all orders received in a day are 
given the same number and are fastened together and placed in a document file. 
This file is labeled according to the particular number of the special order of 
that day. The number used the day following would be the next number. 
These drafts of special orders are kept in the files for two years and then 
destroyed. Printed extracts from special orders are filed in numerical order. 

Full copies of general orders, general court-martial orders, special orders, 
bulletins, and circulars are bound annually and are filed in a cabinet. TTiere 
are 222 volumes of these orders, dating from 1797, arranged serially by years. 

Printed general orders, special orders, circulars, etc., issued by military divi- 
sions and departments are bound and filed in the same manner as those 
issued from The Adjutant General's Office. Loose copies of all printed and 
written orders, extracts of special orders, circulars, etc. (the number of each 
kind filed is determined by the clerk in charge), are filed serially by sources. 
From time to time this file is trimmed and only a few copies of each are re- 
tained, the rest being destroyed. 

Copies of written orders and circulars issued by some of the more important 
posts are filed flat by post in numerical order. 

One copy of galley proof, together with the " record of preparation " slips of 
general orders, bulletins, and circulars is filed in document files in numerical 
order by classes. 

III. Methods of Conducting Work. 

The methods employed in this division will be described in two sections: (a) 
Those employed in the administration of the division, and (b) those employed 
in the preparation of drafts of special orders, general orders, bulletins, etc.. 
for printing ; and in filing of the original drafts, copies of printed extracts and 
full copies of special orders, general orders, bulletins, circulars, and changes 
issued from The Adjutant General's Office and of those issued by military 
divisions, departments, and other commands. 

(a) ADMINISTRATION. 

Each employee in this division prepares a daily time and work report show- 
ing the time employed and the quantity of work performed on each class of 
work. These individual reports are sent to the clerk in charge of the division, 
who prepares a consolidated daily report which is sent to the office of the 
chief clerk. 

(&) PERFORMING CURRENT WORK. 

Drafts of all special orders are prepared in other divisions of The Adjutant 
<jenerars Office and certain items in them are there compared with the original 
papers. In cases of commissioned officers the name and rank of the officer 
jiffected are compared with the Army Register in the Appointment, Commit- 



356 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

sion, and Personnel Division, from wliich division the draft of tlie order is 
received by tlie clerk in charge of the Orders Division. 

The time of its receipt is stamped upon the draft and accompanying papers 
and then it is numbered. The Army Register in this division is referred to in 
order to prevent the possibility of an error in the name and rank. The draft 
is then sent to a branch of the Government Printing Ofiice located at 1725 
F Street, by messenger, to be printed. These messengers (two in number) 
make regular trips, alternating, to and from this branch printing office every 
half hour. This draft is then printed in the form of an extract and the proof 
returned for approval. The approved proof is again sent to the printer by 
messenger. 

The required number of extracts ranging from 5 to 2,000 — a general average of 
about 15 of each extract — is then printed and sent to this office, together vpith 
the draft. 

The names of persons to vphom these extracts are to be sent are entered 
thereon and they are then inclosed in envelopes (22,000 per annum) M^hich are 
addressed by the clerks. All surplus copies of these extracts are filed in a box 
file bearing the numbers of the special orders for that day. 

When a sufficient number of these extracts have been printed to complete a 
full page of the regulation size special order they are set up in paragraph form, 
the paragraphs being numbered from 1 up. TTiirty-five copies of these full-page 
prints are sent to the bulletin board in the State, "War, and Navy Building for 
use of the nevrspaper reporters. 

At the close of the business for the day these extracts are printed in pamphlet 
form, and after being indexed are distributed by the Orders Division. The en- 
velopes used in sending out these full copies are 6 by 8| inches in size and 
are printed at the Tenth Street branch printing office. 

Drafts of general orders, bulletins, circulars, and changes are prepared in 
other divisions of The Adjutant General's Office and sent to this division, where 
the time of receipt is stamped thereon. The draft is then numbered and ex- 
amined, then sent to the branch of the Government Printing Office, 1725 F 
Street, for proofs. 

When proof has been approved by The Adjutant General and the Chief of 
Staff it is returned to the printer by the Orders Division and an edition of 
11,000 copies of general orders, or bulletins, or various editions of changes is 
printed and is sent directly to the Distribution Division for mailing. The 
.Orders Division retains one copy of the approved proof and receives from the 
Distribution Division a sufficient number of printed copies to supply the re- 
quests for copies and for permanent files. 

All orders and circulars, printed, or manuscript copies received from the 
various military commands are distributed to such divisions of the office as 
are interested in the purport of the orders, one official copy being sent to the 
Returns and the Army Rolls Divisions, which, after notation, is returned to 
the Orders Division and becomes the office record copy. Surplus copies are 
filed for future use. Copies of orders are supplied upon request and the letter 
of request filed in the Orders Division. About 1,200 of these requests are re- 
ceived annually. 

IV. Organization and Salary Roll. 

This division has eight employees of the following salary grades : 

1 clerk of class 4 $1, 800 

1 clerk of class 3 1,600 

5 clerks of class 1, with salaries aggregating 6, 000 

1 clerk at $1,000 1, 000 



APPENDIX II. 



357 



The following is a list of persons employed in tlie division and stiows the 
nature of the work upon which each is engaged and the salary.^ 



Name. 


Nature of work upon which engaged. 


Salary. 


J. Wm. Palmer 


Examining drafts of general orders, bulletins, changes, etc., for 
printing and publication and in charge of the work of the divi- 
sion. 

Preparing drafts of special orders for printing, and supervising 
their distribution. 

Indexing orders, bulletins, etc., filing official copies of orders and 
circulars received from military commands, and preparing them 
for binding. 

Addressing envelopes and mailing extracts of special orders to all 
concerned; recording the distribution made of orders by type- 
writing on the record file. 

Reading proof of orders, bulletins, changes, etc.; designating the 
distribution to be made of special orders and assisting in mailing 
the same; filing copies of special orders with papers on which 
orders are based. 

Assisting in indexing orders, etc., filing surplus orders, circulars, 
etc., received from all sources; preparing files for binding and 
filling requests for copies of orders. 

Assisting in examining general orders, bulletins, changes, etc., for 
printiQg; distributing orders, circulars, etc., received from 
military commands, and reading proofs of orders, etc. 

Assisting in designating the distribution for special orders and 
mailing the same. 


$1,800 


Thos 


McKernan 


1 600 


Benj. 


C. Galluti 


1,200 


C. Viola Fellows 


1,200 
1,200 


J.N. 


Steed 


H. L. 




1,200 
1,200 
1,000 


Thos. 


J. Sheridan 


Ira E 


Biggs 









1 Two messengers, at $720 each per annum, are assigned to this division from the sub- 
clerical force under the supervision of Mr. Keiper. 

EQUIPMENT. 

Office desks and chairs, files, and two typewriting machines. 

E. OPENING AND DISTRIBUTING MAIL IN THE MAIL AND RECORD DIVISION OF 
THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, WAR DEPARTMENT. 

I. Introduction. 

The purpose of this descriptive statement is to give a detailed account of the 
various processes through which the incoming mail for The Adjutant General's 
Office passes from the time of its receipt in the mail room of the War Depart- 
ment up to the point where it is delivered to the briefing and recording clerks 
for the preparation by them of the record and index cards to accompany the 
correspondence while under consideration in the office. 



II. Location. 

The clerks and messengers charged with the duty of opening and distributing 
the incoming mail are located in room No. 156, on the first floor of the State, 
War, and Navy Building, facing on Pennsylvania Avenue. This room is one of 
the group occupied by the clerks of the briefing, recording, and indexing section, 
and is situated between that group of rooms and the room used by the chief 
of the Mail and Record Division. 



358 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Because of the close relationship existing between the work performed by 
these two classes of clerks, as will be pointed out in another section of this 
statement, it might be said that the clerks who open and distribute the mail are 
a part of the personnel of the briefing, recording, and indexing section. At any 
rate, under the present methods of procedure, the mail clerks are properly 
located with the briefing and recording clerks. 

III. Opening and Distributing of Mail. 

In order to best serve the purpose of this statement, it is deemed advisable 
to treat separately the two operations of opening and distributing the mail for 
The Adjutant General's Ofiice. Under such separate treatment it will be possi- 
ble to show more clearly the extent of each process and to present the various 
stages of the two lines of work in their proper relation to each other. 

opening the mail. 

The post-office mail for The Adjutant General's Office is delivered at the 
mail room of the War Department by the department's mail wagon, and is due 
to arrive at regular stated periods, according to the following schedule: 

Arrival of mail from the city post office: 7.45 a. m. daily (including Sunday), 
10.30 a. m., 12.30 p. m., 2.30 p. m. 

Arrival of mail in room 156 of the Mail and Record Division from the Army 
Medical Museum and tlie Tenth Street branch : 7.40 a. m., 8.45 a. m., 10.20 a. m., 
11.30 a. m., 1.40 p. m., 3 p. m., 8.50 p. m. 

A mail is received in room 156 from the Pension Office daily at about 11 
a. m.. and from the office of the Auditor for the War Department twice daily. 
Mail is also received in room 156 from the office of the Secretary of Wnr and 
from bureaus of the War Department throughout the daj'. 

All letter mail from the post office is delivered at tlie mail room of the War 
Department in locked pouches, the less important mail matter being delivered 
in the ordinary mail sacks. These pouches and sacks are carried from the 
mail room to room No. 156 by tlie mail messenger of the Mail and Record 
Division, who is regularly detailed for this duty. The pouches and sacks are 
then opened and emptied of tlieir contents, and the mail messenger cuts the 
envelope or wrapper of eacli piece of mail matter, but does not extract any 
of the contents therefrom. At times when the mail is unusually heavy the 
mail messenger is assisted in cutting open the envelopes and wrappers by 
another messenger, who is regularly assigned to the duty of carrying official 
papers between the distributing clerks and the briefing and recording clerks. 

The names, designations, and salaries of these two employees are as follows : 



Name. 



Designation. 



Salary. 



Robert Manning . 
John Connelly . . . 



Mail messenger.. 
Room messenger. 



$720 
840 



The mail as now prepared — that is, with only the envelopes or wrappers cut — 
is then given to the three distributing or mail clerks. Two of these clerks are 
permanently engaged on tlie distributing work, the third clerk giving only a 
part of his time each day in order to assist the regular clerks and thereby ex- 
pedite the dispatching of the mail to the briefing and recording clerks and to 



APPENDIX II. 359 

sucli offices and bureaus of the War Department as tlie mail properly belongs. 
After this extra clerk has finished in the distribution and sorting of the mail, 
he is engaged on briefing and recording work for the remainder of the day. 

DISTRIBUTING THE MAIL. 

This operation consists in a distribution or a so'ting of all mail received 
according to the nature of the contents and calls for an elaborate separation of 
the mail among the different divisions of The Adjutant General's Office and also 
among the various offices and bureaus of the War Department. 

Before this sort or distribution can be made, the mail clerks must take the 
communications from the envelopes, unfold them, and all inclosures (if any), 
and give the papers a sufficient reading and examination to enable them to de- 
termine whether or not they fall within any one of the three following classes : 
(1) Whether it belongs to The Adjutant General's Office; (2) whether it is a 
recordable case; (3) whether it is an "original," "additional," or "received 
back " case. 

Having ascertained that a communication belongs to The Adjutant General's 
Office and that it is recordable, the mail clerk must then take the following 
action according to whether the communication is to be treated as any one of 
the three classes enumerated above under No. 3. If the case is an " original," 
the mail clerk attaches to it, by means of a rubber band, a record and an in- 
dex card, marks the time by hour and minutes on the record card, and then 
places the papers in a box, from which they are removed by the room messenger, 
who takes them to the briefing, recording, and indexing section. 

If the mail clerk believes the Case to be an " additional," he sends it direct 
to the index section by route messenger. In that section search is made to 
determine if the case should be recorded on a previously recorded communi- 
cation. 

If the mail clerk decides that the case is to be treated as a " received back," 
he sends it direct to a clerk in the briefing, recording, and indexing section, who 
prepares it as a " received back " case. 

All telegrams for The Adjutant General's Office, which come direct to the 
Mail and Record Division from the departmental telegraph office, are receipted 
for by the mail clerks, who, after examining the nature of the contents, send 
them to the briefing and recording clerks by the room messenger. 

All cablegrams are first deciphered by the cipher clerks, who are located in 
the briefing, recording, and indexing section, and a copy of the translation is 
made for record-keeping purposes. This copy is given to the mail clerk, who 
determines whether or not it is an " original " or an " additional " case. The 
cable being in cipher, it is kept in the files of the cipher clerk, and the record 
copy is used for the purpose of official action. 

Should the communication be of special importance or demanding immediate 
attention, the mail clerk places a red card on top of the papers and immediately 
hands them to the room messenger. This messenger takes the papers to the 
chief of the briefing, recording, and indexing section, whose duty it is to see 
that the papers receive prompt attention. 

The foregoing may be said to represent the necessary steps that are taken 
by the mail clerks in connection with the distribution or sorting of the ordinary 
mail which comes to their desks in the usual course of daily business. They 
are alert for communications which, although not explicitly purporting to relate 
to prior correspondence, through their personal knowledge are believed to have 
a bearing upon prior correspondence already recorded in The Adjutant General's 



360 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Office. By thus being able to recall through memory previous correspondence 
upon the same subject, the mail clerk is enabled at times to quickly decide 
whether the current communication should be sent to the index section to ascer- 
tain whether it is in fact an " additional." 

In addition, it is one of the special functions of the mail clerks in extracting 
the contents of an envelope or wrapper for examining and reading their purport 
to see that all inclosures referred to in the communication are received. The 
clerk who briefs, records, and indexes the case notes in red ink on the (*oni- 
munications the number of inclosures found. If the iuclosure is of value, such 
as money, stamps, etc., the mail clerk securely fastens it to the communication 
-and sends the case by special messenger to the chief of the briefing, recording, 
and indexing section, with a verbal statement calling his attention to the article 
of value inclosed. 

As fast as the mail clerks determine upon the necessary disposition of each 
piece of mail that is not an original, an additional, or a received-back case, but 
that belongs in the office, they place the papers in a cardboard jacket appropri- 
ately marked with the number of the room of The Adjutant General's Office to 
which it is to go by route messenger for consideration and action. 

The following is a list of rooms of The Adjutant General's Office for which 
the mail clerks are provided with mail jackets, but to some of which they only 
send communications other than incoming mail: 
Room. Room. 

26. Document files. 254e. Property clerk. 

42. Orders Division. 257. Chief clerk. 

43. Enlisted Men's Division. 259. Returns Division. 

39. Recruiting Division. 346. Appointment, Commission and Per- 

50. Distributing Division. sonnel Division. 

51. Examiners' section, Mail and Rec- 348, Miscellaneous Division. 

ord Division. 352. Document files, Volunteer service. 

60. Rolls Division. 353. Document files, enlisted branch, 

94. Confederate records. Volunteer service. 

147. Recording clerks. 355. Military Academy Division. 

153. Index section. 360. Correspondence and Examining 
153b. To borrow record cards. Division. 

154. Chief of Mail and Record Division. 363. Medical Division. 
154b. Time clerk. 450. Regimental records. 

155. To return record cards. 495. Archives. 

157. Recording clerks. G Street branch of The Adju- 

158a. " Received-back " cases. tant General's Office. 

359. Recording pension cases. Tenth Street branch of The Adju- 

]59g. To borrow R. & P. cards. tant General's Office. 

160. Recording clerks. Seventeenth Street branch of The 

254b. Identification records. Adjutant General's Office. 

It is estimated that of the total number of pieces of incoming mail received 
in the Mail and Record Division of The Adjutant General's Office, about one- 
fourth of it, properly addressed to The Adjutant General's Office, under Army 
Regulations, pertains to the business of other offices or bureaus of the War 
Department. This fact is only brought out when the mail clerks are examining 
and reading the contents of each piece of mail matter. When a mail clerk finds 
a communication which belongs to some other bureau he stamps upon it the 
" received " stamp of The Adjutant General's Office, places it in the appropri- 
ately labeled jacket, and it then goes to its proper destination by route mes- 



APPENDIX II. 361 

senger. If the proper disposition of a piece of mail not belonging to The Adju- 
tant General's Office can not be readily determined, it is laid aside until the 
remainder of. the mail is examined and distributed. 

With respect to the distribution or sorting of the mail belonging to other 
offices and bureaus in the War Department, the mail clerks of The Adjutant 
General's Office make the following classification: 

Room. Room. 

126 Chief of Engineers. 249 Judge Advocate General. 

135 Chief of Ordnance. 292 Division of Requisitions and Ac- 

145 Inspector General. counts. 

219 Chief of Staff. 317 Quartermaster General. 

229 Chief of Coast Artillery. 332 Surgeon General. 

234 Assistant and chief clerk. War De- 422 Commissary General. 

partment. 432 Paymaster General. 

238 Assistant Secretary. 442 Chief Signal Officer. 
248 Insular Bureau. 

The name, designations, and salaries of the clerks who examine and distribute 
the mail are as follows : 



Name. 



Designation. 



Salary. 



C. C. Miller 

George G. Else. . 
George W. Ellis. 



Principal mail clerk. . . 

Mail clerk 

Mail clerk (part time) . 



SI, 600 
1,200 
1,200 



In cases where a bulky article accompanies a commuiiication and is treated 
as an inclosure, such as large packages of documents or boxes of clothing, arms, 
or ammunition, a card 3i by 8* inches in dimensions is prepared and accom- 
panies the communication while it is under action in the office. At the top 
of this card the following printed heading appears : 

"A BULKY ARTICLE described on the record card of the case named below is 
kept in M. and R. Div. awaiting directions for disposition. 

" Let this memorandum remain with the record card until the article has 
been disposed of." 

Below this heading columns are provided for entering the following par- 
ticulars: Case number, kind of article, date, initials of dispatch clerk. 

The package or box is opened and each separate inclosure is labeled with 
the number of the case to which it belongs, and the inclosures are held in the 
office of the Chief of the Mail and Record Division until the case is finally 
disposed of. The box or container is also marked in iDencil or ink with the 
serial number of the case. When the case is disposed of and the inclosures 
are ready to be forwarded this card is separated from the case and is held 
on the desk of the Chief of the Mail and Record Division and may be used 
repeatedly for the same purpose. 

E. STATEMENT OF THE LOCATION, WORK, AND METHODS, AND THE ORGANI- 
ZATION OF THE BRIEFING, RECORDING, AND INDEXING SECTION OF THE 
MAIL AND RECORD DIVISION OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, WAR 
DEPARTMENT. 

At the outset considerable emphasis should be laid upon the vast mass of 
communications received in this section for briefing, recording, and indexing, 
the official count for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1911, averaging over 1.200 
communications per day, or about 385.000 annually. In addition to this num- 



362 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

ber, there are approximately 403,000 communications which do not ordinarily 
fall within the class that requires briefing, recording, and indexing. The fol- 
lowing is a statement, by classes, of the number of written and printed com- 
munications received annually which pertain to the Mail and Record Division : 

1. Current Army reports and returns 288,000 

2. Orders issued by Army commanders 115,000 

3. Communications requesting statements of military serv- 

ice of individuals 140,000 

4. Communications from the staff departments and the 

Army at large 145,000 

5. Communications from miscellaneous sources 100, 000 

Of these live classes, therefore, the last three are those which require the 
large amount of attention, and consequent large expense involved in handling 
and preparing them as described in this statement. 

I. Location. 

This section occupies a group of rooms numbered 157, 158, 159 (part), and 
160, which are situated on the first floor of the State, War, and Navy Building. 
Those rooms adjoin and are communicating with the room used by the Chief 
of the Mail and Record Division. 

II. Work and Methods. 

In order to bring out more clearly the functions or activities devolving upon 
the briefing, recording, and indexing section and the methods or operations 
followed in the performance of the work this section of this report is divided 
into two separate divisions, as follows: (1) Work, and (2) methods. 



(1) The work with which this section is charged may be classified under 
three main heads, as follows: (a) Briefing, (6) preparing record and index 
cards, and (c) numbering communications and record and index cards. 

(a) Briefing. — All communications of an important nature or which require 
the action of the Secretary of War or other high officials of the War Department 
are briefed on the back of the first fold of the communication. The purpose 
to be served by this operation is, it is stated, to facilitate the handling of the 
communication by the otficial to whom it is sent for consideration and action. 
It is estimated that about 15 per cent of all communications require this briefing. 

(A. G. O. comment: The briefing of received communications was virtually 
discontinued Sept. 1, 1912.) 

(b) Preparing record and index cards. — The recording and indexing of in- 
coming commmunications by the preparation on the record card of a synopsis 
of the subject matter for use in the consideration of action by the proper 
division of the office and the preparation of the index and reference cards. Such 
communications as muster rolls, reports of Engineer and Ordnance oBicers, and 
the J ike, are not recorded and indexed. 

(c) 'Num'bering communications and record and index cards. — This consists 
of the simple operation of stamping a serial number on each communication 
(and each inclosure, if any) and on the record and index cards which accom- 
pany the communication. 



APPENDIX II. 363 

METHODS. 

Preliminary to tlie actual work of briefing, recording, and indexing tlie large 
number of communications received, a distribution is made of tliem according 
to whetlier it is an "original case," an "additional case," or a "received-back 
case." This segregation is first made because tlie process to be followed after 
the segregation varies with respect to whetlier a case falls within any one of 
the three classes mentioned. 

After reading or examining the contents of a communication to determine the 
nature of the brief and record to be made, the clerk prepares the necessary 
cards that are to accompany the communication. To accomplish this, in 
" original " cases four separate and distinct steps are taken in consecutive order, 
and to assist in the descriptions of these four operations reference is made to 
several exhibits which are attached to tjtiis statement. 

The four steps or operations are as follows : 

First. A brief of the contents is prepared on a blank form or slip. 3] by 
8 inches in dimensions, giving the following items of information: (1) Subject, 
(2) source from which received, (3) date of the communication, (4) the pur- 
port of the communication, (5) number of inclosures. and (G) bookmark. 
At the bottom of the slip a blank square is provided for stamping the date of 
the reply or final disposition. This slip tlien becomes the record card of the 
communication to which it refers and accompanies the case during tlie time 
it is under consideration ; and the action subsequently taken is noted on the 
reverse side of the slip on lines printed thereon. 

With respect to communications requesting statements of military service 
of individuals, it is estimated by Mr. Carmick that eight recording clerks spend 
on an average an hour and a half daily preparing the record and index cards 
to accompany such cases. 

Second. A brief is prepared by the recording clerk on a blank form or slip, 
31 by 8 inches in dimensions, giving following items of information: (1) Sub- 
ject, (2) source from which received, and (3) purport of communication. The 
number or numbers of the prior record cards pertaining to the same subject 
are written on the slip by the index clerk. A blank square at the bottom of 
the slip is provided for stamping the date of reply or final disposition. This 
slip becomes the general index card, but before being filed in the card file sec- 
tion in the general index it is used as a tally card for tliis particular case 
while it is out and under consideration. In " received back cases " and " ad- 
ditional cases " a different style of tally card is used. 

Third. A brief is prepared on a blank form or slip, 3i by 8 inches in dimen- 
sions, giving the following items of information: (1) Cross-reference title, and 
(2) subject. The purpose of this briefing is to give such facts as will assist in 
locating the communication under a secondary title. This is, therefore, a cross- 
reference card and is sent to and retained by the card files section in the index 
file. In all communications which pertain to more than one material subject, 
or which contain one or more inclosures relating to different material subjects, 
it is necessary to prepare a separate cross-reference card for each material 
subject esabraced in the communication or inclosure that has not already been 
adequately indexed. 

Fourth. The fourth and last step is the preparation of a temporary duplicate 
general index card. Si by 81 inches in dimensions, which is deposited in the 
index file while the case is under action. This card is provided with four 
blank spaces, two on each side, in order that the card, which is for temporary 
use only, may be used four times for different cases. Each of these spaces 



364 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

lirovides for the following Items of information: (1) Subject title and (2) the 
serial number of the communication to which it relates. Upon the final disposi- 
tion of the case the record card is handed to the tally clerk who checks it against 
the original general index card, and the original index card and the record card 
tlien go to the files. The duplicate general index card is then withdrawn from 
the index file to be used again or destroyed. 

All of the foregoing recording and indexing operations are performed by 
the same clerk, by typewriter process, although a small number of the com- 
munications is recorded and indexed by clerks using the longhand method. 
While these four steps are taken by the same clerk at the same time, in con- 
secutive order, each one is taken separately ; that is, each slip is written as an 
s/riginal copy, no carbon process being used. 

NUMBERING. 

Upon the completion of the filling out of the different slips or cards in 
"original" cases they pass to the numbering clerks who stamp the sjime 
serial number on the back of the first fold of the communication and in the 
blank squares on the record and index cards accompanying it. 

In its present form the communication or case, as it is now designated, is 
completed in so far as its briefing, recording, and indexing are concerned, 
and it goes to the index section for a search of prior correspondence. "Addi- 
tional " or " received back " cases are sent directly from the recording section 
to the division having consideration of the case, except in a small number of 
cases where it is decided that a prior record card should accompany the cnse, 
In which event the " additional " or " received back " case is sent to the index 
fection for such cards. 

IV. Organization. 

For the performance of the work required of it, the organization of the 
hriefing, recording, and indexing section constitutes 44 persons, including a 
clerk in charge of the section. 

The following is a list of the employees, showing the name, work on which 
employed, and salary of each : 



Clerks. 


Work on which employed 


Salary. 


Wm. Haller . . . 


Clerk in charge of section 


$1,800 


r. C. Burrhus 


Assistant 


1,600 


A. H. Fiegenbaum 


Assistant (periodically) and briefing, recording, and indexing 

Assistant 


1,600 


Edward Taylor 


1,200 






1,000 


Miss M. E. Cline 


do 


1,200 




do 


1,200 


Miss M. A. Cowen 


do 


1,200 


Miss Eleanor Cree 


do - 


1,200 


W.W.Davis 


.do 


1,600 


O. J. Fisher 


.. ..do 


1,200 


M. Garcia de Quevedo 


do 


1,200 




do 


1,000 




do 


1,400 


Mrs. B. K. Plarrison 


. do 


1,000 


Miss E. W. Hite 


... do 


1,200 


P.L. KsUey 


do 


1,200 



APPENDIX II. 



365 



Clerks. 



W. H. B. Leitch... 

J. C. Lyons 

Mandel Marcus 

W.J.Millard 

J. L.Mills 

Miss Kate O'Farell. 
Miss A. P. Pillow.. 
MissM. S. Potter.. 
A. C. Rorebeck 



Mrs. M. W. Stephens. 

C. S. Thomas 

Victor Trego 

C. E. Truax 

J. L. Robertson 

Henry Schultz 

Theodore Horn 

E. S. Harvey 



W. D. Hobbs. 



J.W.Lee 

J. G. Naylor, jr 

C. E. Stevens 

W. G. Spottswood. 



John Johnston 

Miss M. E. Krichlet- 

B. F. Smith 

R. J. Stanberry 

L. C. Zapf 



Work on which employed. 



Briefing, recording, and indexing . 

....do 

....do 



.do. 
.do. 
.do. 



....do 

....do 

Briefing, recording, indexing, and withdrawing record cards 
from file. 

Briefing, recording, and indexing 

....do 



.do. 
.do. 



Stamping cases with numbering machine. 
do 



Writing charge slips for record cards for received back cases 

Preparing cases made additional on same subject for recording 

and received back cases for recording, also distributing cases 

to other divisions. 
Preparing cases made additional on the same subject for recording 

and received back cases for recording. 
do 



.do. 
.do. 



Overseeing the record of received back cases and distributing same 
to other division. 

Recording received back cases and assisting cipher clerk 

Recording received back cases 

do 



.do. 
.do. 



Salary. 



$1,000 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1.400 

1,000 
1,200 
1,200 
1,000 
1.40Q 
1,200 
1,609 
1,400 



1,200 

1,600 
1,400 
1,200 
1,800 

1,400 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 



September 11, 1912. 

DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK, METHODS, ORGANIZATION, AND EXPENSE OF 
THE CARD RECORD FILES SECTION OF THE MAIL AND RECORD DIVISION 
OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE. 

I. Location. 

This section and the files in Its custody occupy five rooms and part of a sixth 
on the first floor, and part of one room in the basement of the State, War, and 
Navy Building. These rooms are Nos. 51, 147, 149, 151, 153, 155, and 159. The 
nuni])er of employees in each room is as follows : No. 51, ; No. 147, 11 : Nos. 
149 and 151, 17; Nos. 153 and 155, 8; No. 159, 0; total, 36. 



II. Functions .a.nd Work. 

The work of this division consists of — 

A. The custody of record and index card files. 

P>. The searching of index files for record of any prior record cards. 

C. The filing and consolidation of index cards. 

D. The connecting of current and prior record cards for purpose of referring 
such cards to one another or their being filed together. 



366 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

E. The reviewing of record cards upon receipt or return for files for purpose 
of noting whether in order for files. 

F. Withdrawing and filing record cards. 

G. The keeping of a " suspended file " for purpose of abstracting certain record 
cards on certain stated days for desired action. 

The searching of index files for the obtaining of any previous record cards. 

The received communication, with its corresponding record card, general 
index card, duplicate general index card, and any cross-reference cards thereon 
comes from the recording and indexing section to one of the index clerks in 
the card-recoi'd file section, who thereupon reads over such received communi- 
cation for purpose of ascertaining what he is to search for, and then looks up 
index files. If he finds no record of previous record cards on this matter, he 
then makes such notation on current record card, files duplicate general index- 
card and any cross-reference cards in their proper arrangement in index boxes, 
then sends general index card to tally desk, also sending received communica- 
tion with its corresponding record card to proper correspondence division for 
action. 

If, upon searching index files, the clerk looking up a case finds record of 
prior record card pertaining to such case, he notes on general index card the 
office number of such prior record card, sends general index card to tally desk, 
files duplicate index card and any cross-reference index cards in their proper 
arrangement in index files, makes out a charge card for prior record card, 
and straps this charge card on outside of current record card and received 
communication, and turns these over to record card clerk in this section, who 
Avithdraws such prior record card from file and places charge card in its 
place in record cnrd file, then attaches prior record card to received communica- 
tion and current record card, which he sends to connecting clerk in this 
section. 

In some cases the received communication is sent to the index clerk from 
the mail clerk direct without any blank record card or index card, this being 
in instances where the purport of the received communication would lead the 
mail clerk to the presumption that a previous record card existed on this 
subject. The index clerk upon receipt of tliis received communication looks up 
index files and upon obtaining prior record card sends received communication 
with such prior record card to the recording and indexing section, after having 
made out a charge card for same which is filed in the proper arrangement of 
abstracted record card. In the event of the recording and indexing section 
further indexing this communication such index cards are sent direct to index 
clerk for filing. 

FILING INDEX CARDS. 

Index cards are filed under alphabetical designation of names or subjects in 
card file boxes, each containing approximately 1,500 cards, the size of the boxes 
being 11^ inches in depth, 9| inches in height, and 4 inches in width, which are 
arranged on file cases along the sides and cross sections of rooms 149, 151, and 
153. Cards filed therein consist of general index cards, and cross-reference 
cards where a subject be indexed in more than one way. Upon receipt of gen- 
eral index cards from tally clerk such cards are filed in proper alphabetical 
arrangement and duplicate general index cards representing same are there- 
upon extracted from files. The files are alphabetically arranged and general 
index cards and cross-reference cards are filed therein under the same general 
alphabetical arrangement. Under the letter of the alphabet, subjects or .names 
are filed according to the alphabetical arrangement of second, third, or further 
letter of some subject or name, as the case may be — i. e., in dictionary order. 



APPENDIX II. 367 

CONSOLIDATION OF INDEX CARDS. 

Tlie consolidation of index cards made by tlie consolidating clerks in this 
section is the mailing of one general index card in place of a large number of 
general index cards or cross-reference cards on the same subject, the purpose 
of such consolidation being the saving of space in files. 

Upon a consolidated index card, in addition to file number and subject, a 
brief purport of each index card is typewritten and such cards are sent to 
storeroom, where they are kept in the same alphabetical order as indexes, the 
consolidated card being filed in its proper arrangement in index files in place 
of the withdrawn index cards. 

CONNECTING RECORD CARDS. 

The connecting clerk examines the received communication in case and 
decides whether current record card should be connected or filed with prior 
record card that came to him with such case. This action of connecting or 
filing is as follows : 

If upon his examination it is found that the received communication relates 
closely to previous correspondence as shown by prior record card, the current 
record card is noted to be filed with the prior record card of case by writing 
in red ink near top of such card the number of the prior record card, at the 
same time making out " file with " card, on which he writes the numbers of 
the current case and the prior case, this card being filed in the place of the 
current record card for the purpose of showing that such current record card 
is filed under the number of the prior record card and a similar card is made 
out for the use of the document file section and sent to them. At the same 
time he writes on the current document the words " file with " followed by 
the number of the prior communication. From the connecting clerks record 
cards with accompanying communications are sent to divisions for action. 

REVIEWING RECORD CARDS UPON RETURN FOR FILING. 

Kecord cards after action has been taken come from the tally desk to the 
review clerks in this section, who review same to see whether proper action 
has been taken thereon ; and if so, are sent by them to record-card filing clerks 
for filing. 

FILING RECORD CARDS. 

Eecord cards are filed in serial numerical order in card-file boxes containing 
approximately 600 cards, these boxes being of the same character as index- 
card file boxes referred to herein. There prior record cards are returned and 
filed, the charge card previously made out and filed in its place is extracted, 
and after having been used four times is destroyed. Where there are two or 
more record cards on the same subject that have been filed together under the 
same serial number a jacket is made and such record cards inserted and a 
notation of file number, subject, and consolidated numbers is written thereon, 
the jacket being then filed under such file number. 

SUSPENDED FILE. 

When papers of any case are sent out of the office with the expectation that 
they will be returned, or where a reply to important inquiries, requests, or other 
communications is expected within a certain time, a suspended-file card, show- 
ing thereon the file number and any other numbers of the papers, their sub- 



368 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION OjST ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

ject matter, and the date on which their return may be expected or reply re- 
ceived, comes to the reviewing clerks in this section duly filled out as above, 
attached to the record card to which relative, and this suspended-file card is 
gent by them to the suspended-file clerk, who makes charge cards for the 
suspended file, which are filed in boxes under dates designated for attention, 
and at such times he extracts suspended-file charge cards, withdraws corre- 
spondence-record card from record and card file, and sends such record cards 
to proper division for action, placing the suspended-file charge cards in files 
as a charge for such record cards withdrawn, in their numerical place, in 
record-card file. 

III. Organization and Salary Roll. 

This section has 36 employees of the following salary grades : 

1 clerk of class 4 at $1, 800 

2 clerks of class 3, salaries aggregating 3, 200 

6 clerks of class 2 aggregating 8, 400 

19 clerks of class 1 aggregating 22, 800 

8 clerks at $1,000 8,000 

Total salary expense 44, 200 

The following is a list of employees engaged in tliis section, and shows the 
nature of the work upon which each is engaged and their salaries. The assign- 
ments shown below, howe^■er, are frequently changed on account of the exi- 
gencies of the work. 



Name. 



C. E. Gannon 

H. G. McLean 

W. A. Reuss 

F. Forsas 

J. M. Herrero 

M. R. Howland 

A. L. Husted 

R. I. Jamer 

Oliver Kinsel 

P. D.May 

W. J. R. Thonssen. 

W. F. Prentiss 

James Calderwood. 

F. E. Rodrigues 

R. L. Daily 

Walter Keeton 

C.E.Kelly 

M. G. Kennedy 

M. La Rocque...'. . 

L. H. Nimmo 

H. Brewster 

G. L. Collins 

C. E. Crews 

I.A.Holt ■.. 

F. C. Peck 



Nature of work upon which engaged. 



Clerk in charge of section , 

Searching index 

do 

do 

do 

....do 

....do 

...do 

...do 

....do 

Connecting current cases with prior correspondence. 

....do 

Filing index cards 

...do 

Consolidating index cards ' 

....do 



.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
-do. 
-do. 



Salary. 



SI, 800 
1,400 
1,400 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,400 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 



The exigencies of the work require frequent changes in many of these assignments. 



APPENDIX II. 



369 



Name. 



Nature of work upon which engaged. 



Salary. 



R. A. Crenshaw. 
G. T. Prewitt... 
Eugene Leger... 



Reviewing record cards . 

do 

do 



D. M. Keeton ! do. 

D.H. Yount 

N. J.Malville 

L.M. Wilson 

W. H. Trathern 

H. P. Tillotsen. 

W. B. Douglas 



W. M. Stancell. 



Withdrawing record cards from file 

do 

do 

Filing record cards 

do 

Making file jackets for record cards and examining jackets of 

record cards returned to file. 
Suspended file - ^ 



$1, 600 
1,600 
1,400 
1,200 
1,400 
1,000 
1,000 
1,200 
1,000 
1,400 

1,200 



' The exigencies of the work require frequent changes in many of these assignments. 

DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK, METHODS, ORGANIZATION, AND EXPENSE OF THE 
. EXAMINING SECTION OF THE MAIL AND RECORD DIVISION OF THE ADJUTANT 
GENERAL'S OFFICE. 

I. Location. 

This section of the Mail and Record Division occupies one room and part 
of another room in the State, War, and Navy Building. One is located in the 
basement and is numbered 51 where all of the clerks are employed, and the 
other room is in the attic and is numbered 552. 

II. Functions and Work. 

The functions and work of this section of the Mail and Record Division are: 
(a) To examine all statements of military service which are recorded in the 
record-card file of statements of military service ("green and yellow file") 
as distinguished from the correspondence (or "vsrhite") file. (6) To sign the 
name of The Adjutant General to the indorsed reply or form containing the 
statement of service, (c) To act as custodians of the file of record cards, with 
accompanying index cards, containing the record of requests for statements for 
military service (green and yellow card file), (d) To prepare index cards of 
the beneficiaries of oflicers and enlisted men, and to supply the name of the 
beneficiary designation, and to furnish information therefrom upon request. 

EXAMINING STATEMENTS. 

The requests for these statements are received principaliy from the Commis- 
sioner of Pensions and Auditor for the War Department, and to less extent from 
the Land Ofiice, and private associations. The examining section reviews 
about 500 cases per day. Of this number from 50 to 60 cases are sent back for 
correction or modification to the division furnishing the information requested. 
It may be here stated that the number of requests received from the auditor's 
office will be reduced after January 1, 1913, as the result of an act of Congress 
requiring that Civil War claims must be presented prior to that date or they 
will not be accepted for consideration. 



FILES OF RECORD AND INDEX CARDS. 

The file of record cards was established on July 1, 1890. In room 51 there 
are 960 file boxes, of which 840 are used for index cards and 120 are used for 
72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 24 



B70 EEPOKTS OP COMMISSION" ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

record cards, and in room 552 there are 880 file boxes of index and record 
cards. Index cards for cases handled during the current month and for cer- 
tain old cases described in a subsequent paragraph are filed in room 51, and 
index cards for cases handled during the last two years are tied into bundles 
and stored in room 552. 

The record cards are filed in numerical order. TTie cards for cases handled 
during the past two years are filed in the room occupied by the examiners, 
where they are readily accessible, but all older record cards are filed in the 
attic (room No. 552). The record cards of statements of military service 
furnished during one year fill on an average 35 file boxes. Nearly all requests 
for the withdrawal of record cards from the files are made by the Regimental 
Records Division in connection with those cases in which prior requests for 
statements of military service have been received. The fact of an earlier request 
in a case is indicated by an entry on the jacket of the military service records in 
the Regimental Records Division. In about 400,000 old cases, however, no refer- 
ences to the requests have been entered on the jackets in the Regimental Records 
Division, but the record cards for these cases are on file in the examining section. 
These cases pertain to definitely known military organizations, and whenever a, 
ease pertaining to one of these organizations is received which can not be ade- 
quately answered without knowing whether and what statement has been 
previously furnished to the Commissioner of Pensions or the auditor, a search 
is made of the index cards. Such search is rarely made. Reference is made to 
tile record cards to ascertain the information contained therein. 

The index card shows the name and organization of each person whose mili- 
tary history has been requested, and is filed under the person's name. A sepa- 
rate file is kept of the index cards for those old cases references to which have 
not been entered on the jackets of military-service records in the Regimental 
Records Division. With the exception of the index cards referred to in the 
preceding sentence, index cards are transferred to the attic, room 552, after 
the expiration of a month, and are destroyed at the end of two years. Prac- 
tically the only purpose for which those temporary index cai'ds are used is an 
advice to the tally clerk that a case is under consideration. 

(A. G. O. comment : For descriptive statement of the tally system see accom- 
panying memorandum entitled " Correspondence Tally System of The A. G. O.") 

FILE OF BENEFICIARY EECOKD CARDS. 

The file of beneficiary cards comprises 141 file boxes, of which 41 boxes, or 
approximately 35,000 cards, are duplicates. Such duplication is caused mostly 
by preparing index record cards for beneficiary designation received from 
enlisted men. 

There are 191,436 beneficiary cards in this file, of which over 105,000 are use- 
less, as the men referred to on these cards are no longer in the service, owing 
to discharges, retirements, desertions, etc. Enlistments average about 3,500 
per month and separations from service average about the same number. 

III. Methods. 

TIME AND WORK REPORTS. 

Each clerk makes a daily report of work performed. The clerk in charge 
of this section sends to the tally clerk in the Mail and Record Division a con- 
solidated daily report, showing : 

(a) The total number of cases reviewed. 

(6) Number of cases on hand, last report. 



APPENDIX II. 371 

(c) Number of cases received during day. 

(d) Number of cases disposed of during day. 

(e) Number of cases on hand at close of day. 
(/) Number of clerks present for duty. 

(g) Number of clerkf; absent. 
The clerk in charge of the section also sends to the chief of the division a 
daily report of absentees. 

EXAMINING STATEMENTS. 

The statements of military history and military and medical history which 
have been prepared in the Regimental Records, Rolls, Medical, and Archives 
Divisions and in the Tenth Street branch are forwarded to the examining sec- 
tion of the Mail and Record Division for review. Requests for statements of 
military service received from the office of the Auditor for the War Department 
are made on especally prepared forms on which the replies are indorsed. The 
Adjutant General's Office uses a printed form for replying to requests from the 
Pension Office. In the Pension Office cases both the printed form used in 
making the request and that used in making the reply are sent to the Pension 
Office. Accompanying the form when received in the examining section are 
the record card of the current communication, together with the record cards 
of any earlier communications in the case, provided the cards for the earlier 
communications have been requested by the Regimental Records Division in 
connection with its search of the records. The examiner reviews the state- 
ment to determine whether it appears to be a correct, adequate, and proper 
reply to the request. Names, dates, and organization designations in the 
request and in the reply are carefully compared. If a duplicate request for a 
statement of service is received in The Adjutant General's Office it is answered 
by giving a reference to the date and, when possible, to the Pension Office 
claim number contained in the first request. It was stated that about six cases 
a day are received from the Pension Office and the Auditor for the War Depart- 
ment in which earlier calls have been made for information. One of the uses 
of the record card is to enable the office to give to the Pension Office and to the 
auditor's office references to these earlier requests and their answers. 

The officials of The Adjutant General's Office claim that it is important to 
give references to former requests for military statements, because by so 
doing the pension and auditor's offices may be protected from the danger of 
allowing a claim which has already been allowed or paid. This view is also 
held by the Military Claims Division of the auditor's office, as was ascer- 
tained by consulting the officials of that division. These officials stated that 
references to earlier requests were of value to them and had unquestionably 
prevented the payment of a claim a second time. Under the practices fol- 
lowed by the auditor's office during the past five or six years there is little 
or no danger of allowing a claim which has already been paid, but under 
the earlier practices in that office there was danger of double payment of 
claims. 

If any error or omission is discovered by the examiner, the statement is 
referred to the division which searched the records in order that the error 
may be corrected or the omission supplied. In referring a communication to 
another division for correction the examiner writes on the record card his 
query or criticism, the date, and his initials. The purpose in requiring each 
employee who takes action on a case to initial the record card is to produce a 
record which will enable the administrative officials to place responsibility. 
The purpose of entering on the record card the time when each division acts 
on a case is to show the place at which any delay occurred. 



372 RBPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

In tlie case of some calls from the auditor's office that are discovered to be 
duplicate, and in other classes of cases from any service involving some ques- 
tion which can not be satisfactorily settled from the records in The Adjutant 
General's Office, but easily from the records of the auditor's office, it is the 
practice for one of the examiners, Dr. Summy, to search the files and records 
in the auditor's office and to make such notes or to withdraw such papers as 
may be needed to dispose of the case. Permission has been granted The 
Adjutant General's Office to make such searches and for its representative to 
withdraw any papers from the files of the auditor's office, inserting therein a 
charge slip for the withdrawn papers. Upon the return of the papers to the 
auditor's files the charge slip is sent to The Adjutant General's Office as a 
receipt. 

In order to ascertain the nature of the entries made on the record cards in 
referring statement-of-service cases from one division to another, an examina- 
tion was made of the record cards in one file box. The calls upon the several 
divisions were tabulated so as to show the division upon which the call was 
made and the kind of information requested. The results of the tabulation 
are as follows : 

Divisions to which statement-of-service cases are referred for action, together 
with requests or instructions entered on record cards. 

Cards examined 1,250 

Tenth Street branch 219 

Please send (give, furnish, etc.) all cards 114 

Please add (give, furnish, etc.) personal description 90 

Please start case and return for completion 4 

Special inquiries 11 

To regimental records 27 

(Most of the inquiries addressed to this division contain 
statement of fact from 15 to 30 words in length, to 
which was appended the query, " Does this relate to 

the man in question?") 24 

Please make statement and return case to this division 

for completion 3 

To Archives Division 15 

(Statement of facts) please verify 2 

Do you find trial (or record of trial) 5 

Any record 1 

For discharge order 1 

Miscellaneous inquiries 6 

To Sanitary Division of Surgeon General's Office 18 

For medical record 18 

To Medical Division 144 

(Certain record cards as indicated passed to the Medical 

Division automatically.) They are as follows: 
Any physical defect at time of enlistment (stamp on 

fact) 101 

(Inquiries) without stamp on face 33 

(There are in the neighborhood of 10 inquiries made to 
the Medical Division by special inquiry.) 
To Mail and Record Division (these inquiries request the 
Mail and Record Division to " Please furnish all cards 
pertaining to this case") 5 



APPENDIX II. 373 

To Seventh Street branch 16 

Clothing 3 

Clothing drawn in hospital 1 

Verify records (or cards), etc 2 

Miscellaneous inquiries 10 

To Returns Division 5 

Can you show date of final discharge and card (grade) 

at that date 3 

Special inquiries 2 

In addition to the foregoing, there were a number of inquiries addressed to 
the different rooms by number. 

To 452^!V 21 

Any P. P : 18 

Any Per. Pr. as to 4 or 1 Reg 1 

Any E. P. for this man 2 

To 463 (special inquiries) 1 

To 455 (special inquiries) 2 

To 477 (special inquiries) 1 

To 553 (please verify) 2 

To 411 (can you complete this case by making service continuous) 1 

To 367 8 

No medical papers 3 

Medical papers furnished herewith (to be a statement of action rather 

than an inquiry) 5 

In the neighborhood of 50 cases were returned " negative," indicating that no 
statement had been made. 

The balance, viz., 715, or approximately 57 per cent of the cases examined, 

represent the cards for which statements were made within the Division of 
Regimental Records. 

SIGNING STATEMENTS OF SERVICE. 

When the examination of a statement of military service shows it to be satis- 
factory, an examiner designated for the work signs with pen and ink the name 
of The Adjutant General to the statement and forwards the same to the desk 
in the Mail and Record Division. The statement is then mailed. Its record card 
is turned over to the tally clerk, who has been holding the index card in the 
case as a record of the fact that the case is under consideration. The tally 
clerk then stamps the date of disposition of the case on the record and index 
cards and forwards them to the files in the examining section. 

PREPARING BENEFICIARY CARDS AND SUPPLYING INFORMATION THEREFROM. 

Beneficiary index-record cards are prepared in this section from beneficiary 
designations made on Form No. 380, A. G. O., and sent in from recruiting and 
other ofiicers to The Adjutant General's Office. The Mail and Record Division 
sends to the Paymaster General the original designation. It shows the name 
of the officer or enlisted man, his rank, organization, etc., and giving the name 
of the beneficiary. After the card is prepared from this beneficiary designation 
both are numbered in this section, the card being filed alphabetically, and the 
original designation is, as already stated, sent to the office of the Paymaster 
General. 

In cases of desertion, as soon as The Adjutant General's Office has been 
notified, a request is made on the examining section for the name, address, and 
relationship of the beneficiary. This request is made on a printed form (manila 



374 KEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EPEICIENCy. 

card), and the name of tlie beneficiary is indorsed thereon. The card is then 
sent to the Rolls Division to be used in desertion circular. Approximately 15 
cases of desertion are reported daily. 

IV. Organization and Personnel. 

The names, salaries, and duties of the employees in this section are as follows : 



Name. 


Nature of work upon which engaged. 


Salary. 


J. L. Falbey 


Chief of section, also examiner.. 


$1 600 


T?. W. RiiTmny 


Examines statement of service cases 


1 600 


Thos. E vers 


do .. 


1,400 
1,400 
1 400 


A. Angell 


do 


W. W. Edwards... . 


Signs the name of The Adjutant General to all cases examined . . . 







DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK, METHODS, ORGANIZATION, AND EXPENSE OF THE 
DOCUMENT FILE ROOMS IN THE MAIL AND RECORD DIVISION OF THE ADJU- 
TANT GENERAL'S OFFICE. 

I. Location. 

The document files occupy 10 rooms in the basement and 3 rooms and part 
of a fourth on the third floor of the State, War, and Navy Building. These 
rooms are Nos. 22, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 34, 349, 351, 353, and part of 
room No. 350-2. The number of employees in each room is as follows : No. 22, 
; 24, 1 ; 25, ; 26, 3 ; 28, 1 ; 29, ; 30, 1 ; 31, ; 32, 1 ; 34, ; 349, ; 351, ; 
353, ; 350-2, 2. 

II. Functions and Work. 

The work of the document file room emploj^ees consists of — 

A. The examination of papers and documents received for or returned to 
files to see whether, in order for files, that certain proper action has been 
taken and that papers are complete. 

B. The filing in document files of all completed documents and papers ready 
for filing. 

C The furnishing of filed documents and papers upon requisition from the 
various divisions. 

D. The searching of books of record used prior to 1894 for data of record 
upon requisition for such information from various divisions. 

All documents and papers are filed by serial number in standard document 
files and come to the document rooms in " jackets," from which they are taken 
out and examined. Documents and papers when received by the document 
room are already noted with a serial filing number ready for filing, so that the 
actual operation of filing is very simple, as files are arranged in serial 
numerical order, so that no time need be lost in going straight to proper file 
with document for filing or reference. , 

Each document or paper has an individual serial number, showing place in 
files, but in a number of cases in addition to this serial number a prior serial 
number is shown, where such document or paper should be filed. In such a, 
case a " cross-reference " card is filed in the place of the current serial number, 
this cross-reference card showing the prior serial number where document or 
paper is filed. Where there is more than one document or paper filed in this 
way, and these documents are " additionals," a connecting alphabetical designa- 
tion is noted on each, such as A, B, C, etc., showing conne(!tion in filing. 



APPENDIX II. 



375 



The examiuation of documents and papers, to see whettier in order for filing 
and that papers returned for files are complete, is made either by Mr. Beck 
or Mr. O'Connor in the basement rooms and occupies approximately 50 per cent 
of their time. In the third-floor rooms that examination is made by either of 
the three clerks therein and occupies approximately 15 per cent of their time. 
The cases examined in this way amount to 153,310 annually, or daily average 
of 501, and the documents filed would be approximately the same, plus the 
filings of " cross reference " cards, which average approximately 238,010 an- 
nually, or a daily average of 776. The papers returned to various divisions 
because of the fact that they are not in order or complete for filing would not 
average over six a day. Documents sent out on requisition are sometimes 
found by examination on return to be incomplete, but such instances would not 
average one a day. In such event request is made for missing papers, and 
except in exceptional cases such papers are accounted for without delay. 

All requisitions for filed documents are entered by serial filing number in 
a daybook, and if not returned at the end of seven days the record card is 
looked up, usually by Mr. Beck or Mr. Dermody, and if not accounted for as 
being sent out of The Adjutant General's Office or otherwise a tracer (a printed 
form) is then sent out, calling attention to this fact. For documents taken out 
of files a charge card is made, showing to whom documents have been given, 
and filed in serial number of such documents until their return. 



The files used for holding documents are document file boxes made to hold 
documents of about the size 3i by 8 inches perpendicularly. The number of 
documents that can be placed in a file box is approximately 300, although this 
depends upon the folded size of documents. 

The size of these file boxes is 4i inches in width, height lOJ inches, and depth 
12 inches. TTiese boxes are arranged perpendicularly in wooden file cases, each 
box bearing the first and last serial number of documents contained therein, and 
these boxes are arranged in consecutive order according to such numbers. 

In addition to these regular files, for documents too large to be contained by 
them, are supplemental boxes and cases, to which reference is given in regular 
files. 

The employees engaged in this work are as follows : 



Name. 



Nature of work upon which engaged. 



Salary. 



WinfredBeck , 

Jeremiah O'Connor. 

Wm. H. Roach 

Chas. L. Gurley 

Gustav A. Kolbe 

Martin O'Connor 

Herman G. Kiel 



Total. 



John J. Dermody. 

John Finn , 

J. H. Hilton 



Total. 



In charge of basement rooms . 

Examining 

Connecting, filing, searching.. 

do 

do 

do 

do 



In charge of third- floor rooms. 
Cormecting, filing, searching.. 
....do 



SI, 600 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 



1,809 
1,400 
1,200 

13,200 



376 REPORTS OP COMMISSION OlST ECOlSrOMY AND EPFICIENCY. 

THE COKKESPONDENCE TALLY SYSTEM OF THE ADJUTANT GENEEAL's OFFICE. 

The correspoudence tally system automatically makes early discovery of (1) 
the overlooliing (not seeing or forgetting), or (2) the mislaying, or (3) the 
losing, by any person, of a current recorded case, thus enabling one of the fol- 
lowing classes of early inquiry to be made : (1) Whether action on a certain re- 
ported current case has been avoidably delayed, and if so, to ascertain the cause; 
(2) whether an unreported case has been merely overlooked or has been mis- 
laid or has been lost, and to ascertain the cause. And it thus enables the office 
ill each of these events to take early steps to counteract the discovered cause of 
evil, if such steps are feasible. It thus automatically tends to secure (1) _cer- 
tainty and (2) promptness of action. 

By current recorded case is meant a case which bears a case number and in 
which some action required to be taken has not yet been taken, whether the 
case merely needs to be marked file, or whether a communication needs to be 
sent out of the office. 

Every current case while under action in the office is represented on the tally 
desk by an index card or tally card on which appears the office case number, 
date of receipt, and source and subject of the communication. These cards are 
arranged by classes in numerical order and are retained on the tally desk until 
the cases represented by them have been acted on. 

When a case becomes more than one day old the rules of the office require 
the division having the case under action to report the location and the case 
number to the tally desk at close of day — Form A. G. O. 258 is used ; the tally 
clerk checks these reports with the tally cards, and if a case is not reported, by 
inadvertance or because mislaid, the tally clerk sends out a tracer for the case, 
one blank properly filled out with the case number, date, and description of the 
case. This tracer is passed to the clerks who would be likely to handle such a 
case and finally returned with the result of search. 

When a case is completed it passes to the dispatch desk with its record card ; 
the record card is there withdrawn from it. and passed to the tally clerk who 
stamps on the record card the current date, this is called stamping the case out 
and indicates that the case is no longer represented on the tally desk, and at 
the same time lie withdraws the corresponding index card or tally card from 
the tally desk and stamps it out in the same manner as is done on the record 
card. The record card and index card are then sent to their corresponding mes. 

The index cards or tally cards remaining untallied at the close of a day show 
exactly what cases have not been completed, as each card remaining on the 
tally desk represents an uncompleted case. This furnishes at the close of each 
day practically instantaneous, positive, and defiuite information, including 
name, source, and nature of each case not disposed of at that time, and thus 
readily enables inquiry to be made into causes of delay, as each tally card 
shows its age; and should a case be mislaid the fact that the corresponding 
tally card is unchecked by reason of absence of repoit of its whereabouts enables 
immediate search to be made for it, so that the tally deck is a guard against the 
office being in ignorance of the fact that a case has been mislaid or lost. 

Many calls are made by various clerks each day upon the tally desk for 
information regarding whereabouts of cases undergoing action. 
,- By numerical arrangement of the tally cards the oldest cases (in original 
and telegram cases) are always on the top of the pile of tally cards, thus promi- 
nently and automatically calling attention to the length of time the cases they 
represent have been in the office. This is not true of the tally cards for 
revived (additional and received-back) cases. This pile of tally cards is there- 



APPENDIX II. 377 

fore examined more closely by the tally clerk to discover tlie age of cases. 
When a revived case has become two days old, the tally clerk clasps a project- 
ing metal clip on it, thus indicating that information as to its age. So that if 
it is desired to inspect at any time only the two or more day-old cases in the 
revived pile, only the metal-clipped tally cards need be examined. 

At the close of business each day a report is made by the tally clerk to the 
chief of the office, which gives in concise form a statement of the total number 
of cases received as well as the total number of cases on hand and also gives 
the age of the cases on hand by days. 

The chief clerk of the office inspects the older tally cards every morning to 
see whether any case seems to have incurred avoidable delay, and whenever 
need for, or utility of, inquiry into cause of delay is observed by him he insti- 
tutes oral or written investigation with a view to discover the cause or probable 
cause, and, if avoidable delay is developed, to institute measures tending to 
prevent recurrence. 

As already stated, the tally clerk institutes inquiry regarding location of un- 
reported cases, and when avoidable causes of nonreporting are developed the 
matter is submitted to the chief clerk of the office by the Mail and Record 
Division, and if the clerk responsible for the nonreporting does not himself 
suggest a feasible preventive against recurrence, steps are taken to try to 
discover one. 

F. STATEMENT OF THE LOCATION, WORK, METHODS, AND THE ORGANIZATION 
OF THE MISCELLANEOUS DIVISION OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE 
OF THE WAR DEPARTMENT. 

This branch of The Adjutant General's Office consists of tvro separate sec- 
tions, one section handling the efficiency reports and records of commissioned 
officers and the other section handling the balance of the work of the division. 
We will designate the work of the two sections by calling the section handling 
the efficiency reports and records as (&) and the other section as (a). 

Location. 

Section (a) occupies the largest part of room 34S on the third floor at the 
State, War, and Navy Building. 

Section (6) occupies the smallest portion of room 350, adjoining room 348. 
The files used in connection with the work of section (h) are situated in a 
small alcove or small connecting room, connecting rooms 348 and 350 and also 
a small corner of room 34.8, the corner being nearest to room 350. 

The number of employees in each section is as follows: Section (a) 14 clerks 
in room 348, 1 messenger in room 348 ; section (&) 9 clerks in room 350. 

Functions and Work. 

The functions of section (ft) are as follows : 

First. General correspondence of a miscellaneous nature. (This includes, for 
instance, such subjects as marking of equipments of troops, complaints against 
Army bands for furnishing music in competition with civilian bands, movement 
of troops, reports of inspections of troops, target practice, camps of instruction, 
privileges of civilians on military reservations, campaign badges, etc.) 

Second. Preparation of certain orders, and of bulletins, and changes in regu- 
lations and service manuals. 



378 KEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Third. Examining and auditing returns of property purcliased from con- 
tingent funds (headquarters of military divisions and departments) and the 
property returns of the Alaslsa Road Commission. 

The methods of carrying on the worlv of general correspondence of a miscel- 
laneous nature has already been described for all the divisions of The Adjutant 
General's Office under the title " Handling and filing correspondence of The 
Adjutant General's Office " and needs no further description here. 

About 85 per cent of the cases coming into this division are disposed of with- 
out referring to any other divisions. The balance must be referred to other 
divisions. 

The method of carrying on the work of " Preparation of certain orders, and 
of bulletins and changes in regulations and service manuals," is as follows : 

GENERAL ORDERS. 

Of orders drafted in this division every order except those absolutely new 
is referred to the Orders Division for information relative to whether any 
action has been taken previously. These orders so sent down amount to about 
75 per cent of the whole. A file of " Precedent " is kept for the information 
of the clerk drafting these orders. This file is kept on cards, and about 150 
of these cards constitute the file. When the draft of a general order is pre- 
pared a " preparation slip," with explanatory information, is made in longhand 
by the clerk preparing the draft, and the draft with the preparation slip is 
turned over to the assistant chief of division or to the chief of division for re- 
view. When the draft is considered satisfactory by the reviewer it is sub- 
mitted to the officer in charge of the division for approval, after which it is 
sent down to the Orders Division for printed proof, and when proof is received 
in the Miscellaneous Division it is read and then sent to The Adjutant General 
for approval, except that in about 40 per cent of the cases it is first sent for 
O. K. or comment to the stafi; bureau of the War Department concerned. After 
being received back approved the proof is sent over to the Orders Division for 
printing. 

A desk slip is started immediately when the draft is sent to the Orders 
Division for proof with statement to that effect on the slip, and the slip is con- 
tinued, carrying all information of steps the proof has taken, and finally filed 
with the case when disposed of. 

The preparation slip is carried along up to the time the order is sent to the 
Orders Division for proof. This preparation slip is not filed with the case, but 
is kept ou file in the division for future references. 

SPECIAL ORDERS. 

Practically the same procedure takes place in drafting and final making of 
special orders as in general orders. These special orders convey directions of 
the nature published in general orders, but as they require limited circulation 
only, such directions are published in special orders. 

BULLETINS. 

The same procedure as in the case of general orders. These bulletins are of 
the following nature : 1, results of small arms firing ; 2, results of national 
matches ; 3, information circulated that does not contain orders or directions. 
Samples of a few of the bulletins are attached. 

The small arms firing bulletin is made up from reports and from communica- 
tions coming into the office, which are kept until the bulletin is drafted and 
then filed. 



APPENDIX II. 379' 

CHANGES. 

The same procedure as in the case of general orders. 

These changes constitute amendments or modifications of the Army Regula- 
tions, manuals of the staff departments, service manuals and regulations, 
Manual for the Medical Department, Drill Regulations for Infantry, Drill 
Regulations for Cavalrj'-, and Manual of Guard Duty, Manual for Courts- 
Martial, etc. 

The methods of carrying on the work of examining and auditing returns of 
property purchase from the contingent fund, etc., is incidental to the other 
work of one clerk, and very little of his time is consumed in caring for this 
work. There are about 15 reports coming into the ofiice yearly, and the clerk, 
in checking, sees that the amount on hand at the end of the previous period 
agrees with the amount shown on new report and that compilations made on 
report are correct. 

The functions of section (6) are as follows: 

First. Compiling efficiency records of commissioned ofiicers of the Army. 

These records are the compilations of individual service and efliciency reports 
of officers, and of communications relating to the standing, ability, and special 
fitness of officers. In connection with the compiled efficiency records of officers^ 
there is also kept in this division a record, in card form, showing the special 
qualifications of individual officers for various military details and duties. A 
file is also kept of the statements of preferences of officers of Cavalry, Field 
Artillery, and Infantry respecting details for which they are eligible. 

The method of carrying on the work of keeping the efficiency reports and 
records is as follows: 

Papers coming over the desk of the chief of division that affect the efficiency 
records of any of the commissioned officers of the Army are, after a superficial 
examination, placed in the mail box on the desk of the chief of division for 
transmission to room 350, where the efficiency section of the division has ita 
quarters. These papers are picked up by the five-minute messenger service and 
delivered to that i"oom and are placed on the desk of the chief of that section. 

These papers when received are turned over to the various clerks in this 
section for action. Information affecting the efficiency records of officers of 
the Army comes from various services, such as the annual efficiency reports. 
Inspection reports, reports of examining and returning boards, report of the 
standing of officers at the various service and garrison schools, annual reports 
of the chief of staff, heads of the staff bureaus of the War Department, division 
and department commanders, commandants of the service schools and of the 
military prisons, the Superintendent of the United States Military Academy^ 
and general Army correspondence, whether in the form of a letter, indorsement, 
or order, containing mention, of a favorable or unfavorable nature, bearing 
on an officer's efficiency or referring to matters effecting his official character. 
Under the provisions of General Orders, No. 38, War Department, 1909, all 
requests from whatever source, except those from official superiors forwarded 
through military channels, in behalf of officers, are noted in an officer's compiled 
efficiency record as a violation of the provisions of Army Regulations forbid^ 
ding officers to procure present favor or consideration. These various sources 
of information affecting the efficiency record of an officer are gone over and a 
brief of the statements made in the original paper is made and typed on a card 
form, a copy of which is attached. This is called the efficiency record and is a 
record of all matter relating to the efficiency of an officer from time of coming 
into the service of the Army until either his retirement, discharge, or death, 
An alphabetical file is kept of these compiled efficiency records for about 5,000 
officers. 



380 REPORTS OF COMMISSION" ON" ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Records are kept of officers having special qualifications for various military 
duties, such as duty in Quartermaster's Department, Subsistence Department, 
Pay Department, Ordnance Department, Signal Corps, Signal Corps (aeronauti- 
cal work), Adjutant General's Department, Judge Advocate General's Office, 
Inspector General's Department, General Staff, college duty, recruiting duty, 
and Militia duty, also of officers possessing a knowledge of any foreign lan- 
guage, and of officers wlio have satisfactorily completed courses at Army Field 
Service and Correspondence Schools for Medical Officers. These cards are 
made out at the time that the efficiency report comes in, or at the time any of 
the correspondence comes in stating such facts, besides being placed on the 
•efficiency record. These cards are arranged according to the special qualifica- 
tions, then by arms of the service, then by grade of officers and are filed alpha- 
betically with reference to each grade. Wherever an officer is changed in grade 
this card is changed in so far as title goes and filed in the changed grade. If 
an officer is reported as qualified to serve in different departments, such as the 
Quartermaster's Department, Pay Department, or Subsistence Department, 
cards are made for each department and a statement made on each card to the 
effect that this officer is particularly qualified to serve in this department by 
detail. 

The date of the communication from which this notation is taken, together 
with the name of the person signing reports and any remarks made by the 
person signing, is also placed on these cards. 

A preference card is also kept on file, arranged to arms of the service, then by 
grade, and filed alphabetically with reference to each grade, showing the prefer- 
ences of the officers of the Army regarding details and is received annually 
from each officer. 

The efficiency section of the Miscellaneous Division is called upon for the 
efficiency records of officers, also for lists of officers recommended for service 
in various staff departments and for lists of officers who have a knowledge of 
certain languages, and also for other information relative to the efficiency of 
any of the officers. Some of these calls come for the efficiency reports (those 
submitted yearly) and some for the efficiency records. The compiled efficiency 
records are kept on file principally for the use of the following named persons: 
The President, the Secretary of War, the Assistant Secretary of War, the chief 
T)f Stafi.", the Assistant to the Chief of Staff, The. Adjutant General. 

The total number of incoming communications is estimated to be about 57,700, 
distributed as follows : 

Communications from the staff department and the Army at 

large 41, 400 

Communications from miscellaneous sources 4, 600 

Individual service and efficiency reports of officers of the 

Army 9,000 

Statement of preference of officers respecting detail for 

which they are eligible 2,700 

Tha total number of outgoing communications amount to about 34,000, dis- 
tributed as follows : 

Communications relating to administration of Army affairs- 28, 350 

Communications relating to miscellaneous questions 3, 150 

Communications relating to the individual service and effi- 
ciency reports 2,000 

Communications relating to statement of preference of 

officers for details 500 



APPENDIX II. 



381 



The number of general orders, special orders, bulletins, and changes drawn 
up from January 1, 1912, to date is as follows : General orders, 25, covering 66 
distinct cases; special orders, 17, containing 20 paragraphs covering 19 distinct 
cases; bulletins, 12, covering 13 distinct cases; changes, Army Regulations, 11, 
covering 49 distinct cases; changes, manuals of bureaus of War Department and 
service manuals other than Army Regulations, 13, covering 17 distinct cases. 

Orga.vization and Salary Roll. 

This division has 24 employees of the following salary grades: 

1 chief of division $2,000 

1 clerk of class 4 1,800 

2 clerks of class 3, with salaries aggregating 3, 200 

2 clerks of class 2, with salaries aggregating 2, 800 

13 clerks of class 1, with salaries aggregating 15, 600 

4 clerks at $1,000 with salaries aggregating 4, 000 

Messenger 720 

The following is a list of persons employed in the division and shows the 
nature of the work upon which each is engaged and the salary : 



Name. 



Nature of work upon which engaged. 



Salary. 



Richard J. Donnelly. . 
Alvord A. Cederwald. 
Robert J. Qiiinn 



Andrew J. Sheridan 

Frank Driscoll 

Michael A. Gruber 

Michael T. O'Leary 

John Murphy 

Helen M. Chamberlain. . 

Daniel W. Chase 

Harry A. Lochboehler. . 

WilUam M.Cobb 

Thomas F. Dyer 

Annie S. Feast 

Edward I. Crum 

Charles C. WilUams 

Nicholas W. Hill 

Raymond B. Coldren. . . 

Edward G. Murrell 

Homer F. Phillips 

Charles L. Fox 

Arthur E. Martin 

Joseph W. McClanahan. 



Chief of division 

Assistant chief of division 

Principal correspondence clerk (correspondence of complicated 
nature). 

In charge of efficiency record section 

Correspondence (reviewing correspondence drafted by others) 

Drafting orders, reading proof, correspondence , 

Reading proof, correspondence ■. . 

Correspondence, also reviewing correspondence 

Correspondence, typist particularly in re campaign badges 

Stenography and typewriting , 

. ...do 



Compiling efficiency records, correspondence. 

do 

do 

Stenography and typewriting 

Correspondence, routine correspondence 

Compiling efficiency records, correspondence. 

Stenography and typewriting 

Compiling efficiency records, correspondence. 

do 

Stenography and typewriting 

Compiling efficiency records, correspondence. 
do 



«2,000 
1,800 
1,600 

1,400 
1,200 
1,600 
1,400 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,000 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 



Total. 



29,400 



A. G. O., August 15, 1912. 



382 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

■a, description of the work, methods, organization, and expense of 
the correspondence and examining division of the adjutant 
general's office. 

Location. 

This division occupies six rooms and part of a seventh, together with the end 
•of a corridor between two of its rooms, on the third floor of the State, War, 
and Navy Building. The numbers of the rooms are 350, 354, and 356 to 360, 
inclusive. The number of employees in each room is as follows : Room 350, 2 ; 
I'oom 354, 3 ; room 356, 7 ; room 357, 7 ; room 358, 5 ; room 359, 10 ; corridor, 3 ; 
room 360, 9 ; total, 46. 

Functions and Work. 

The work of the Correspondence and Examining Division consists of, first, 
preparing correspondence, and second, making a digest of laws, regulations, 
•orders, etc., which have a bearing upon the work of The Adjutant General's 
Office. The two classes of work are independent of each other. Only one 
employee is engaged in the digest work, and he is assigned to this division for 
administrative purposes only. 

(A. G. O. comment : The digest here referred to is a file containing digests of 
laws, orders, and decisions limited to questions arising in the work of this 
division. The making of digest cards occupies but a comparatively small por- 
tion of the time of one employee, who is engaged during the remainder of his 
time in examining congressional documents and on general correspondence 
work. 

The digest file of the Correspondence and Examining Division was in exist- 
ence in the Record and Pension Division of the War Department (now a part of 
this office) before the office precedent file was instituted. Originally the 
intended function of the office precedent file was to afford a place for approved 
correspondence forms. The scope of the precedent file was gradually extended, 
so that the aim is that it shall be a file containing a guide for any and every 
action whatever regarding the propriety of which there may be a reasonable 
doubt in the mind of any person in this office who is to recommend, or to take, 
the action in question, be the matter one of inserting or omitting a comma in 
•a certain class of sentences or a question whether a thought or proposition or 
-judgment contained in a proposed composition or communication of the office 
is warranted by law, regulation, order, or decision of superior authority; or 
be the matter one of office discipline, clerical procedvut. or instruction of 
employees. Consequently the scope of the precedent f:!^ includes all of the 
limited scope to which the digest was confined. The file arrangement of the 
cards in the two files differs in that the digest file is in effect an alphabetical 
file, as compared with the precedent file, which is not an alphabetical file, but 
rather a subjective file. A further difference between the two files is that the 
digest cards are larger than the precedent cards. These two differences tended 
to prevent the discontinuance of the making of digest cards when the scope of 
the precedent file was extended to include the scope of the digest file ; especially 
as the two independent modes of arrangement tended to insure the finding of 
an important but confusedly recollected decision under one of the two modes 
of arrangement if it could not readily be found under the other. However, the 
effect of the extension of the scope of the precedent file has been naturally to 
minimize matter going to the digest file, because the same matter can be found 
in the office precedent file, so that during the past year only about 75 digest 
cards were made — that is, less than two digest cards a week. The question of 
the discontinuance of the making of digest cards has been several times in the 



APPENDIX II. 383 

past under consideration, but was not definitely decided ; it lias been concluded, 
upon tbe recommendation of tbe Chief of the Correspondence and Examining 
Division, to discontinue the making of digest cards.) 

Tbe correspondence work of this division consists of, first, drafting and writ- 
ing replies to communications, and, second, reviewing and copying for signature 
tlie draft of some communications which have been prepared in other divisions 
of The Adjutant General's Office. In a report made to the commission by The 
Adjutant General's Office, under date of April 19. 1912, it is stated that 68,900 
communications are annually received and answered in this division. In that 
report the communications are classified as follows : 

Communications pertaining to the militarj'- service or 
status of former officers, enlisted men, and organiza- 
tions, including cases that require interpretation or con- 
struction of records because of ambiguity, obscurity, de- 
ficiency, or conflict in those records, or the application 
or construction of some law, rule, or regulation 41, 600 

Communications pertaining to miscellaneous military sub- 
subjects___: 13,000 

Communications requesting addresses of officers or enlisted 
men 9, 300 

Communications from staff departments and the Army 
at large 5,000 

In addition to preparing replies to the above communications this ■ division 
critically reviews the draft and types the final copy of approximately 9,000 
communications originating within the office and drafted in other divisions. 
These communications are classified as " communications pertaining to miscel- 
laneous military subjects." 

(A. G. O. comment. Not all of the replies to the 68,900 communications 
prepared in the Correspondence and Examining Division were drafted in that 
division. In about 19,000 of those cases the replies were drafted in other 
divisions. ) 

A more detailed classification of the communications received and answered 
in this division is contained in a daily report prepared for the chief of the 
division. This classification, together with the percentage which each class of 
communications forms of the total, is as follows : 

1. Requests from Members of Congress and congressional 

committees for information relative to military history 

of former officers and enlisted men 17.0 

2. Requests from the Commissioner of Pensions for state- 

ments of military service (limited to such requests as 
present unusual difficulties in the preparation of re- 
plies) 6. 

3. Requests from the Comptroller and Auditor for the War 

Department for statements of military service (limited 
to such requests as present unusual difficulties in the 
preparation of replies) 5.0 

4. Requests for statements of military services of officers 

and enlisted men in the Revolutionary War and the 
War of 1812 12. 5 

5. Requests for statements of military service of officers and 

men in the Confederate Army 4.0 

6. Requests from soldiers' homes for statements of military 

service 2.0 



384 REPORTS OF COMMISSIOjST ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

7. Requests for statements of military service received from 

societies and associations 1. 5 

S. Requests from the Civil Service Commission for state- 
ments of military service .5 

9. Application for certificates in lieu of lost or destroyed 

discharge certificates 16. 

10. Applications for original discharge certificates . 5 

11. Applications for the removal of charge of desertion 1. 5 

12. Application for clemency for general prisoners 7. 5 

13. Miscellaneous communications 26. 

The " Miscellaneous communications " include the following : 

(a) Requests for historical information and statistics on former military 
organizations and operations. 

( 6 ) Communications concerning the conferring of medals of honor. 

(c) Requests for the addresses of officers and enlisted men. 

id) Requests for copies of reports and of orders affecting individuals 
and organizations. 

(e) Requests for rosters. 

(/) Requests from individuals for information concerning posts and the 
service of officers and men. 

iff) Applications for "deserters' releases." 

(h) Requests from individuals for information concerning Army uni- 
forms, the flag, Army organization, and other military matters. 

(i) Applications in behalf of military prisoners and former enlisted men 
for admission to the Government Hospital for the Insane. 

The percentages given in the above statement are computed on the number 
of cases handled in the division from February 5 to March 16, 1912, inclusive. 
In computing these percentages, no account was taken of the work performed 
in examining and typewriting letters the draft of which was prepared in other 
divisions of The Adjutant General's Office. 

The average daily number of communications to which replies were drafted 
in this division during March, 1912, was 181, as shown by a report prepared for 
the head of the division. At this rate, the total number for the year would be 
about 55,500 communications in place of 68,900 as reported to the commission 
under date of April 19, 1912. 

(A. G. O. comment: The report of April 19, 1912, does not purport to state 
that 68,900 communications were drafted in the Correspondence and Examining 
Division, as implied in this paragl'aph. As explained in the preceding comment 
about 19,000 of the 68,900 replies prepared in that division were drafted in 
other divisions. However, it may be useful to state here that the average 
daily number of communications to which replies are drafted in the Correspond- 
ence and Examining Division varies; for instance, the daily averr^ge number 
of communications to which replies were drafted in that division in May, 1912, is 
229, indicating an annual total of about 68,000, and the daily average for the 
first half of the current month is 300, indicating an annual total of about 
90,000.) 

The larger part of the requests for statements of military service received 
from Congress, the Commissioner of Pensions, the Comptroller, and the Auditor 
(groups 1, 2, and 3) are made for the purpose of procuring information to be 
used in connection with special legislation and pension or other claims. The 
requests for statements of military service during the Revolutionary War and 
the War of 1812 (group 4) are made for the purpose of procuring information 



APPENDIX II. 385 

to be used for geuealogicaf and historical purposes or for admission to patriotic 
societies. The requests for statements of military service in the Confederate 
army (group 5) are made principally for the purpose of procuring information 
to be used in connection with claims for State pensions. The requests from 
soldiers' homes and from societies and associations (groups 6 and 7) are prin- 
cipally for the purpose of procuring information for use in connection with 
applications for admission or membership. The requests from the Civil Service 
Commission (group 8) are made for information to be used in connection with, 
claims for preference in appointments or for reinstatement on account of mili- 
tary service. The larger part of the communications classified as " miscel- 
laneous" (group 13) are requests from persons desiring information concerning 
military services for historical or genealogical purposes, and requests for 
addresses of officers and men now in the service. The purpose or object of all 
other communications is indicated by the titles. 

Of the communications handled in this division, the larger number do not 
involve administratiA^e action by The Adjutant General's Office, but others, such 
as applications for removal of charge of desertion and applications for the 
admission of former enlisted men to the hospital for the insane, do involve 
administrative action by The Adjutant General's Office. This latter class of 
communications is important, although relatively small. 

(A. G. O. comment: The classes of applications for removal of charge of 
desertion and for admission to the hospital for the insane are relatively small. 
Many questions involving the determination by this office of the status of 
former officers and enlisted men arise in others of the groups of cases named 
on pages 3 and 4, supra, viz, groups 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 10, and 13. Deteraiinations 
of this class affect or are the basis of decisions of the Commissioner of Pen- 
sions in the adjudication of pension claims; the accounting officers of the Treas- 
ury and the Court of Claims in the adjudication of claims for arrears of pay 
and bounty and for loss of property incurred in the several wars; the officials 
of soldiers' home>« with regard to the right of admission thereto; tjie United 
States Civil Service Commission in cases of preference for appointment or for 
reinstatement; and the action of Congress in legislation affecting former 
officers and enlisted men.) 

The replies prepared in this divison are in the form of indorsements in 61 per 
cent of the cases, typewritten letters in 22 per cent, and printed forms in 
17 per cent. 

Joint action by the Correspondence and Examining Division and other 
divisions of The Adjutant General's Office is required in preparing replies in 
63 per cent of the cases. The classes of communications requiring joint 
action in the preparation of replies are reported by The Adjutant General's 
Office as follows : 

1. Communications requiring some interpretation or construction of 

records because of ambiguity, obscurity, deficiency, or other con- 
flict in those records. 

2. Communications requiring information from the records to complete 

answer. 

3. Requests for record information of a class ordinarily answered by 

another division, but in which the right of the correspondent to 

the information, or the character or extent of the information 

that should be furnished, is doubtful. 

In addition to taking joint action with other divisions in preparing replies, 

the Correspondence and Examining Division examines and typewrites about 

28,000 communications, the draft of which has been wholly prepared in other 

72734°— H. Doe. ] 252, 62-3 25 



386 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

divisions. This worlv of examining and of copying for signature the draft 
of communications prepared in other divisions consumes about one-fourth of, 
the time of the examiners and typewriters in the Correspondence and Ex- 
amining Division. The divisions preparing drafts which are examined and 
typed in the Correspondence and Examining Division are the following : Ad- 
ministrative Division, Rolls Division, Returns Division, identification section 
of the Tenth Street branch, Distribution Division, Publication branch. 

The worli of the Correspondence and Examining Division was described to 
us as being of a high order, requiring the services of men who are familiar 
with military affairs and laws relating thereto, and who have an extensive 
knowledge of the records and files of this office. It was further stated that 
many men in this division were especially selected for this work, and that 
many of them had been given work in other divisions with the idea of train- 
ing them for the correspondence worlv of this division. 

Methohs of Conducting Work. 

The methods employed in this division will be described in three sections, 
(a) those employed in the administration of the division, (&) those employed 
in handling communications the replies to which are drafted in this division, 
and (c) those employed in handling communications the draft of which is 
prepared in other divisions. 

ADMINISTEATION. 

Each employee in this division prepares a daily time and work report show- 
ing the time employed and the quantity of work performed on each class of 
work. This is a standard form of report used throughout The Adjutant Gen- 
eral's Office. A sample copy is submitted in connection with the report on the 
Regimental Records Division. A division daily report of absentees and an 
employee's explanation of the cause of tardiness are required, as has been 
described for the Regimental Records Division. 

A division daily report of work performed and a division daily report of 
eases on hand at close of work that have been one or more working days in 
the office are prepared on the forms described and submitted in connection with 
the report on the Regimental Records Division. 

A so-called " monthly mail gauge " is kept by the chief of the division in 
order to record the number of cases handled each day and the daily average 
for the month. On the reverse side of this record is entered the number of 
elerks present and absent each day. 

A tally of cases received in the division and a register of Congressional cases 
are kept by the distributing clerk. These records are described under methods 
employed in handling communications requiring the preparation of replies. 

HANDLING COMMUNICATIONS REQUIRING THE PREPARATION OF REPLIES. 

The regular procedure for handling communications the replies to which arc 
prepared in this division involves the following processes : 

1. Receipt of communications. 

2. Registry of Congressional cases. 

3. Assignment of communications for action. 

4. Preparation of draft of reply, including any necessary calls upon othei 

divisions for information, and where necessary preparation of case- 
brief for decision. 



APPENDIX II. 387 

5. Exaiuinatiou of draft. 

6. Preparation of " fair copy." 

7. Comparison of draft with " fair copy." 

8. Arranging communications for transmission to the chief clerk's office. 

The detail work performed in connection with these processes is as follows : 

1. Receipt of communications. — ^All communications for which replies are to 
be drafted in this division are received therein by a clerk designated for this 
work and known as the " distributing clerk." The communications are deliv- 
ered to the division by the five-minute messenger service, excepting congressional 
cases, which are delivered by special messenger. 

The distributing clerk keeps a so-called " mail-desk time mark " on which he 
records the hour in which each communication is received in the division. The 
record is divided into nine spaces, one for recording letters received prior to 
9 a. m. and one for each subsequent working hour. In recording the receipt of 
a communication, the distributing clerk enters in the appropriate space showing 
the time of receipt in the Correspondence and Examining Division the hour in 
which the communication was received in the Mail and Record Division or in 
the Tenth Street branch. The record thus shows the time elapsed between the 
receipt of the communication in the first division handling the case and its re- 
ceipt in the Correspondence, and Examining Division. 

(A. G. O. comment : The recording of the hour in which the communication 
was received in the Mail and Record Division or in the Tenth Street branch 
has been discontinued, it having been temporarily instituted in order to ascer- 
tain facts affecting the celerity of movements of certain classes of cases. When 
this object was accomplished the practice of such recording no longer served a 
useful purpose. A tally of the number of cases received in this division, by 
hours, effected by making a check mark in the hour space for each case, is the 
only record of this class now kept in the division.) 

The following classes of communications are forwarded directly to the Cor- 
respondence and Examining Division from the Mail and Record Division, which 
receives and opens all mail for The Adjutant General's Office : 

1. Requests from ilembers of Congress and congressional committees 

for information relative to military history of former officers and 
volunteer enlisted men. 

2. Requests for statements of military services of officers and enlisted 

men in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. 

3. Requests for statements of military service received from societies and 

associations. 

4. Requests from the Civil Service Commission for statements of mili- 

tary service. 

5. Applications for certificates in lieu of lost or destroyed discharge 

certificates. 

6. Applications for original discharge certificates. 

7. Applications for the removal of charge of desertion. 

8. Applications for clemency for general prisoners. 

The communications received from the Mail and Record Division come (a) 
directly from the numbering clerks, or (&) from the record card files. The first 
class of communications are those for which the clerks in the Mail and Record 
Division consider a search of the files unnecessary, while the second class are 
those communications requiring, in the opinion of the clerks of the Mail and 
Record Division, a search of the files. If a search of the files is made, any 
prior record cards disclosed by such search are attached to the current com- 
munication, which is then forwarded to the Correspondence and Examining 
Division. 



388 KEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Requests for statement of military service made by the Commissioner of Pen- 
sions, the comptroller, and auditor are referred to the Correspondence and Ex- 
amining Division from Regimental Records and Rolls Division whenever the 
cases involve some difficultj' in the Interperetation or construction of the records 
or involve the application or construction of some law, rule, or regulation. 
Approximately 5 per cent of these cases are sent directly to the Correspondence 
and Examining Division from Regimental Records or Rolls Division. The bal- 
ance of these cases are sent from the two last-named divisions to the Cor- 
respondence and Examining Division through the Mail and Record Division. 
The purpose in sending first to the Mail and Record Division is to transfer the 
communications from the "statement of service" file (green record card file) 
to the regular correspondence file (white record card file). 

Requests for statements of military service of officers and men in the Con- 
federate Army are received in the Correspondence and Examining Division from 
the Tenth Street branch, to which such requests are first referred upon their 
receipt in The Adjutant General's Office. 

Requests from soldiers' homes for statements of military service are some^ 
times received directly from JMail and Record Division and sometimes fro/a 
the Regimental Records Division. The replies to all such requests are drafted 
in the Correspondence and Examining Division. 

Requests for addresses of officers and enlisted men Avhich are included in 
the division reports among " miscellaneous communications " are receive'! in 
the Correspondence and Examining Division from the Returns and Rolls Divi- 
sions In Regular Army cases, and from the Mail and Record Division in Volun- 
teer cases. The other communications classified as "miscellaneous" are 
largely received from the Mail and Record Division. 

2. Registry of conyressional coses. — The distributing clerk upon receiving a 
congressional case Immediately registers the communication on a memorandum 
or daily schedule of such cases. This memorandum record is ruled into columns 
showing the following, facts : 

(a) Serial number of communication. 
(&) Name of author. 

(c) Time communication left the Mail and Record Division of The 

Adjutant General's Office as shown on the record card accompany- 
ing the communication. 

(d) Time communication reaches the Correspondence and Examining Di- 

vision. 

(e) Name of composing clerk to whom the communication is assigned 

for preparation of the reply. 
(/) Status of case at noon. 

(g) Time of completion of examination of draft of reply. 
(h) Time at which reply is forwarded from this division to the chief 
clerks' office. 
The distributing clerk Investigates any cases which are shown by this memo- 
randum or schedule to have been in the division longer than would seem nec- 
essary for the drafting of a reply. It Is the plan to reply to congressional cases 
received during the forenoon in time to forward them to the Capitol by a special 
messenger who leaves The Adjutant General's Office at 1 p. m. Cases received 
lu the afternoon are, whenever possible, disposed of so as to be forwarded to the 
city post office at the close of the day's business. 

3. Assignment of communications for action. — The distributing clerk ex- 
amines all incoming communications in order that he may bring certain cases 
to the attention of the chief of the division and assign others to the composing 



APPENDIX II. - 389 

clerks. The work is so arranged that each couiposing clerk handles, as a rule, 
a single class or specified classes of communications. 

In some cases the distributing clerk's examination of a connnnnication dis- 
closes the fact that additional information must be furnished by some other 
division. In such cases the communication is sent directly from the distribut- 
ing clerk's desk to such divisions with a request made on the record card for 
the desired information. In many cases, however, the necessity for procuring 
information from other divisions is not ascertained until the communication is 
in the hands of the composing clerk. 

Inquiry was made as to why cases which clearly call for preliminary action 
of some other division were first sent to the Correspondence and Examining 
Division from the Mail and Record Division. In reply it was stated that the 
clerks In the Mail and Record Division would be likely to require more time 
than the Correspondence and Examining Division in studying the case to 
ascertain whether the Correspondence and Examining Division or some other 
division should first handle the case and they, therefore, forward all cases to 
which the Correspondence and Examining Division is to prepare the reply to 
that division, except requests of State officials for records of Confederate 
service, which are sent from the Mail and Record Division to the Tenth Street 
branch. 

(A. G. O. comment: With regard to the word "clearly," as used in this 
paragraph, it is to be remarked that what may be clear to the Correspondence 
and Examining Division in its cases may not be clear to the Mail and Record 
Division. ) 

The communications are taken from the desk of the distributing clerk to 
the desks of the composing clerks by special messenger or by the distributing 
clerk himself, and to other divisions of The Adjutant General's Office by the 
five-minute messenger service, with the exception of congressional cases, which 
are immediately forwarded to their destination by special messenger. 

4. Preparation of draft of reply. — The work of drafting replies to communica- 
tions is arranged so that, as a rule, each clerk handles a single class or specified 
classes of communications. This specialization of work is usually, but not 
always, followed. While each clerk is developed into a specialist for handling 
certain classes of cases he is also required to have a general knowledge of the 
work of the division, so as to be able to handle other classes of cases which 
may be received in the division. 

All communications when received by the composing clerk for the prepara- 
tion of the draft of the reply are accompanied with the record card of the 
current letter. Those communications for which a search of the files has 
disclosed prior papers in the case are also accompanied with the record cards 
of earlier letters. If the communications have been referred to other divisions 
by the distributing clerk, as explained above in No. 3, the record cards will 
contain such information as has been furnished by those divisions. The com- 
posing clerk examines the communication and accompanying record cards, and 
if these contain sufficient information for the preparation of his reply he pre- 
pares the draft on the record card accompanying the current communication. 
Of the 13 classes of communications enumerated on pages 3 and 4 supra, 
Ihe requests for statements of military service of officers and men in the 
Revolutionary War and in the War of 1812, and applications for the removal 
of the charge of desertion are largely answered from the correspondence record 
cards of former communications in the cases, while only a very few communi- 
cations in the other classes can be answered completely from the previous 
record cards but require additional information from the military records. 



390 KEPOETS OF COMMISSIOISr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

It was estimated by the employees of this divisiou that approximately one- 
third of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 cases and nearly all 
applications for the removal of the charge of desertion are answered from the 
previoxis correspondence record cards. 

If the papers and cards accompanying the case do not contain sufficient 
information for replying to the communication the composing clerk requests 
such additional information as is needed from other divisions of The Adjutant 
General's Office, from other offices in the War Department, or from other 
departments of the Federal service. When a call is made upon another divi- 
sion of The Adjutant General's Office for additional information it is the 
practice to forward ail the papers in the case, together with their record cards, 
and to indicate on the record card of the current communication the call for 
information together with the initials of the clerk making the request. The 
divisions most frequently called upon to furnish information are Regimental 
Records, Archives, Rolls, Medical, and Returns Divisions, and Tenth Street 
branch. The division upon which a request is made transcribes the desired 
information from the records or documents in its custody on the record 
card accompanying the communication. The initials of the clerk furnishing 
the information is also entered on the record card. 

In order to show the action taken by different divisions in furnishing infor- 
mation, a case concerning the removal of the charge of desertion was analyzed 
and the principal steps taken in disposing of the case were listed. This is an 
involved case and required action by more divisions than is necessary for the 
handling of the large majority of cases. The divisions handling this case (No. 
1893180) and the principal action taken by them are as follows: 

1. Mail and Record Division : 

(a) Communication received and opened. 
(6) Recorded, indexed, and numbered. 

2. Correspondence and Examining Division : 

(a) Examined by composing clerk. 

(6) Referred to Regimental Records Division for report and "per- 
sonal papers." 

3. Regimental Records Division : 

(a) Searches its records. 

(6) Referred to Tenth Street branch for cards. 

4. Tenth Street branch : 

(o) Withdraws the four cards in the case from file and attaches to 

communication. 
(&) Returns to Regimental Records Division. 

5. Regimental Records Division : 

(a) Enters on record card (and extension slips) all relevant Informa- 
tion shown on its records, including that shown on the cards 
forwarded from Tenth Street branch. 

(&) Attaches such "personal papers" as are on file and returns to 
the Mail and Record Division for prevous papers from the docu- 
ment file. 

6. Mail and Record Division : 

(a) Filing instructions entered on record card; i. e., connecting with 

previous papers (that were received in 1877). 
(6) Case returned to Correspondence and Examining Division. 

7. Correspondence and Examining Division : 

(a) Case assigned to composing clerk who first handled it. 
(&) Referred to Medical Division for medical record. 



APPENDIX II. 391 

8. Medical Division : 

(«) Enters medical history on record card; medical records not show- 
ing Christian name. 

(b) Referring to Regimental Records Division with inquiry as to 
whether any other man of this name in same company. 

9. Regimental Records Division : 

(a) Answers inquiry of Medical Division and returns case to that 
division. 

10. Medical Division : 

(a) Sends to branch of division for further information concerning 

medical history. 
(&) Enters further information on record card and returns case to Coi^ 

responding and Examining Division. 

11. Correspondence and Examining Division : 

(a) Case referred to composing clerk who first handled it. 
(6) Referred to Archives Division for any information in its record 
concerning arrest or trial of man. 

12. Archives Division : 

(a) Enters reply on record card and returns to Correspondence and 
Examining Division. 

To call for and enter the information required for the disposition of this 
case required the use of six pages of record cards. Following this material, 
the record card contains a summary of the case and the bearing of existing 
laws thereon, together with a recommendation by the correspondence clerk 
that the charge of desertion be removed. The record card also contains an 
approval by the chief of the division and by the assistant to the chief clerk 
of the recommendation indicated by their initials, the draft of the reply to the 
communication and a " notation " ofiicially removing the charge of desertion 
from the records of The Adjutant General's Office. 

The record card in this case illustrates the fact that it is the practice to 
note on the record card any instructions which may be given for the handling 
of a case and the initials of the employees concerned. The record card is so 
utilized that it not only contains a brief of the incoming communication and a 
complete draft of the outgoing communication, but also contains notations 
which show the complete history of the case and the initials of those who are 
responsible for the several steps taken in handling it. 

When it is necessary to request information from other offices in the War 
Department, or from other departments for use in drafting a reply to a com- 
munication, it is customary to write an indorsement on the current communi- 
cation indicating the nature of the information desired from that office or 
department. Record cards are never sent outside of The Adjutant General's 
Office. In writing indorsements requesting information, printed forms are 
used in many cases. Three different forms are provided for referring cases 
to the Auditor for the War Department and two forms for general use. When- 
ever indorsement forms are used, duplicates are prepared and attached to the 
record card as the record of the action taken. When forms are not used in 
writing indorsements the draft of the indorsement is written by the composing 
clerk on the record card, and a copy is then typed for transmission. 

In reply to an inquiry it was stated that this division calls upon the document 
files for original papers in not to exceed 5 per cent of the cases handled by it. 

After information for the preparation of the reply has been collected from 
the several divisions of The Adjutant General's Office and from other offices 
and departments, the composing clerk prepares the draft of the reply by dictat- 
ing to a stenographer, by drafting the reply in memorandum form, by filling 



392 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

out a printed record card form, or by instructing a ttenogi-apber to fill out a 
printed form. The draft is ahvays written on record cards either (1) by a 
stenographer from dictation from rough copy, or from instructions to prepare 
a record card form, or (2) by the composing clerk himself in those cases where 
he fills out a printed form of record card.. After the draft has been typed on 
the record card, it is submitted to the composing clerk, who makes with pen 
and ink any changes he may desire, and then places his initials on the record 
card at the head of the draft which he has prepared. 

To facilitate the preparation of the draft of replies, 19 printed forms of 
record-card extensions are used in this division in addition to the 5 printed 
forms which are used in recording indorsements requesting information from 
outside sources. Printed form letters and indorsements corresponding to the 
printed record-card extension forms are used in preparing the outgoing com- 
munications. 

If the composing clerk considers the case to be so important that it should be 
submitted to the chief of division or some officer for review, the draft as 
typewritten on the record card is submitted for the consideration of the proper 
efflcial. 

When the comiX)sing clerk has completed his action on a case and before 
forwarding it to the examining clerk, he arranges the papers and record cards 
In two groups. One group includes those papers and cards which may be needed 
by the signing officer in his consideration of the case, and the other group in- 
cludes those papers and record cards which may be returned to the files before 
the communication has been signed. Before forwarding the case the composing 
clerk also inserts a charge slip with these record cards, which are to be sent 
to the files in place of and accounting for any record card or cards which 
are attached to the co]nmunication and forwarded to the signing officer. With 
the current record card and communication he places a so-called " sepai'atiou 
card." accounting for the cards sent to the files. The charge slip is placed in 
the files with the record cards. Its use is very temporary, as the communica- 
tion will be disposed of ordinarily within a few hours after the charge slip 
has been placed in the files. It will then be displaced by the record card 
which had been sent to the signing officer with the communication. 

5. Examination of draft. — From the composing clerk's desk the case, which 
includes the incoming letter with the draft of the reply as prepared by the 
eomposing clerk and all accompanying papers, is sent to an examiner by means 
of the 5-minute messenger service. 

(A. G. O. comment : If the case goes out by indorsement or is a congressional 
case answered by letter, the case so sent to the examiner consists of the in- 
coming letter and its in closures, if any, and the record card bearing the draft 
of the reply. If the case is a noucongressional answered by letter, the case so 
sent to the examiner ordinarily consists only of the record card bearing the 
ilraft of the reply.) 

The examiner I'eviews the draft of the reply in order to insure accuracy of 
address, dates, and other statements of fact and examines the draft for gram- 
matical construction and adequacy of reply. Any corrections and alterations 
deemed necessarjr by the examiner are made on the draft in ink. 

6. Preparation of " fair copy.'''' — From the examiner's desk the communication 
Is sent to the stenographic and typewriting section. ' Here the chief of the 
section assigns the draft as prepared on the record card to a typewriter to 
prepare a "fair copy" for the signature of the proper official. The typewriter 
makes an exact copy of the draft as amended by the examiner. In the upper 
right-hand corner of the letter sheet is written the serial number of the incom- 
ing communication to which this is a reply. 



APPENDIX II. 393 

An stated in the description of tlie preparation of tlie draft, printed forms, 
of record-card extensions for tlie draft and for outgoing communications, are 
extensively used in tliis division. Twentj^-five different printed forms of letters 
and indorsements are used in addition to the 5 indorsement forms used for 
requesting information needed for the disposition of cases. Of the 25 forms 
10 relate to statements of service or military history, 7 to communications con- 
cerning the removal of the charge of desertion, 2 to miscellaneous and general 
subjects, and 1 to each of the following classes of communications : Applications 
for certificates in lieu of lost or destroyed discharge certificates, applications 
for discharge certificates in true name, inquiries to commanding officers con- 
cerning identification records not submitted to The Adjutant General's Office, 
similar inquiries concerning physical examination reports, notice of designation 
of institution to receive the published " War Ilecords," and notice to Paymaster 
General of death of enlisted men. The four last-mentioned forms are not used 
for replying to communications referred to this division for action, but are 
used for fair copies of drafts prepared in other divisions of the office. 

In a report to this commission The Adjutant General's Office stated that 61 
per cent of the communications prepared in this division were in the form of 
indorsements, 22 per cent were typewritten letters, and 17 per cent were printed 
forms. These figures are misleading, since a large number of the communica- 
tions reported as indorsements were prepared on printed forms. No figures are 
available for showing the percentage of all outgoing communications prepared 
by the use of forms. 

(A. G. O. comment: The questions furnished by the President's Economy and 
Efficiency Commission for use in the preparation of the division reports, of 
which the report of April 19, 1912, for the Correspondence and Examining 
Division before referred to is one, include, under the heading " Outgoing corre- 
spondence," the following seven questions : 

7. What is the approximate number of comnuniications prepared in this 
division annually? 

S. Into what general classes may they be divided, and what is the estimated 
number of communications of each class prepared annually? 

9. What per cent of the communications are typewritten letters? 

10. What per cent of the communications are handwritten letters? 

11. What per cent of the communications are printed forms? 

12. What per cent of the communications are in other forms? 

13. What portion of the correspondence referred to in question 7 is in the 
form of an indorsement? 

Questions 9 to 13 speak of five classes of communications, y'v/., typewritten 
letters, handwritten letters, printed forms, other forms, and indorsements. 
The office was in doubt as to whether this division into five classes was in- 
tended to constitute a single (i. e., complete) division of the subject communica- 
tions, or whether the questions were intended to constitute complete cross 
divisions, i. e., condivisions, or incomplete cross divisions of the subject communi- 
cations. Consequently, on April 2, 1912, the question " Should the answers to 
questions 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 equal 100 per cent?" was orally asked of the 
secretary of the commission, and he answered " Yes." In view of the fact 
that the percentages to be given in answer to the five questions were to equal 
100 per cent, thus showing that the &\e questions were intended to be a single 
(complete) division of the subject communications, it was concluded by this 
office that only question 13 related to indorsements.) 

In addition to using printed forms of record card extensions and of outgoing 
letters, this division also uses 3 forms of applications and 12 forms of certifi- 
cates. The application forms are furnished to applicants for certificates 



394 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECOZSTOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

in lieu of lost or destroyed discharge certificates, applicants for medals 
of honor, and applicants for certificates of military telegraph service. The cer- 
tificate forms are used in issuing original certificates of discharge, certificates 
in lieu of lost or destroyed discharge certificates, and " deserter's releases " 
from liability to arrest, trial, and punishment for desertion. 

7. Coimianson of draft with " fair copy." — From the typewriting section the 
communication is sent to " comparers " one of whom reads from the draft as 
prepared on the record card while the other holds the fair copy drafted for 
signature. 

8. Arranging communications for transmission. — After the draft and the fair 
copy have been compared, the communication, together with all accompanying 
papers and record cards are arranged for transmission to the chief clerk's 
office. As a part of this work, any indorsement prepared in the Correspondence 
and Examining Division on Indorsement slips is here pasted to the communica- 
tion to which it pertains. The only other work required at this desk is that of 
placing communications in proper jackets for transmission by the five-minute 
messenger service to the office of the chief clerk, 

HANDLING COMMUNICATIONS DRAFTED IN OTHER DIVISIONS. 

The Correspondence and Examining Division in handling communications 
drafted in other divisions performs the following processes: 

1. Receipt of communications. 

2. Examination of draft of reply. 

3. Preparation of " fair copy." 

4. Comparison of draft with " fair copy." 

5. Arranging communications for transmission to the chief clerk's office. 
Communications of this class are delivered by the five-minute messenger 

service directly from the division in which drafted to the examining clerks of 
the Correspondence and Examining Division. 

The remaining processes involved in the handling of these cases are conducted 
in the same manner as the corresponding processes employed in handling com- 
munications the replies to which have been drafted in tliis division. These 
processes have been described in full in the preceding section of this report. 

Relation to Other Branches of the Service. 

Since the chief work of this division is that of performing one of the prin- 
cipal processes in the handling of correspondence, its relations with the other 
divisions of The Adjutant General's Office which handle correspondence are, of 
necessity, very close. The relationship between this and other operating 
divisions may be summarized as follows : 

(1) The communications are received in this division (1) directly from the 
Mail and Record Division, where the incoming communication has been num- 
bered, briefed (in such cases as require briefing), indexed, and recorded, or 
(2) from the Regimental Records, Rolls, or Returns Division or the Tenth Street 
branch, to which the incoming communication was first sent by the Mail and 
Record Division. Furthermore, in those cases in which a search of the record- 
card files in the Mail and Record Division has been made, the record cards of 
any prior communications in this case or of any previous similar case are 
attached to the current communication. 

(2) As this division handles complicated and difficult cases and many which 
require action by two or more divisions, it is necessary for the Correspondence 
and Examining Division to be constantly calling on other divisions of The 



APPENDIX II. 395 

Adjutant General's Office for information required in drafting outgoing letters. 
The composing clerks of this division are required to have a thorough knowledge 
of all the files and other sources from vphich information may be secured in 
The Adjutant General's Office for use in drafting replies to the correspondence 
assigned to this division. It is customary for these clerks in making calls upon; 
other divisions to address the division, specify the nature of information de- 
sired, and send such calls to the room in which the documents or records to be 
consulted are filed. In handling requests for statements of military service it 
may be necessary to call upon any or all of the following divisions for informa- 
tion : Regimental Records Division, Medical Division, Rolls Division, Return* 
Division, Archives Division, document files of Mail and Record Division, record- 
card files of Mail and Record Division, Tenth Street branch, Orders Division. 

(3) As has been stated, a part of the work of this division consists in examin- 
ing and preparing the "fair copy" of communications, the draft of which haa 
been prepared in some of the other divisions of the office. 

In performing this work, the Correspondence and Examining Division i» 
brought in close relationship with the Administrative, Rolls, Returns, and Dis- 
tribution Divisions, the Tenth Street and Publication branches. 

(4) The work of this division requires a large amount of correspondence 
with other offices of the War Department and other departments of the Federal 
Government. Among the latter, those with which business is most largely 
conducted are as follows: Pension Office, Auditor for the War Department, 
Land Office, Comptroller of the Treasury, Civil Service Commission, Bureau of 
Navigation. 

ORGANIZATION AND SALARY ROLL. 

This division has 46 employees, of the following salary grades : 

8 clerks of class 4 with salaries aggregating $14,400 

9 clerks of class 3 with salaries aggregating 14,400 

10 clerks of class 2 with salaries aggregating 14, 000 

17 clerks of class 1 with salaries aggregating 20, 400 

2 clerks, at $1,000 2, 000 

Total salary charge 65, 200 

The division is in charge of Mr. David Currier, clerk, class 4, who has a clerk 
of class 4 as an assistant. The number of clerks of each salary grade assigned! 
to the several classes of work was reported on April 2, 1912, to be a follows : 

In charge of division, class 4 1 

Distributing work, class 3 1 

Investigating and composing: 

Class 4 ^ 5 

Class 3 6 

Class 2 4 

Class 1 3; 

(Note. — Two of these clerks (classes 3 and 1) are also 
employed in part on stenographic work and a third (class 
3) as assistant in charge of copying section when their serv- 
ices as such are required.) 

Examining : 

Class 4 1 

Class 3 1 

Digesting and examining congressional documents, etc., class 3_ 1 



396 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

In charge of copying section, class 4 1 

Stenographic work and copying: 

Class 2 5 

Class 1 9 

Class $1,000 2 

Copying, class 1 4 

Comparing : 

Class 2 1 

Class 1 1 

Total 46 

Equipment. 

This division has a file of precedents covering the classes of communications 
handled by it. These statements of precedents are furnished by the chief clerk's 
office and are duplicates of those filed in that office. 

A small library of law^s, decisions, reports, orders, and other Federal publica- 
tions is maintained. The balance of the equipment used by this division con- 
sists of typevpriters, ordinary office furniture, and small articles of desk equip- 
ment. 

H. DESCRIPTION OF THE LOCATION, WORK, METHODS, ORGANIZATION, AND EX- 
PENSE OF THE ENLISTED MEN'S DIVISION OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'S 
OFFICE. 

I. Location. 

This division occupies rooms Nos. 41 and 43 in the basement of the State, 
War, and Navy Building. There are 10 employees in the division. 

II. Functions and Work. 

The work of this office is largely the preparation of correspondence concerning 
the status or station of enlisted men. Its functions therefore may properly be 
said to. consist of jurisdiction over and the preparation of correspondence relat- 
ing to the following subjects : 

A. Discharge of enlisted men. 

B. Change of status or station of enlisted men. 

C. Deserters, fraudulently enlisted men, men absent without leave, and 

men without funds to return to their stations. 

D. Retired enlisted men and requests to be placed on the retired list. 

E. Miscellaneous correspondence. 

A. The discharge of enlisted men before expiration of term of service may be 
on their own request, the request of a civilian, or the recommendation of an 
officer of a board of officers, and may be by purchase, on account of death of 
parent, in the interest of the United States or for the convenience of the Gov- 
ernment, for disability, without honor, or dishonorable. 

B. The changes in the status or stations of enlisted men result from : Re- 
quests of civilians or enlisted men for furlough or transfer of the latter, re- 
quests to attend service schools, recommendations of medical officers that en- 
listed men be sent to general hospitals, the examination of applicants for ap- 
pointment as post noncommissioned staff officers, the appointment and applica- 
tions for reenlistment and assignment to stations of such noncommissioned offi- 
cers, the appointment and assignment to stations of sergeants first class and ser- 
geants of the Hospital Corps, the assignment to stations of Artillery noncommis- 
sioned staff officers, details on extra or special duty, attendance as witnesses or 
defendants in general court-martial or civil court trials, requests that enlisted 
men charged with criminal offenses be turned over to civil authorities, de- 



APPENDIX II. 397 

cisions as to status of eulisted men with respect to pay, enlistmeut period, ex- 
piration of service, etc. 

C. The correspondence regarding deserters, fraudulently enlisted men, men 
absent without leave, or without funds to return to their stations, consists in 
action on : Reports of the apprehension or surrender of deserters, requests for 
clemency or discharge of deserters or fraudulently enlisted men, ordering guards 
sent for apprehended deserters, and the disposition of men reporting as absent 
without leave or without funds to return to their stations. 

D. The work pertaining to retired enlisted men mainly consists in action on 
requests : To be placed on the retired list, to go beyond the limits of the United 
States, for duty at colleges, for addresses of retired enlisted men, and. for 
monthly report cards. It is also necessary to take action on the failure of a re- 
tired enlisted man to report his address monthly. 

E. Correspondence pertaining to matters not included by the foregoing classi- 
fication consists in action on : The disposition to be made of insane enlisted 
men, complaints from creditors of enlisted men, recommendations for award of 
certificate of merit, requests for admission to the Soldiers' Home, requests 
for the gratuitous issue of clothing and for reimbursement for clothing lost 
or destroyed, proceedings of boards as to character or service of enlisted men, 
when not approved by the convening authority, allotments of pay, or stoppages 
against enlisted men, cases of fraudulent enlistment by former deserters, dis- 
lionorably discharged soldiers or men otherwise undesirable, detail of enlisted 
men to duty with the Organized Militia, and requests for permission to take 
civil-service examination. 

The balance of the work done in this division consists mainly in maintaii\- 
ing card files of all retired enlisted men and of retired enlisted men who are 
deceased, and readdressing mail for retired enlisted men. 

III. Methods. 

COERESPONDEN OE. 

The correspondence is prepared in the same general way as the corre- 
spondence throughout The Adjutant General's Office. The correspondence 
clerks type their own letters. 

The records in regard to enlisted men and the muster rolls, filed in the 
Rolls Division, serve as the basis for a large part of the correspondence 
emanating from the Enlisted Men's Division. This information is secured 
by written requests placed on the record cards for reports in regard to par- 
ticular enlisted men. The information furnished by the Rolls Division aids 
in determining the action necessary to be taken in the case, which action is 
drafted into a communication on the record card, and then copied in the form 
of an indorsement or letter for dispatch. Eighty letters a day, of all kinds, 
are prepared, on the average, in this division, and of these, about 15 are cases 
which must previously be sent to the Rolls Division for a report, and about 60 
are cases in which the Rolls Division information is found on prior record 
cards accompanying the case. 

The record of retired enlisted men is kept on individual cards. This record 
shows for each month of each year the addresses of the men as reported on 
the monthly i-eport cards. It is required that they report their address to 
The Adjutant General each mouth, and penalty cards are provided for the 
purpose. 

The cards, as received, are sorted alphabetically and posted to the individual 
records each month. Changes of address are noted, and a check mark placed 
in the proper space to show that a report has been received. Oh failure to 



398 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

receive a report for two or tliree months from a man, a letter is sent to him 
directing that he report his address as required by Army Regulations. 

On failure to receive a prompt reply to this letter a letter is sent to the man 
through the Paymaster General, directing him to report his address at once. 
In case of failure to receive prompt reply to this letter the Paymaster General 
is directed to withhold the man's pay. A notation of these letters is made on 
the card to serve as evidence that the proper steps have been talien regarding 
the delinquency. 

IV. Organization and Salary Roll. 

This division has 10 employees of the following salary grades : 

1 chief of divi.sions $2,000 

1 clerk of class 4 1,800 

1 clerk of class 3 1, 600 

'3 clerks of class 2, with salaries aggregating 4, 200 

4 clerks of class 1, with salaries aggregating 4, 800 

10 Total 14,400 

The following is a list of persons employed in the division, and shows the 
nature of their work and their salaries : 

List of clerks employed in the Enlisted Men's Division of The Adjutant Oen- 
eraVs Office, the nature of their duties, and their salaries. 



Name. 


Nature of work upon which engaged. 


Salary. 


J 






$2,000 


T 


H. Wilson 


Assistant chief of division; examines all cases before they are 
sent to an officer for signature; dictates correspondence in 
special cases. 

Drafts and engrosses correspondence in following cases: Con- 
gressional, certificate of merit, and miscellaneous. 

Drafts and engrosses correspondence in following cases: Con- 
gressional, insane enlisted men, and miscellaneous. 

Drafts and engrosses correspondence in miscellaneous cases, 
and verifies service of appUeants for retirement. 

Receives and distributes all mail sent to the division; calls for 
necessary record of service; keeps record of discharges and 
number of eases disposed of; property in the division, and 
sends mail by messenger to officer for signature. 

Has charge of all matters and drafts correspondence relating to 
retired enlisted men, and applications of enlisted men to be 
placed on the retired list. 

Drafts special orders and drafts and engrosses miscellaneous 
correspondence. Stenographer. 

Drafts and engrosses miscellaneous correspondence. Stenog- 
rapher. 
. .do 


1,800 


W 


. M. Smith 


1,600 


F, 




1,400 


F 


D. Tillman 


1,400 


T 




1,400 


T 


L. McGee 


1,200 


B 


H. Milliken 


1,200 


<^, 


E.Wolfe 


1,200 


h 




1,200 











DESCRIPTIVE REPORT OF THE LOCATION, WORK, METHODS, ORGANIZATION, 
AND EXPENSE OF THE RECRUITING DIVISION OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'S 
OFFICE, WAR DEPARTMENT. 

I. Location. 



This division and the files in its custody occupy room No. 89 in the basement 
of the State, War and Navy Building. There are 11 clerks in the room, in- 
cluding the chief of the division. 



APPENDIX II. ' 399 

II. Functions and Work. 

The principal functions and worlv of the Recruiting Division relate to : 

1. Establishing and discontinuing main recruiting stations ; authorizing 

the opening and closing of stations auxiliary to the main stations; 
giving necessary instructions to recruiting officers for the conduct of 
the recruiting service in their respective districts, and authorizing 
their travel between main and auxiliai-y stations; providing enlisted 
men for duty as members of recruiting parties and relieving men as 
occasion may require. 

2. The custody, examination and tabulation (after correction, if neces- 

sary) of the following trimonthly reports — 
(a) Of the number of applicants for enlistment at general j-ecruiting 

stations. 
(&) Of the number of enlistments at each garrisoned post or station, 

including recruit depots and depot posts, 
(c) Of the number of recruits at each of the five recruit depots and 

five depot posts. 

3. Providing for the collection of recruits at recruit depots, and the 

maintenance of permanent parties of recruit companies thereat for 
the care and instruction of the recruits. 

4. The tabulation of the enlisted vacancies in organizations as indicated 

by the monthly retiirns, and the distribution of recruits to organiza- 
tions from the recruit depots and depot posts. 

5. Passing upon applications for enlistment or reenlistment of per- 

sons who desire to be assigned to organizations of their choice, 
and passing upon cases of applicants with defects that can not bo 
waived without special authority from the War Department. 

6. Advertising for recruits in newspapers, by posters, and other means. 

functions. 

1. The establishment or discontinuance of either main or auxiliary stations 
and the conduct of them is based on the need for recruits in maintaining the 
authorized strength of the Army. The Adjutant General is in direct charge of 
recruiting for the Army, thus placing on him the work involved in the main- 
tenance and conduct of the recruiting service and the personnel thereof. 

2. The custody, examination, and tabulation (after correction, if necessary) 
of the following trimonthly reports : 

(a) Of the number of applicants for enlistment at general recruiting 
stations. This report shows, for the period included by the report, 
the number of applicants accepted and rejected for each arm of the 
service. It also shows the disposition of the accepted applicants, 
and of those rejected a specification of the causes for rejection. 

(&) Of the number of enlistments at each garrisoned post or station, 
including recruit depots and depot posts. This report, in respect 
to enlistments, is similar to the preceding report in respect to appli- 
cants for enlistment, and also contains a statement showing the 
number of recruits forwarded to organizations or posts during the 
period included by the report. This report is accompanied by the 
enlistment contracts of all men enlisted or reenlisted for the period 
covered by the report. 

<c) Of the number of recruits at each of the five recruit depots and five 
depot posts at midnight on the last day of the period included in 
the report. This report shows, by arms of the service, all gains 
and losses, with the sources and causes therefor. A statement 



400 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

showing by uvimber the recruits forwarded to organizations is also 
part of tliis report. In addition to this report telegrams are sent to 
The Adjutant General's OflBce every five days from the depots, 
giving the number of recruits in each arm of the service subject 
to assignment, the number available, and the total number at the 
depot ; and every 10 days from the depot posts, showing the number 
of recruits in each arm available for assignment. 
Note. — The trimonthly reports are forwarded to The Adjutant General's 
Office on the 10th, 20th, and last days of each month. 

A monthly circular is issued by The Adjutant General showing the recruiting 
for the Army during that period. The circular shows, for each general recruit- 
ing station, the number of applicants for each arm of the service that were 
accepted, the number rejected, and the total number; also the number of 
accepted applicants rejected at recruit depots. It also shows the number of 
enlistments made at recruit depots and depot posts and other posts and in the 
field. Tabulations are made showing the number of native and foreign-born 
recruits and the number of reenlistments for each month. At the end of the 
fiscal year a consolidated tabulation is prepared for the Annual Report of The 
Adjutant General. 

3. The collection of recruits at recruiting depots consists in sending within six 
days after application for enlistment is made, all accepted applicants at the 
various recruiting stations to the designated recruiting depot for final examina- 
tion and enlistment, and at the five recruit depots for preliminary instruction 
including the manual of arms. It is necessary to maintain at the five recruit 
depots skeleton recruit companies, consisting principally of noncommissioned 
officers, for the care and instruction of the recruits who are attached to such 
companies. 

4. The tabulation of the enlisted vacancies in organizations is based on a 
reiwrt made by the Returns Division, showing the strength of the organizations 
of the Army as indicated by the monthly returns. The distribution of recruits 
consists in designating to what organizations the available recruits shall be 
assigned and issuing the necessary orders. 

5. It is not within the jurisdiction of a recruiting officer to accept an appli- 
cant for enlistment or reenlistment who stipulates assignment to a particular 
organization. But, so far as practicable, such applicants are accepted by The 
Adjutant General. By order of the Secretary of War, The Adjutant General 
has been directed to assign recruits enlisted at recruit depot posts to garrisons 
thereat, so far as practicable. Also that recruits enlisted ai recruit depots, 
specifically for service at garrisons thereat, be assigned thereto and that re- 
cruits holding warrant as noncommissioned officers in their last enlistment, who 
enlist for a specific organization, be assigned thereto, if the travel involved be 
not greater than 1,000 miles. Neither is it within the jurisdiction of recruiting 
officers to accept recruits not meeting, in all ways, the requirements prescribed 
by the War Department. All such cases are handled in the Recruiting Division. 

6. Under Army Regulations advertising may be employed by recruiting officers 
to facilitate recruiting, where and when deemed advisable and on authority of 
the Secretary of War. 

It is the function of the Recruiting Division to supply such forms, and prepare 
such instructions and material as may be necessary for the development of this 
means of recruiting. 

III. Methods. 

]. Main general recruiting stations are established in large cities, having 
generally not less than 40,000 population, and in such localities as seem most 
frtfitful of results. Auxiliary stations are established and maintained for the 



APPENDIX II. 401 

purpose of tlioiouglily canvassing tlie territory around the main station. The 
main stations are established or discontinued onlj'^ on the order of The Adjutant 
General, but auxiliary stations are under the jurisdiction of the officer in charge 
of the main station, and are opened or discontinued by him on authorization of 
The Adjutant General. 

There are about 63 officers and about 674 enlisted men on recruiting service, 
making a total of 737 men. 

There are 59 main stations for recruiting and 85 central auxiliary stations 
and 112 other auxiliary stations and 34 park parties. 

A record is kept of the opening and closing of these stations, and of the officers 
and the number of enlisted men thereat. 

The correspondence and preparation of orders relating to the conduct of 
these stations, including instructions to the recruiting officers, is done by this 
division, in tlie same manner and under the prescribed rules governing such 
matters in The Adjutant General's Office. 

This division also passes upon applications for leave of absence to officers 
or furloughs to enlisted men in the recruiting service. In each case of fur- 
lough the papers are sent to the Rolls Division for a report. A request for 
such report is drafted on the record card, and the record and correspondence is 
transmited by the five minute messenger service to the Rolls Division, which 
division, after searching the records, places upon the record card the appro- 
priate information necessary to a correct preparation of a decision or reply in 
the case. Then the papers are returned by the messenger service to the Re- 
cruiting Division. The officer in charge of the division makes his recommen- 
dation on each application for leave or furlough, and the commissioned officers' 
cases are then sent to the A. C. P. Division and the enlisted men's cases to the 
E. M. Division for final action. 

2. Th custody of files consists only in retaining the trimouthly reports for 
about three years, when they are subject to destruction. No permanent records 
are kept in this division. 

The examination of trimonthly reports consists in comparing the figures con- 
tained in the reports of enlistments with the enlistment contracts accompanying 
each report. 

Five tabulations are prepared from trimonthly reports : 

(a) Of applicants accepted at general recruiting stations classification 
is made for each trimonthly period and for the month. This form 
is filled out in ink and in longhand direct from reports. 
(&) Of enlistments at each garrisoned post classification is made for 
each trimonthly period and for the month. This form is filled 
out in ink and in longhand direct from the reports. 

(c) Of the number of enlistments and reenlistments by race and nativity 

for each month. This is shown by arms of the service and 
whether at garrisoned posts or recruiting stations. It is made 
out from cards, which are filled out in rough from the contracts 
of enlistments and show the number of enlistments and reenlist- 
ments and the total. Notation is made on the card of the date 
the contracts were transmitted to the Rolls Division. 

(d) Of the cause for rejection, only two are noted, viz, the number of 

aliens and illiterates and the total of all rejections. 

(e) Of the number of recruits at depots, shown by arms of the service 

and whether white or colored. Also the number subject to assign- 
ment and the number available at each depot and the total num- 
ber of all recruits at each depot. 

72784°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 26 



402 KEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

3. Applicants, after having made application for enlistment at one of tlie main 
oi- auxiliary stations, are retained not exceeding six days, during which time 
testimonials as to character are verified and health conditions observed. Recruit- 
ing officers have authority to send accepted applicants to the designated depot 
or depot posts. When the applicants are sent to the recruit depots and enlisted 
they receive instructions in the manual of arms and the regulations of the Army. 

Men whose efficiency records at posts show them to be duly qualified for; 
recruiting duties may be detailed for that service. They may be assigned to 
duty at either the main or auxiliary stations, or at the recruit depots, as their 
qualifications best fit them. Noncommissioned officers or privates may, upon 
request, be returned to regimental duties. If the need of the service demands, 
men may be relieved from recruiting duty by authorization. 

4. The tabulation of enlisted vacancies in organizations as indicated by the 
monthly returns. The Returns Division prepares, in longhand, on a form a list 
of the organizations, the stations of each, and their strength, both authorized 
and actual. The authorized strength within the limit fixed by law is announced 
from time to time by direction of the President and so shown; the actual 
strength is taken from the monthly returns. The Recruiting Division shows 
the number of vacancies in each organization by deducting the actual strength 
from the authorized. The actual strength of an organization is never allowed 
to exceed the maximum allowed by law. 

On this statement of enlisted vacancies and on the statement of available 
recruits at recruit depots is based the distribution of recruits to organizations. 
Wnder instructions of the Secretary of War, each organization of the Army is 
ordinarily filled to a designated strength once every six months, approximately 
one-sixth of the Army receiving its necessaiy quota of recruits each month. 

From the number of transfers, expirations of enlistments, discharges, and 
desertions, it has been found that the average monthlj;- loss is 34 per cent, or 
20 per cent for six months. 

The recruits are selected for each organization from a designated recruit depot 
and are sent so as to arrive not earlier than the first day of the month, arrival 
on the last day being avoided, so far as practicable. A memorandum showing 
the organizations to be supplied with recruits, together with a statement of the 
number of recruits by arms of service at each recruit depot, is submitted to the 
©fficer in charge of the Recruiting Division, who directs what assignment shall 
be made. 

On the monthly list of organizations showing the existing vacancies, notation 
is made of how each organization is filled, and the date. Also the date when 
it is to be again filled. Orders directing organizations to be transferred to 
other stations are noted in red ink in the column where the organizations are 
listed. 

5. The conduct of correspondence relating to action on applications for enlist- 
ment stipulating assignment to particular organizations or the waiving of 
defects occupies a large portion of the time of one correspondence clerk, with 
the assistance of two stenographers. In the examination of applicants for 
enlistment the rules prescribed by the War Department set up standards and 
requirements to the end that recruiting officers may have a general knowledge 
of the disqualifying defects which will enable them to detect variations from 
the prescribed standards and readily eliminate from further examination those 
ohviously unfitted to be in the ranks of the United States Army. 

These rules have enabled recruiting officers to reject upon preliminary exam- 
ination over 75 per cent of the applicants for enlistment, and thus relieve the 



APPENDIX II. 403 

medical officers at depots and the departmeut of the additional work which 
would attend the examination of such persons. 

The steps taken in connection with the recruiting of a person for the Army 
are as follows : 

The recruiting officer himself examinines the applicant and accepts or rejects- 
him on his own authority. In a considerable number of cases, however, the 
question of acceptance or rejection of the applicant is a close one, in which 
event the recruiting officer submits the matter to the department for decision. 
Many of the cases thus submitted to the department are those wherein a slight 
departure from the prescribed standards of requirements is shown. 

All accepted applicants are then sent to one of the five recruit depots or to a 
depot post. They are examined by a surgeon stationed there and enlisted or 
rejected after such examination. If enlisted, they are then held, boarded, and 
clothed free of cost to them until The Adjutant General assigns them, by tele- 
graphic or written order, to particular military organizations. 

A form is employed by some recruiting officers to bring to the attention of 
the department the case of an applicant for enlistment about whom there is 
some doubt as to his acceptance. In many cases, however, the request on the 
department for decision is made by telegraph, and in those cases the decision 
of the department is usually communicated by telegraph. 

The reason given for telegraphing most of the instructions in regard to the 
disposition of applicants for enlistment is that such procedure is economical 
because it is the practice in furtherance of the law to feed and lodge such appli- 
cants while they are awaiting acceptance. The contract charge for feeding and 
housing each person avertiges about 75 cents per day. 

6. Advertising for recruits ; It is provided by Army Regulations that adver- 
tising in newspapers may be employed only after request has been made and 
approved by the Secretary of War. The work of recruiting men for the Armj' 
is greatly facilitated by advertising, which is conducted in the following man- 
ner : Whenever advertising for men seems advisable to a recruiting officer, 
he submits a printed form of request. The War Department has on file the 
sworn statements of all prominent newspapers showing rates of advertising 
to private concerns and individuals, also the amount of discount offered the 
department. Should the request contain the name of a newspaper not listed 
the sworn statement is called for by the War Department. 

After authority is granted the officer forwards a request to the publisher to 
advertise according to terms specified in the contract. 

Following the publishment of the advertisement the officer fills out and for- 
wards to the War Department a voucher for payment of bill to publisher. 

This voucher is made in duplicate form, providing a memorandum to be re- 
tained by the paying officer. 

The other methods employed by this service include the printing and dis- 
playing of attractive posters of different sizes, ranging from a handbill 111 by 
8| inches to posters of several feet in dimension, which are displayed in post 
offices and other public buildings, also on billboards in public places. Supple- 
mental to this method is the display of the recruiting flag at the station and 
the method of canvassing in public parks and squares. A pi-inted circular is 
issued for distribution to applicants for enlistment setting forth the qualifica- 
tions for entrance to the Army. 

Recruiting officers report monthly on a printed form the number of applica- 
tions for enlistment resulting from each method of advertising used at his 
station and auxiliary station. 



404 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 



IV. Organization and Salary Roll. 

This divisiou lias 11 employees of the followmg salary grades: 

1 chief of division $2,000 

2 clerks of class 4 with salaries aggregating 3,600 

1 clerk of class 3 1,600 

1 clerk of class 2 1,400 

6 clerks of class 1 with salaries aggregating 7,200 

Total 15, 800 

The following is a list of persons employed in the division and shows the 
nature of their work and their salaries : 

List of clerics employed 'in the Recruiting Division of The Adjutant GeneraVs 
Office, the nature of their duties, and their salaries. 



Name. 


Nature of work upon which engaged. 


Salary. 


r 


W 

A. 

W 

A. 
F. 

bu 

.B 

sep 
D. 

me 
H 






$2,000 
1,800 

1,800 


a 


Brandt 


Passing upon and preparing for decision applications for enlist- 
ment or reenlistment from persons desiring special assign- 
ments, and cases of applicants who have defects that can not 
be waived without special authority from the War Depart- 
ment; drafting miscellaneous correspondence. 

Tabulating, from trimonthly reports, statistics regarding accept- 
ances, enlistments, and rejections, for use in monthly and 
quarterly statements and in the annual reports of The Adjutant 
General; drafting correspondence regarding same, and regard- 
ing the detail and relief of recruiting officers. 

Ditto; also tabulating monthly reports of elopements from re- 
cruiting depots of applicants sent there for enlistment, and 
tabulating monthly reports of results of the various methods 
of advertising for recruits. 

Drafting correspondence regarding the collection and instruction 
of recruits at recruit depots and the maintenance of permanent 
parties of recruit companies thereat; also drafting instructions 
for assignment of recruits to organizations from recruit depots 
and depot posts; keeping record of such assignments. 

Drafting correspondence regarding the opening and closing of 
recruiting stations and regarding the supplying of enlisted men 
for duty at such stations, and relieving them from such duty. 


o 


. Nagle , 


r 


Best 


1,200 


A 


Bayard ' 


1,600 


S" 


■y Thompson 


1 400 


w 


. Spengler 


1,200 
1,200 
1,200 


To 


h Dant 


do 


T 


Hughes 


Tabulating enlisted vacancies in organizations as sho\vn by 
monthly returns, and noting in connection therewith assign- 
ments of recruits to specific organizations. Drafting corres- 
pondence regarding vacancies, and also regarding advertising 
for recruits. Typewriting. 

Stenography, drafting correspondence, and keeping record of 
recruiting stations, with dates of opening and closing same. 


Tfl 




1,200 


Pr 


Helmers 


1,200 






Total 




15,800 









APPENDIX II. 405 

J. DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK, METHODS, ORGANIZATION, AND EXPENSE OF 
THE ROLLS DIVISION OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE. 

I. Location. 

This division and the flies iu its custody occupy eight rooms in tlie basement 
of the State, War, and Navy Building. These rooms are Nos. 53, 5.5, 58, 59, 60, 
61, 62, and 64. The number of employees in each room is as follows : No. 53, 3 ; 
No. 55, 2; No. 58, 14; No. 59, 0; No. 60, 7; No. 61, 4; No. 62, 9; No. 64, 13; 
total, 52. 

II. Functions and Work. 

The work of this division consists of — 

A. The custody of files of current Army reports and returns. 

B. The keeping of registers of enlisted men. and insane soldiers, and 

certain minor records. 

C. Answering inquiries from governmental sources requesting statements 

of military .service of enlisted men. 
T). Conduct of miscellaneous correspondence with the staff departments 

and the Army at large. 
E. Preparation of answers to various inquiries from miscellaneous sources 

on subjects relating to enlisted men. 

A. CURRENT ARMY REPORTS AND RETURNS. 

These reiwrts and returns consist of — 

Number received 
annually. 

1. Muster rolls 12,000 

2. Enlistment papers • 35,000 

3. Descriptive and assignment cards 35,000 

4. Returns of general prisoners 1, 000 

5. Beneficiary designations 35, 000 

6. Miscellaneous reports 2, 700 

(a) Certificate of disability for discharge 800 

(b) Final statement of deceased soldiers 400 

(c) Record of death and disposal of remains 400 

((?) Inventory of effects of deceased soldiers 400 

(c) Personal reports of noncommissioned officers 

on duty with the Organized Militia of the 
States 700 

1. The muster rolls, which are submitted to The Adjutant General's Office 
bimonthly by every organization of the Army of the United States, contain a 
record of all commissioned officers and enlisted men in each organization. The 
roll shows, in respect of noncommissioned officers and other enlisted men, 
when, where, and by whom they were enlisted, and for what period, together 
with information as to their pay, allowances, and .sums due the United States. 
The roll also contains a record of events of the organization reporting. These 
muster rolls constitute the record to which reference will hereafter be made 
in the investigation or settlement of claims or questions afi'ecting officers and 
men whose names are borne on the roll and their heirs for the period covered 
by it. The rolls are prepared on forms of a size 9i by 12 inches and for filing 
are folded to a size approximately 4 by 9i inches and filed in document files, a 
brief showing the name of the organization and tlie period covered by the 
muster roll being made on tlie back of the roll. 



406 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The rolls cover tlie period from 1792 to date, but are fragmentary up to 
March, 1815. 

2. The enlistment papers consist of a printed form of contract which is made 
out in the case of each soldier enlisted or reenlisted in the Army. The contract 
contains a declaration that the applicant is unmarried, of legal age to enlist, 
physically qualified to perform the duties of a soldier, and of good habits and 
character. The contract is sworn to before the recruiting ofiicer at the city 
or military post where the enlistment is made. It is then signed by the recruit- 
ing officer and the examining officer and transmitted directly to The Adjutant 
General of the Army with the recruiting officer's trimonthly report. The enlist- 
ment paper of a noncommissioned officer serving at an ungarrisoned post is, 
however, forwarded through department headquarters. 

3. A descriptive and assignment card is prepared in the case of every accepted 
applicant for enlistment or reealistment in the Army. Its preparation is begun 
when the applicant is accepted and is continued by the proper officers at the 
various depots or posts to which the man is sent. At its completion the post 
commander furnishes a copy of the card to the commanding officer of the 
organization to which the soldier is assigned and forwards the original directly 
to The Adjutant General of the Army. In cases of applicants who are not 
enlisted the incompleted cards are retained at the depot. About 35,000 of the 
cards are received in the Rolls Division each year. 

4. The return of general prisoners is made monthly at each place of confine- 
ment and shows the general prisoners received, discharged, transferred, 
escaped, or died, and mitigations of sentences, with all necessary dates and 
authorities for each month. About 1,000 of these returns are received and filed 
per annum. 

5. The beneficiary designation is a form prepared in the case of every officer 
and enlisted man. All officers upon appointment and all recruits upon enlist- 
ment at the time of their appointment or enlistment make a designation of the 
person to whom shall be paid the six months' pay authorized by act of Congress 
approved May 11, 1908, as amended by the act of March 3, 1909, in the event of 
his death from wounds or diseases not the result of his own misconduct. 

6. Miscellaneous reports: (a) The certificates of disability for discharge are 
made out in duplicate by the soldier's troop, battery, or company commander 
or other officer commanding a separate detachment to which he belongs and 
are sent to the surgeon who has charge of the hospital where the soldier is 
sick. Tlie surgeon fills out his portion of the blanks, signs the surgeon's cer- 
tificate, and forwards the papers to the post commander. These certificates, 
after having received the action of the highest authority to which they are 
required to be sent, are returned through the same channels to the post com- 
mander, who, if the discharge is authorized by the indorsement of the proper 
authority, signs the soldier's discharge certificate and last indorsement on the 
paper; he sees that the soldier is furnished with proper final statements in 
duplicate and forwards both certificates directly to the office of The Adjutant 
General of the Army, where one copy is filed, the other being transmitted to the 
Commissioner of Pensions. About 800 of these certificates are leceived and 
filed per annum. 

(B) Final statements of deceased soldiers. In the case of a deceased soldier 
duplicate " final statements " are prepared and forwarded to The Adjutant 
General. These statements show the cause of death and the balance due the 
soldier or the United States. The statement is certified by the commanding 
officer. 

(c) In every case of the death of a person in the Army a report of death and 
disposal of remains is made to The Adjutant General, and those relating to 



APPENDIX II. 



407 



enlisted men are filed in the Rolls Division. About 400 reports are i-eceived 
each year. 

(d) Inventory of effects of deceased soldiers. In the case of the death of 
any soldier his immediate commander secures his effects and prepares an 
inventory, as required by the Articles of War, and notifies the nearest relative 
of the fact of death. Duplicates of the inventory, with final statement, are 
forwarded to The Adjutant General, and a third copy is retained by the officer. 

(e) A personal report of noncommissioned officers is made on a form pro- 
vided therefor by each noncommissioned officer detailed for duty with the 
Organized Militia and forwarded through department headquarters to The 
Adjutant General on the last day of each bimonthly muster period. 

B. EEGISTERS OF ENLISTED MEN, ETC. 



1. A register of enlistments of men in the Army is kept in book records, 
divided according to sections of the alphabet, there being at the present time 
eight books for the Regular Army to cover the alphabet from A to Z ; and one 
alphabetical register each for the Porto Rico Regiment of Infantry, the Philip- 
pine Scouts, and Indian Scouts. 

The register contains columns for the following information: 



Service number. 
Names. 
Enlisted : 

When. 

Where. 

By whom. 

Period. 
Where born : 

Town or county. 

State. 



Age. 

Occupation. 
Description : 
Eyes. 
Hair. 

Complexion. 
Height — 
Feet. 
Inches. 



Regiment. 

Company. 

Number of enlistment. 

Last service : 

Company. 

Regiment. 

Date of discbarge. 
Remarks. 



The entries in the register are made alphabetically, although not in strict 
alphabetical order, the most recent entries under a particular letter being 
made in the chronological order of their receipt. 

(A. G. O. comment : The entries in the register are arranged by months 
under the initial letters of the men's surnames.) 

About 35,000 entries are made in this register annually. Each volume will 
contain about 14,000 names. 

2. A register of stations of post noncommissioned staff officers : This record 
has been discontinued. 

(A. G. O. comment: The work of keeping of a record of this class was dis- 
continued years ago.) 

3. A register of soldiers admitted to the Government Hospital for the 
Insane: This is an alphabetical register and contains in one volume all the 
names of soldiers admitted to the Go-\ernment Plospital for the Insane since 
the year 1856. 

4. A register of appointments of post noncommissioned staff officers: There 
are four of these registers, showing: (a) Ordnance sergeants, (&) post 
quartermaster sergeants, (c) post commissary sergeants, (d) hospital stewards. 
These registers have been discontinued. 

(A. G. O. comment: The work of keeping registers of these classes was dis- 
continued years ago.) 

5. Register of Indian scouts. 



408 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

C. REQUESTS FOR STATEMENTS OF MILITARY SERVICE OF ENLISTED MEN. 

About 13,000 requests per annum are received for this information. The 
inquiries are mainly from the Auditor tfor the War Department, Commissioner 
of Pensions, General Land Office, and other offices of the Government. Gener- 
ally speaking, these requests are made for the purpose of ascertaining the 
rights of individuals who formerly served in the Army to back pay, the pay- 
ment of a pension, or claim of some other nature. In most cases the requests 
are made on printed forms, vi^hich contain a blank space for setting forth the 
i-eply. 

D. MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE STAFF DEPARTMENTS AND THE ARMY 

AT LARGE. 

This correspondence, which is received to the extent of appi'oximately 56,000 
communications per annum, consists principally of inquiries of every nature 
relative to enlisted men, the answering of which necessitates an examination 
of the reports and records in the custody of this division. About three-fourths 
of these inquiries are received in this division directly from the Mail and 
Record Division, and they are exclusively treated by this division. The replies 
are prepared in the form of a written draft, which is transmitted to the 
Correspondence and Examining Division for typewriting only. The remaining 
one-fourth are memorandum inquiries from other divisions of The Adjutant 
General's Office, and are treated by the Rolls Division only by way of assisting 
the other divisions in which the correspondence is finally prepared to the 
extent of consulting the records of the Rolls Division and transmitting by 
means of a memorandum written on the record card the information necessary 
to enable the other divisions to prepare their replies in the particular cases. 

E. PREPARATION OF ANSWERS TO VARIOUS INQUIRIES FROM MISCELLANEOUS SOURCES 

ON SUBJECTS RELATING TO ENLISTED MEN. 

In this class, as in the class of correspondence referred to in the preceding 
paragraph, the functions of the Rolls Division extend to aiding other divisions 
which finally issue the reply by furnishing it with the information obtained 
from the records and reports in the Rolls Division or drafting the reply. 

III. Methods of Conducting Work. 

For the purpose of describing the methods of conducting the work of this 
division, such work may be said to fall into four classes: (a) the general 
administration of the division,' (6) the checking of Army reports and returns, 
(c) the keeping of the registers and records, and (d) the conduct of 
correspondence. 

(a) administration. 

In connection with the supervision of personal services, each employee is 
required to prepare a daily time and work report on a standard form used 
throughout The Adjutant General's Office. Each employee in the Rolls Divi- 
sion reports on this form the total time actually employed and the time 
employed and the quantity of work on the following activities : 

1. Letters drafted. 

2. Indorsements drafted. 

3. Telegrams drafted. 



APPENDIX 11. 409 

4. Telegrams typed. 

5. Statements of service prepared. 

6. Searches made. 

7. Papers filed. 

S. Papers withdrawn from files. 

9. Reports made (in correspondence record cards). 

These reports are submitted to the head of the division. 

A report of absentees is reudere<l by the chief of the division to the chief 
clerk of The Adjutant General's Otfice. Whenever an employee is late he must 
submit a written explanation of the cause of tardiness. A form is provided 
for this purpose. 

A memorandum of cases on hand at specified hours is kept by the chief of 
the division or someone designated by him. This memorandum shows the 
number of cases on hand in each room throughout the division at each hour 
from 9 a. m. to 2 p. ni.. and each half hour from 2.30 p. m. to 4.30 p. m. This 
memorandum is used by the head of the division to determine the quantity of 
work of each subdivision and to show the points or division where men are 
needed, or where men can be spared. 

A division daily report of work performed is submitted to The Adjutant Gen- 
eral's Ofiice by the chief of the division. This report is a summary of the 
employees' daily time and work report, and shows the number of letters drafted 
and cases disposed of under the same headings as used on the employees' report. 
A division report also contains a summary of the laimber of cases on hand, 
received and disposed of for the day, and the number of clerks present for 
duty and the number of absentees. 

A division report of cases on hand at close of work is submitted by the chief 
for all cases which "have been one or more days in the office.'' This report 
shows the serial number of each case, the date of its receipt in the office, desk 
number and status. The report is submitted to the " tally clerk " in the Mail 
and Eecord Division. 

(h) CHECKING OF ARMY KEPORTS .\ND RETX^HiSrS. 

This is the major parf of the work of this division, and engages the activities 
of 24 persons. It consists mainly in examining the rejiorts and returns to see 
that they are made out according to instructions, and drafting necessary let- 
ters, and in taking off therefrom of information whicli is needed in the register 
of enlistments. 

In the following paragraphs are set forth the methods of work in relation 
to each particular class of reports received in this division. 

(1) Muster rolls. — The envelopes containing the muster rolls are opened in 
the Mail and Record Division, and the rolls themselves are received in the 
Rolls Division directly from the former division. The distributing clerk checks 
the receipt of the muster roll against the card record of military organizations, 
and then files the roll. The clerk in charge of the force engaged in making 
the examination of the muster rolls consults the card index from time to time 
and selects certain rolls therefrom for examination by his force. A slip memo- 
randum is made for each muster roll to be examined. These memoranda are 
distributed among the examining clerks, who extract from the files the muster 
rolls described thereon, as well as the muster rolls for the preceding bimonthly 
muster jioriod. 

Sixteen clerks are engaged in making the examination of muster rolls. The 
submitted muster roll and the entries thereon are compared with the muster 
roll submitted for the previous period in order to ascertain what changes have 



410 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

occurred, and also to note errors and omissions. Any errors or omissions are 
made the subject of correspondence, the clerk preparing on a slip 3J by 8 inches 
a draft of a letter setting forth the nature of the error or omission, and the 
action necessary to correct the same, which slip is transmitted to the Mail and 
Record Division to be recorded, and thence to the Correspondence and Ex- 
amining Division for preparation of the fair copy. The examining clerk notes: 

(1) That all men who were on the preceding roll are accounted for; (2) he 
then takes off the gains since the last bimonthly muster on a memorandum 
slip; (3) he then takes off the losses; (4) he then examines the recapitulation 
and sees that the roll is properly signed and certified to; (5) he then notes 
whether the roll is made up in accordance with the printed ins ructions. 

In all cases where an examination of the muster rolls discloses that an 
enlisted man has been dishonorably discharged, discharged without honor, has 
died, or deserted, a notice of that fact is made upon a card, which card is then 
transmitted to the clerks engaged in keeping up the register of enlistments in 
order that such changes as may have been made may be recorded on the reg- 
ister. The card is then transmitted to the identity section of the Tenth Street 
branch, where it is finally filed, after the information thereon has been employed 
to relieve the record of data which by reason of such changes no longer need 
to be kept in that section. 

When the muster roll shows an enlistment or a transfer from one organiza- 
tion to another, a memorandum to that effect is made on a slip and sent to the 
section where the record of enlistments is kept, in order that appropriate entry 
may be made in that record. The slip is then destroyed. 

(A. G. O. comment: This slip is used only temporarily, and no regular form is 
provided, an ordinary memorandum slip being used.) 

When the muster roll shows a desertion or dishonorable discharge, a list of 
such losses is made upon a form and transmitted to The Auditor for the War 
Department. 

The greater part of the work of the force engaged in the examination of 
muster rolls consists in transcribing therefrom the changes which have occurred 
since the submission of the preceding roll, each change being recorded upon a 
slip and arranged by the clerk in alphabetical order according to the individual 
affected. These slips are collected at different times of the day and thrown in 
alphabetical order and then delivered to the four clerks who work on the 
register of enlistments. The alphabetical arrangement of the slips enables the 
work to be 'distributed among all the clerks, so that if necessary eight men 
could work simultaneously upon the registers without interfering with each 
other. For example, the clerk working on register A to C would receive all 
the slips referring to individuals whose surnames begin with the initials A, B, 
and C. 

When the clerk completes the examination of the roll, he inserts in the memo- 
randum of examination of muster rolls, heretofore referred to, his name and 
the date of examination, making an entry for the examination of the roll of 
each particular company of the regiment. He then files both rolls. 

The muster rolls are filed by companies or other minor organizations in docu- 
ment files. The ax'rangement in each file is chronological. As the boxes become 
filled, their contents are transferred to permanent files. 

(2) Enlistment papers. — These papers are given the same critical examina- 
tion as the muster rolls, and any correspondence which is necessary to correct 
errors or omissions is prepared by the men engaged in examining these papers 
and in practically the same way as in the case of the muster rolls. 

An examination of the communications prepared in this division in relation 
to errors and omissions in connection with the enlistment papers and assignment 



APPENDIX II. 411 

cards shows that at least 90 per cent of the errors fall into about 15 classes^ 
among which may be stated the following : 

1. Omission of the street and house number, 

2. Declaration not signed. 

3. Corrections made by officers on the enlistment contiacts but not certi- 

fied to by them. 

4. Difference in name as shown by signature and as entered by officer. 

5. Record of acceptance not filled in. 

6. Consent of minors not filled in or signed. 

7. Conflict of dates. 

8. Conjugal condition not stated. 

This particular work engages the activities of nine men, who are also engaged' 
in record on the registers of enlistments and in filing enlistment papers. 

(3) Descriptive and assignment cards. — The descriptive and assignment cards 
are examined as to their completeness, pertinent information therefrom is 
recorded in the register of enlistments, and they are then filed in jackets in 
alphabetical order. The examination includes a scrutiny of the signature and 
the assignment to a company. 

(4) The returns of general prisoners. — The returns of general prisoners are 
received, examined as to completeness, correspondence necessary to correct 
errors or omissions is conducted. They are filed according to the two military 
penitentiaries in the United States, situated at Fort Leavenworth, Kans., and 
Alcatraz Island, Cal., and according to the military forts and posts where en- 
listed men may be confined for a short term. The monthly returns are filed, 
folded in file boxes by place and date. These returns begin with those of July 
1, 1895. The examination of the returns is part of the duties of one clerk. 

(5) Personal reports of noncommissioned officers. — Personal reports of non- 
commissioned officers on duty with the Organized Militia of States are filed in 
jackets in file boxes and are arranged alphabetically by the names of the non-' 
commissioned officers. 

(6) Beneficiary designations. — The beneficiary designations are examined to^ 
see that they are properly filled in and signed. If there is any defect in these 
designations a draft of a letter is written pointing out the correct action nec- 
essary to be taken, and this draft Is sent to the Mail and Record Division tc 
be recorded, and thence to the C. and E. Division for final typewriting. The 
beneficiary designations, when correct, are transmitted to room 51 of the Mail 
and Record Division, whence they are transmitted to the office of the Paymaster- 
General. 

(7) Other miscellaneous reports. — The miscellaneous reports relative to en- 
listed men of the Army, namely, the certificates of disability for discharge, 
final statements and inventories of effects of deceased soldiers, and reports of 
death and disposal of remains, are critically examined and certain transcripts 
are made therefrom in the register of enlistments by the force of this division. 
The examination is made for the purpose of securing material accuracy, com- 
pleteness, and conformity to regulations. Errors, if committed, are corrected 
and omissions are supplied by means of correspondence. 

The enlistment papers, descriptive and assignment cards, certificates of dis- 
ability, final statements, inventories of effects, reports of death and disposal of 
remains, and notation cards are filed in a jacket. Prior to July 1, 1894, they 
were filed each class separately by years and arranged aphabetically in each 
year. Beginning with July 1, 1894, these classes of papers are grouped in 
three periods, namely, July 1, 1894, to December 31, 1899, January 1, 1900, to 
December 31, 1907, and January 1, 1908, to date. All papers for a period re- 



412 EEPOETS OF COMMISSIOISr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

lating to one man are filed in a jacket, tliese jackets being arranged alpha- 
betically for tbe period. Since July 1, 1894, the jackets have been filed alpha- 
betically, regardless of organization. Correspondence in relation to any of the 
inclosures in regard to a particular individual, however, is filed in the Mail and 
Hecord Division. 

(C) KEEPING OF REGISTERS AND RECOEDS. 

The Registers of Enlistments contain a record of each man eulisted in the 
Army, showing his name, the date and place of his enlistment, by whom and the 
period for which enlisted, his i>ersonal description, the organization to which 
assigned, and, if a former soldier, the organization in which he served pre- 
viously, and the date and manner of termination of service. 

The entries in these registers are arranged chronologically by months, and 
are made under the initial letter of the man's surname. Eight volumes are 
used to accommodate the entire alphabet for the Regular Army, and with an 
Army of approximately the present strength of the military establishment a 
set of these books is filled in from three to four years. The " registers " begin 
with the enlistments made at the time of the reorganization of the Army in 
1821 and are continuous up to the present time. In addition to these, one 
alphabetical register each is kept for the Porto Rico Regiment of Infantry, the 
Philippine Scouts, and Indian Scouts. 

The enlistment registers enable the office by inspection of the relevant page 
column to ascertain promptly the cases in which the terminations of service 
of enlisted men are not shown by the records, and consequently to take steps 
to obtain information with regard to such terminations of service. Cases in 
which the records do not show termination of service of enlisted men are not 
infrequent. A systematic examination of the enlistment registers is made 
periodically with a view to discover these cases in which, although the period 
for which enlistment has expired, no termination of service is shown by the 
records. When any such case is found the responsible officer is called upon 
to report the facts in the case, and in this way a final record is obtained within 
a reasonable length of time after that separation from service and before the 
facts in the case have been lost or forgotten. 

The enlistment registers enable the office to identify soldiers, or former soldiers 
in many cases, in which the actual or approximate date of enlistment is known 
but in which the organization is not known and the name, as given by the 
inquirer, varies from the service name. This occurs quite frequently, especially 
In cases of telegraphic inquiries from police authorities or other civil officials 
as to whether a man who enlisted about a certain date is wanted as a deserter. 
In many of these cases the inquiry is made by telegraph and names are fre- 
<juently so changed in transmission by telegraph that the man whose record 
is desired can only be identified by means of an examination of the record, in 
the enlistment register, of enlistments made on or about the date indicated in 
the request. 

The enlistment registers are the only source available for the compilation of 
■certain statistical and other data called for by the Secretary of War, the 
Chief of Staff", and other officials of the War Department. For example, in- 
formation concerning (a) the number of men in service at a given date whose 
terms of service will expire within a certain period, or ( ft ) the number of men 
■enlisted during a certain period who had prior military service, or (c) the 
manner of termination of service of deserters restored to a duty status during 
a certain period, and (d) much other information of a similar character can be 
•obtained only from these registers. 



APPENDIX II. 413 

The keeping up of tlae registers of enlistments engages the attention of four 
clerks exclusively. The metliod of making entries in the register is as follows : 

Such Information as may be necessary to enter on this register from the 
muster rolls is placed upon the slip card heretofore described, and from that 
card the information is recorded on the register. In case of descriptive and 
assignment cards the cards themselves are transmitted to the clerks handling 
the register and the appropriate information from those cards is transcribed 
into the book. The miscellaneous information which is placed upon the register 
imder the heading " Remarks " is entered by various clerks of the office from 
information contained in miscellaneous reports, the handling of which comes 
particularly within the scope of their duties. 

The other register kept in this division described in section " B3 " is im- 
portant and its keeping involves very little work. 

(il) THE CONDUCT OF CORRESPONDENCE. 

The incoming correspondence falls into two main classes, first, the current 
Army reports and returns, and, second, letters or niemoranda of inquiry neces- 
sitating compiling information from the records of the division. The first class 
of correspondence, except beneficiary designations, is filed in this division, the 
second, together with press copies of the replies, is filed in the Mail and Record 
Division. 

As previously stated, about 120,700 current Army reports and returns are 
received in this division per annum. The letters and memoranda received in 
this division amount to approximately 90,000 per amium, divided as follows: 

Letters requesting statements of militai-y service of enlisted 
men 13, 000 

Letters from the staff department and the Army at large 54, 000 

Memorandum requests from bureaus of the department 2, 000 

Letters from miscellaneous sources 21,000 

About 47,000 of the above communications are treated jointly with other 
divisions to which statements are furnished from the Armj^ reports and returns 
on file in this division. This class of correspondence, treated .jointly, may be 
particularly decribed as follows: 

(a) Correspondence from the Army at large relative to en- 
listed men, requests for enlistments, for transfers, 
for furlough, for discharge, for appointment as ser- 
geant of the post noncommissioned staff, for appoint- 
ments as commissioned officers, for details on militia 
duty, data for issue of deserters' circulars, data for 
issue of campaign badges, etc., etc. (no data returned 
from which the number of each class given can be 
estimated) 40, 000 

(I)) Miscellaneous correspondence of civilians consisting 
of requests for certificates in lieu of lost discharges, 
for deserters' release, for clemency in behalf of gen- 
eral prisoners, certificates of death for insurance 
purposes, congressional or other inquiries calling for 
both military and medical history or where service 
was in Volunteer or Regular Army or both, as an 
officer or enlisted man, etc., etc 7,000 



414 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The activities of the Rolls Division in respect of the preparation of corre- 
spondence are confined to the drafting of letters and indorsements on the sub- 
jects vs^hich fall within its jurisdiction, which drafts are typed in the Corre- 
spondence and Examining Division. Its other function is to furnish upon 
■call by other divisions of The Adjutant General's OflBce the data and informa- 
tion from its own records which will enable the other divisions to complete 
the replies which are being prepared in those divisions. This is done by hand- 
written memorandum on the record cards. Only about 1 per cent of the out- 
going correspondence is typed in this division. 

(A. G. O. comment : The division also prepares or partly prepares the answers 
to the requests from the bureaus of the Treasury and Interior Departments for 
statement of service. These answers are handwritten indorsements.) 

The following table shows the general classes of outgoing communications in 
connection with which this division enters, either wholly or in part : 

Communications relative to completion of Armj- reports 

and returns 13,400 

Statements of military service of former enlisted men 15, 000 

Communications relative to status or whereabouts of en- 
listed men 14,000 

Telegrams relative to deserters 600 

Answers to inquiries from other bureaus of the War De- 
partment 2, 000 

Of the above 45,000 communications prepared annually in this division 600 
•are typewritten telegrams and 27,400 are handwritten drafts of letters and 
indorsements, the latter being sent to the Correspondence and Examining 
Division to be engrossed, amounting to 60 per cent of the total. All statements 
to bureaus of the Treasury and Interior Departments, responses to the un- 
recorded requests of all the other bureaus of the War Department, and state- 
ments pertaining to deserters and dishonorably discharged soldiers furnished 
the Auditor for the War Department are handwritten and amount to 17,000 
per annum, or 40 per cent of the total. Of the 45,000 above referred to, pre- 
pared in this division, all statements to the bureaus of the Interior and the 
Treasury Departments, or 40 per cent of the Army correspondence and 80 
per cent of the miscellaneous correspondence, or 26,400 in number, are in the 
form of indorsements. 

(A. G. O. comment : Of the 45,000 above referred to, prepared in this division, 
77 per cent are in the form of indorsements, 33 per cent being statements to 
the bureaus of the Interior and Treasury Departments, wholly or partly pre- 
pared in this division, and 44 per cent being drafts prepared in this division 
In the other classes of cases.) 

COMMUNICATIONS KELATIVE TO COMPLETION OF ARMY EEPOETS AND EETUENS. 

About 13,400 communications per annum are prepared in this division, looking 
io the correction of mistakes or omissions in Army reports and returns. The 
Army reports and returns are opened in the Mail and Record Division, but are 
not numbered or recorded, being transmitted directly from the Mail and Record 
Division to the Rolls Division for treatment. The method of preparing the out- 
going communications in respect to this class is as follows : 

A hand-written draft is made on the slip form of record card and this draft is 
transmitted to the Mail and Record Division to be recorded, and thence to the 
^Correspondence and Examining Division for engrossing. The work of the Cor- 



APPENDIX II. 415 

respondence and Examining Division and Mail and Record Division in respect 
of this class of correspondence is described in other sections of this report. The 
work of the Rolls Division is limited to the preparation of the hand-written 
drafts. 

(A. G. O. comment: Not all drafts are hand-written in this division ; some are 
typewritten.) 

The main part of the remainder of the correspondence, namely, such relating 
to statements of military service of enlisted men, relative to the status or where- 
abouts of enlisted men, relative to deserters, and in answer to inquiries from 
other bureaus of the War Department, is received from the Auditor for the War 
Department, Commissioner of Pensions, and the General Land Office, and other 
sources. It is opened in the Mail and Record Division, and after numbering and 
recording is delivered to the distributing clerk of the Rolls Division, whose duty 
it is to assign the inquiries to the various clerks. ; 

All these communications are accompanied by record cards when received in 
the Rolls Division. The requests from the Commissioner of Pensions, the Audi-r 
lor for the War Department, General Land Office, and Civil War associations 
are accompanied by green record cards when the requests involve no complica- 
tions. Requests from any of the sources mentioned which may involve some 
complications in the reply, together with requests from all other sources, includ- 
ing those from Congress, the comptroller, Civil Service Commission, associations 
and societies, are accompanied with the white cards, which are used for record- 
ing all communications belonging to the "regular" file as contrasted with the 
^' statement of service " file. All communications of this class, i. e., requests 
for miscellaneous record information, are considered as belonging to the regular 
correspondence, as distinguished from the statement of service file, and are 
recorded on white record cards. 

The treatment accorded communications by the Rolls Division is as follows: 

The communications are distributed by the chief of the division or his as- 
sistant to the clerks having assigned to them particular phases of the work, who 
examine the records and draft on the record card the reply to the commiini- 
catiou, or list the information which is necessary to be contained in the reply, 
or prepare in longhand, usually on the incoming form, the reply. About four 
clerks are exclusively engaged in preparing the replies in these cases, and they 
are assisted by clerks whose regular duties embrace the examination of muster 
rolls and other reports and returns and who incidentally aid in the prepara- 
tion of correspondence. 

The information which is placed upon these forms constitutes the return com- 
munication itself, so that the Rolls Division exclusively prepares the reply. In 
some cases the inquiry will involve a search of the medical records, in which 
event it is the usual practice for the Rolls Division to place their section of the 
data in connection with the reply on the form, and for the Medical Division to 
add the information transcribed from their records on the same form so that the 
two sections taken together constitute the reply to the inquiry, and the only in- 
dorsement made on the record card is to the effect that statement has been fur- 
nished. In such cases where there may be a discrepancy in records in either 
division, the information which is finally incorporated in the reply is placed on 
the record card, from which it is transcribed by the Rolls Division, and in some 
few cases the Medical Division prepares the reply in form for dispatch. The 
record card and incoming communication in cases in which this division has 
drafted a reply are transmitted to the Correspondence and Examining Division, 
which engrosses the fair copy. 



416 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY, 
IV. Eelation to Other Divisions. 



As before stated, this division prepares exclusively no correspondence other 
than, the first draft of outgoing correspondence vi^hich is reviewed and engrossed 
by the Correspondence and Examining Division. 

(A. G. O. comment : This division prepares, in whole or in part, the reply in 
"statement of service" cases.) 

The actual checking and comparing of the current Army reports and returns 
and drafting of relevant correspondence lies exclusively within this division, 
but the correspondence in relation thereto is engrossed by the C. and E. Di- 
vision. 

The correspondence from the Army at large relative to enlistments in the 
Regular Army, changes of status, and other correspondence relating to enlisted 
men in active service, the applications for campaign badges, certificates in lieu 
of lost discharges, deserters' releases, and applications for clemency for general 
prisoners, together with various miscellaneous correspondence relative to former 
enlistfed men, all of which classes amount to about 47,000 incoming communica- 
tions per year, are treated jointly with other divisions of The Adjutant Gen- 
eral's Office, and none of the correspondence prepared as the result of such co- 
operation or joint treatment is dispatched from this division. 

V. Organization and Salary Roll. 
This division has 52 employees of the following salary grades: 

1 chief of division at $2,000 

2 clerks of class 4 with salaries aggregating 3,600 

2 clerks of class 3 Vfith salaries aggregating 3, 200 

10 clerks of class 2 with salaries aggregating 14,000 

29 clerks of class 1 with salaries aggregating 34, S0<) 

8 clerks, at $1,000 8,000 



Total salary expense 65,600 

The following is a list of persons employed in the division, and shows the 
nature of the work upon which each is engaged and the salaries: 

List of clerks employed in the Rolls Division of The Adjutant GencraVs Office, 
shoiving the nature of the loorJc upon tohich engaged and the salary of each 
derk. 



Name. 


Nature of work upon which engaged. 


Salary. 


Fred H. Stafford 


Chief of division 


$2,000 


Tbomas Y. Yeates . 




1.800 


James G. Hudson 

Morton C. Patterson 


Investigation of diflicult cases and drafting correspondence rela- 
tive thereto. 

Drafting correspondence and reviewing searchers' reports from 
records, 
do 


1,800 
1,600 


Ph. B. R. M. Sattes. .. 


1,600 


Anton Brem 


do 


1.400 


Jno. J. Kiley 

Wm. H. Huckleberry 


Examiner of papers of deceased soldiers and certificates of disa- 
bility of discharged soldiers, also searching records and drafting 
correspondence. 

Searching and reporting from records and drafting correspond- 
ence and receiving and distributing cases. 

Examining general and special orders and noting exiracts there- 
from on the records. 


1,400 
1,200 


Wm. H. B. Ramsay 


1,200 



APPENDIX II. 



417 



List of clerks empJoyed in the Rolls Division of The Adjutant General' s Office, 

etc. — Continued. 



Name. 



Nature of work upon which engaged. 



Salary. 



Robt. M. Ball. 



John Stadler. 



Wm. P. Robb 

Chas. Kline 

Geo. H. Foster 

Herman Rayermann 

Carl Von Wedel 

Edward L. Cogan. . . 
Stephen H. Curran. . 

Frank A. Huston 

G. Carroll Dimond. . 

Jos. C. Faris 

Charles E. Currier 

PaulWuttke 

Thos. P. Cook 



Examiner and recorder of enlistment papers of Porto Rico Regi- 
ment and Philippine Scouts; examiner of muster rolls, descrip- 
tive and assignment cards, and beneficiary designations of those 
organizations; and returns of general prisoner. Also drafting 
correspondence. 

Searching and reporting from records and drafting correspond- 
ence. 

do 

...do 



.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
-do. 
-do. 
-do. 
-do. 
.do. 
.do., 
-do.. 



Searching and reporting from records and drafting correspond- 
ence; also stenography. 

Lester G. Chase do 

Theo. B. Stothart do 

Geo. W. Riggles In charge of the work of room 62, examiner of enlistment papers, 

descriptive and assignment cards, and beneficiary designa- 
tions; also drafting correspondence relative thereto. 

Frank J. Bell Examiner of enlistment papers, descriptive and assignment cards 

and beneficiary designations; also drafting correspondence rela- 
tive thereto. 

Jno. B. Blackburn do 

Alfred B. Horner Recording in the registers of enlistments the enlistment con- 
tracts, noting assignments and transfers therein; jacketing and 
fiUng the enlistment contracts and descriptive and assignment 
cards. 

Alfred H. Elliott do 

Walter Lansche do 

Gottheb Nasahl do 

Harry A. Johnson Recording in the registers of enlistments the memoranda pre- 
pared by the roll examiners of discharges, deaths, retirements, 
and desertions. ■ 

Wm. J. Armstrong do 

Louis Lindner In charge of work in room 61 ; examiner of muster rolls; also 

drafting correspondence. 

Paul T. Cheek Examiner of muster rolls and drafting correspondence relative 

thereto; also searching records and preparing answers to 
requests for individual military liistories. 

Frank H. Smith do 

Irving Winslow Examiner of muster rolls and drafting correspondence relative 

thereto. 

August Nicholson In charge of the work in room 64; receives and checks the receipt 

of muster rolls and personal reports of noncommissioned oflBcers 
detailed with Organized Militia; also drafting correspondence. 

72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 27 



$1,200 



1,200 

1,200 
1,200 
1,000 
1,400 
1,400 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 

1,200 
1,200 
1,400 



1,200 



1,200 
1,200 



1,400 
1,200 
1,000 
1,200 



1,400 
1,200 

1,200 



1,200 
1,000 

1,400 



418 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

List of clerics employed in the Rolls Division of The Adjutant General's Office, 

etc. — Continued. 



Name. 


Nature of work upon which engaged. 


Salary. 


Harvel M. Shannon 


Examiner of muster rolls and drafting correspondence relative 
thereto; also searching records and preparing answers to re- 
quests for individual military histories. 

do 


$1,400 


Alfred Bates 


1,200 


Walter Prichard 


.... do 


1,200 


Elmer C. Sauer 


... do 


1,000 


Kobt. N. Bayles 


Examiner of muster rolls and drafting correspondence relative 

thereto. 
....do 


1,400 


Seth T. Bowen 


1,200 


John W. Robbins 


.. . do 


1,200 


John B. Gross 


... do 


1,200 


■George Wright 


.do 


1,000 


Chas. L. Thomas 


.. do 


1,000 


Rufus S. Tucker .... 


do 


1,000 


Mrs, Kate H, Greene 


Copying and repairing mutilated rolls 


1,000 









K. DESCRIPTIVE REPORT OF APPOINTMENT, COMMISSION, AND PERSONNEL 
DIVISION OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, WAR DEPARTMENT. 

I. Location. 



This division is situated on tlie tliird floor in the northwest wing of the State, 
War, and Navy Building and occupies room 346 and about one-third of 348. 
There are nine clerlis in room 346 and four in room 348, the chief of the divi- 
sion being in room 346. 

II. Functions and Work. 

In general, the vs^ork of this division pertains to all matters relating to the 
commissioned personnel of the Regular and Volunteer Armies of the United 
States. 

Specifically it consists of — 

(a) Conducting correspondence and action or the preparation of orders 
relating to nominations, appointments, commissions, assignments 
to duty, personal movements, promotions, resignations, and retire- 
ments of commissioned ofiicers, the military education at civil 
institutions, and the several service and garrison schools of the 
Army, changes in the personnel of officers at the Military Academy, 
service schools, foreign capitals, recruiting service, the examina- 
tions, appointments, and retirements of paymasters' clerks. 
ih) Conducting correspondence with, and preparation of orders for, the 
appointment of boards of officers for the examination of applicants 
for appointment as officer or cadet or detail in the Ordnance De- 
partment and candidates for promotion or retirement. 
<c) Conducting correspondence relating to the attendance of militia offi- 
cers at service schools; the preparation of reports on bills pending 
in Congress relating to the business of The Adjutant General's 
Office; the preparation of orders publishing general court-martial 
* trials of officers and cadets that require the action of the Presi- 
dent ; claims for mileage and commutation of quarters ; officers 
delinquent in rendering reports, answering communications, or 
meeting certain private obligations. 



APPENDIX II. 419 

■Specifically it consists of — 

(d) The custody of files relative to applicants for appointments as offi- 

cers of tlie Army ; individual tenders of service in case of v^ar ; 
officers examined for promotion and w^hen ; the lineal and relative 
rank of officers. 

(e) The publication of annual Army Register of the commissioned per- 

sonnel and organizations of the Army. 

(f) Posting of copy of lineal and relative rank lists and preparing list of 

all changes among commissioned officers for monthly Army List . 
and Directory; and 

(g) Preparation of appointments and commissions. 

III. Methods. 

Nine of the clerks handling correspondence are provided with typewriters, 
■on which are prepared drafts and letters, but in the collection of data on record 
cards it is the custom sometimes to write the requests for information with 
pen and ink. 

A majority of the requests for information in collecting data necessary to com- 
plete cases are sent to the Returns Division and pertain to the records of officers 
and organizations. The forms of request are usually as follows : " Returns 
Division : for memo. Kohr per E. J. D. 4 : 10." Other requests used are " For 
status, for record of leaves, for statement of service." In cases that involve 
the amount of detached service of an officer it is necessary that the statement 
of the Returns Division be made on a separate slip that can accompany the 
papers when submitted to the Chief of Staff. This is to avoid having record 
■cards leave the office, it being a rule of The Adjutant General's Office never to 
take a record card from the office, even during the consideration of a case by 
some other office of the War Department. Special forms are used, both for 
attaching to record cards and for writing letters, that pertain to the acknowl- 
edgment of papers, the transmission of orders when it is desired to give addi- 
tional instructions or information, and the formal notification of officers of ac- 
tion by the War Department. 

Forms have also been prepared for a card file showing verbatim copies of 
t^ommissions. 

The preparation of orders regarding or affecting officers or organizations of 
the Army of whatever nature is based on instructions i*eceived from the 
Secretary of War through the Chief of Staff. 

Each case on which orders are based is prepared on a record card, and usually 
■constitutes the statement of the Returns Division, regarding the officer's status 
and orders, and the instructions of The Adjutant General regarding the wishes 
■of the Secretary of War as communicated by the Chief of Staff. These orders 
must conform with the latest decisions of the comptroller, regarding commu- 
tation of quarters, authorized travel, etc., thus protecting not only the officer 
but also the War Department. Drafts are prepared and sent to The Adjutant 
<jreneral, who O. K.'s the action for initialing, and are then sent to the Returns 
Division for the necessary data on which the Orders Division distributes neces- 
sary copies. When the printed copy of the order is received in the Mail and 
Record Division, notations of the paragraph, number, and data are inserted on the 
record card, thus giving a complete record of the case. The preparation of orders 
•concerning general court-martial trials of officers and cadets which require the 
action of the President is in compliance with Army Regulations, which stipiilate 



420 REPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

that general orders shall be issued in such cases for the information of the 
entire Army. 

The records showing the lineal rank and relative rank of the officers of the 
Army are kept in a bound book and show the lineal and relative file numbers, 
name of officer, date of rank, and the corps or arm of each officer. The posi- 
tions of officers on the lineal list and on the relative list are changed by promo- 
tions, retirements, resignations, reductions of files or dismissals resulting from 
sentences of general court-martial trials, dropping for desertion, honorable 
discharges, or deaths. But only those officers' positions or file numbers are 
changed who hold positions in the same rank below those changed as stated 
above. 

The i-ecords showing the lineal rank in organizations are kept on individual 
cards, arranged numerically by rank and organizations. This me.thod has, since 
our first visit of observation, been substituted for a record in a bound book 
similar to the record of lineal rank and relative rank. 

The publication of the annual Army Register is made by order of the Secre- 
tary of War, in compliance with law. on the first of each December. It contains 
Individual records of the rank held by each officer of the Army, either on the 
active or retired list, during his service, either as an officer or enlisted man of 
Volunteers or of the permanent establishment; the date and place of birth and 
the place from which appointed; the dates of detail in staff corps, or depart- 
ments, and dates of transfers between organizations of officers are included in 
this record. These individual records of officers are arranged by the organiza- 
tions to which the officers belong and by rank as of December 1. Supplemental 
lists and tables, showing the lineal rank of officers of the line, the relative rank 
of all officers on the active list, casualties occurring during the year, the pay 
of the Army, the organization of the Army, and memorandum of retirements 
by operation of law for the following calendar year complete the Register. It 
is printed as a War Department document and contains approximately 630 
pages, printed on both sides, measuring 5i by 9^ inches. 

POSTING COPY OF LINEAL AND RELATIVE BANK LISTS FOE MONTHLY ARMY LIST AND 

DIRECTORY. 

The copy is prepared in the Returns Division and sent to the Register section 
of the A. C. P. Division for posting. Proof for this part of the directory is read 
in this section. The list, showing the personnel of organizations, the date of 
rank, and lineal order is prepared in the Returns Division and checked in this 
section of the A. C. P. Division. 

A card record, showing all pending applications for appointments from civil 
life, as well as of applicants who have been examined, with results of examina- 
tion, is kept. The arrangement is alphabetical. 

A list of the individual tenders of service in case of war is kept, alphabeti- 
cally, on a card record. 

The names of officers examined for promotion, and when, are kept on cards 
which show the name, rank, organization, authority for and date and place of 
examination, marks, and findings of the board. The date promoted, suspended 
from promotion for one year, discharged, or retired is also shown. 

The appointments and commissions of officers are prepared by pen engrossers, 
and nominations to the Senate by typewriters, in the Register section of this 
division for the signatures of the proper officials. 



APPENDIX II. 



421 



IV. Obganization and Expense. 

Names of clerks in the Appointment, Commission, and Personal Division of 
The Adjutant General's Office, loith their salaries and the nature of their 
duties. 



Name. 



Nature of duties upon whieli engaged. 



H.A.Kolir 

H. S. BrinkerhofE. 



K. M. Lowe. 



Miss' J. G. Kelton. 



R. Lawton 

L. G. Baumgardner 
E. J. Becker 



In charge of division 

Conducting correspondence and preparation of orders relating to 
the Philippine Scouts; the Porto Rico Regiment of Infantry; 
to applications for appointments or details as officers of those 
organizations and to examiaations for appointment and pro- 
motion of such officers; to applications and examinations for 
appointment in future Volunteer forces and to examinations 
and appointments as paymaster's clerks; preparation of reports 
on bills pending in Congress relating to the business of this 
division and also to other divisions of the office; conducting 
correspondence relating to the annual physical examination 
and tests of field officers of the Army; preparation of orders 
publishing general court-martial trials of officers and cadets 
requiring action of the President. Has special duties of m.is- 
cellaneous character assigned to him from time to time by 
The Adjutant General. Conducts correspondence relating to 
attendance of militia officers at Army Service Schools. 

In charge of Army Register section. Supervises the preparation 
of nominations for appointment and promotion of Army 
officers; the preparation and issue of commissions; the keeping 
of the record of such nominations and commissions and all 
records necessary to the issue of the annual Army Register; 
the preparation of copy for that publication and the necessary 
proof reading; the arrangement of lists of officers according to 
rank and precedence for guidance of the office and for publica- 
tion in the monthly Army List and Directory; furnishes data 
for action on questions of assignments to and transfers to and 
from organizations, staff departments, etc. 

Assistant to Mr. Lowe and performing duties of same character 

Engrossing and recording in Army Register section 

Correspondence and preparation of orders pertaining to general 
and staff officers, their assignment to duty and personal move- 
ments; details and changes in officers of the Military Academy; 
mUitary education at civil institutions of learning and changes 
in officers serving thereat; changes in military attaches at for- 
eign capitals; details and changes in officers on the recruiting 
service; appointment of boards to examine applicants for 
appointment to the Medical Corps and Medical Reserve 
Corps and as cadets at the Military Academy, and correspond- 
ence with the former; correspondence and appointment of 
boards pertaining to examinations for details in the Ordnance 
Department; miscellaneous. 

Correspondence and action on all applications for appointment to 
the Army as commissioned officers, other than medical officers; 
preparation of orders appointing boards for the examination 
of candidates, and correspondence with the boards; examina- 
tion of reports of examination and action on such reports up to 
the time candidates are appointed or nominated for appoint- 
ment; keeping track of individual tenders of service in case of 
war. 



82,000 
2,000 



1,400 
1,000 
1,800 



1,600 



422 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION" ON ECONOMY AND EFnCIENCY. 

Names of clerks in the Appointment, Commission, and Personal Division of 
The Adjutant General's Office, etc. — Continued. 



Name. 



Nature of duties upon which engaged. 



Salary. 



L. Frierson. 



Mrs. G. I. Pahner. 



Miss A. O. Joyce. 



F. D. Peterson 

H. Roberts 

W. F. Baxter. 



Correspondence and action on subjects pertaining to the several 
service schools (War College, Staff College, Coast Artillery 
School, Engineer School, Mounted Service School, Medical 
School, Signal School, School of the Line, School for Bakers 
and Cooks, Field Engineer School, Field Service and Corre- 
spondence School for Medical Officers, School of Fire for Field 
Artillery, garrison schools at the several military posts) , details 
at foreign schools; preparation of orders making changes in 
instructors and students; examination and appointment of 
veterinarians and correspondence concerning them; action on 
claims for mileage and commutation of quarters in usual cases; 
correspondence with officers delinquent in rendering reports 
or answering official communications; miscellaneous. 

Correspondence and preparation of orders pertaining to line 
officers — their assignment to organizations on appointment and 
promotion, their transfers and personal movements generally; 
preparation of orders convening retiring boards, and correspond- 
ence with such boards; action on all cases of retirement from 
active service; action on complaints against officers for failure 
to pay private debts or meet other personal obhgations; mis- 
cellaneous. 

Correspondence, preparation of orders, and action generally in all 
matters pertaining to the examination of officers for promotion; 
preparation of records of service and medical histories sent to 
promotion boards; keeping track of the lists of the several arms 
and grades to see that officers are examined at the proper time; 
action on applications for leaves of absence; action necessary 
to secure depositions of witnesses in court-martial cases; 
miscellaneous. 

Stenography and typewriting 

Stenography and typewriting 

Stenography, typewriting, recording, and assisting with Army 
Register work; examination of reports of annual physical 
examination of officers below the rank of major. 



si,6oa 



1,400 



1,200 



1,200 
1,200 
1,000 



L. DESCRIPTION OF THE LOCATION, WORK, METHODS, ORGANIZATION, AND EX- 
PENSE OF THE MILITARY ACADEMY DIVISION OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'S 
OFFICE, 

I. Location. 



This division occupies one room. No. 355, on the third floor, north wing of 
the State, War, and Navy Building. The room is of ample size for the num- 
ber of persons in the division and the volume of business transacted therein. 
At present, although there are four persons assigned to this division, there 
are but two regular desks and one typewriter desk in the division, no accom- 
modation having yet been made for the recent addition of another stenographer 
and typewriter. 



APPENDIX II. 423 

II. Functions and Work. 

The work of this division consists of: 

A. Correspondence pertaining to tlie United States Militarj^ Academy. This 
correspondence may be classified under the following headings: 

1. Financial matters, contracts, etc. 

2. Educational matters. 

3. Appointment of cadets. 

4. Examination and admission of cadets to the academy. 

B. Appointment of cadets to the academy. The work incident to this func- 
tion may be divided into the following parts : 

1. The maintenance of records showing the representation of the States 

and congressional districts in the Military Academy. 

2. Notification of Congressmen of vacancies. 

3. Issuance of cadet appointments, discharges, etc. 

4. Compilation of lists of persons nominated for cadetships, to be used 

by examining boards and the Superintendent of the Military 
Academy. 

A. CORRESPONDENCE. 

The correspondence of this division is subjectively divided into several classes, 
first, 

1. Financial matters, contracts, etc. — All correspondence received by The 
Adjutant General in regard to appropriations, requisitions of disbursing officers, 
contracts, proposals for imp;;ovements, repair, etc., of the Military Academy, is 
referred to this division. If the information can be furnished by this division 
it is disposed of here ; if other action is necessary, it is submitted for instruc- 
tion or sent to the proper office for attention. All records of such letters, briefs, 
etc.. are kept by the Mail and Record Division of The Adjutant General's Office. 

2. Educational matters. — ^AIl correspondence relative to the courses of study 
pursued by the cadets, recommendations by the Academic Board at the academy 
regarding changes of text books, studies, etc., comes to this division. Replies 
are drafted for these letters where the information is available and in cases 
where personal consideration is necessary on the part of The Adjutant General, 
or other officials, the matter is submitted to them. 

3. Appointment of cadets. — All correspondence relative to the appointment of 
cadets is answered in this division. AJl information relative to such matters is 
available from the records kept by this division. 

4. Examination and admission of cadets to the academy. ^A\\ correspondence 
relating to the requirements of candidates for admission to the academy, such 
as the physical and mental examinations which they are required to pass, is 
answered by this division. General information relative to the appointment 
and admission of cadets to the Military Academy is issued in pamphlet form by 
the War Department. These pamphlets are supplied to this division and are 
generallj^ inclosed in letters replying to this class of inquiries. 

The volume of all correspondence carried on by this division is shown by the 
following figures, which are estimates submitted by the chief of division. 



424 REPOETS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Number of letters annually received and sent out. 



Belating to nominations and appointments of cadets 

Miscellaneous inquiries 

Relating to cadets Iq the service. : . . . 

Total 



Incoming. 



3,000 

1,400 

600 



5,000 



Outgoing. 



3,500 

1,400 

600 



5,600 



B. APPOINTMENT OF CADETS TO THE MILITARY ACADEMY. 

The maintenance of a record showing the representation of the States and 
congressional districts at the Military Academy, the notification of Congress- 
men of vacancies in the academy, the issuance of cadet appointments, dis- 
charges., etc., and the forwarding of lists of nominations to the boards of exam- 
iners and the superintendent of the academy are treated together under the 
heading "Appointment of cadets," because of the very close relationship exist- 
ing between these functions. 

1. Maintenance of records shoioing the representation of the States and con- 
gressional districts in the academy. — This division keeps a card record, ar- 
ranged by States'and congressional districts, of all cadets in the academy. This 
record is kept on a card 3i inches by 8 inches. It shows the State and district 
from which the cadet was appointed, his name, residence, date of his admission 
to the academy, date on which he is to be graduated, by whom nominated, the 
file number, a space for remarks, and a space cd record the nominations of 
candidates to fill the place of this cadet upon his finishing three years of his 
course or upon his discharge from the academy. The cards comprising this 
record are kept in a vertical file, which is known as the " live " register. After 
the cadet leaves the academy this card is transferred to a permanent or " dead " 
file, where it is filed in the same manner as in the " live " file. Another per- 
manent file is kept of cadet appointments, in which the cards are filed alpha- 
betically by the name of the appointee. This file is composed of cards of the 
same size as those used in the district register. 

Records relating to contracts are kept in this division on regular contract 
cards. In this division are the files of all matters concerning the Military 
Academy from 1812 to July 1. 1894, and from January 1, 1898, to January 1, 
1905. The records for the period from July 1, 1894, to January 1, 1898, and 
from January 1, 1905, to the present time are kept in the Mail and Record 
Division. 

The records in this division are filed chronologically and by serial number. 

2. Notification to Congressmen of vacancies. — One year before a cadet shall 
have completed three years of his course at the academy, the Congressman rep- 
resenting the district from which this cadet was appointed is invited to make 
nominations of candidates to fill his place in the academy. The Congressman 
can nominate one principal and two alternates. This notification is made by 
a form letter. Blanks on which to make nominations are furnished the Con- 
gressman. 

3. Issuance of cadet appointments, discharges, etc. — After the nominations 
of the Congressman have been received in the division, the cards for the alpha- 
betical record are made, a notation of the nominations is made on the live 
record card, corresponding to the nominee's district, and a notice of the con- 
templated appointment is mailed to the candidate. This notification is made by 



APPENDIX II. 425 

means of a form letter. When the candidate replies to this notification, either 
by acceptance or refusal, a notation is made on the live record card. The 
original papers are all kept by the Mail and Record DiAasion. 

After the examination papers are marked by the academic board a list of 
the caiididates is forwarded by the Superintendent of the Military Academy to 
this ofiice, and a warrant of appointment is issued to each successful candidate. 
A copy of this warrant is attached as Exhibit G. A card register of cadet war- 
rants is kept in this division. This register is composed of cards 3i inches 
by 8 inches in size, which are filed alphabetically. It is used for the replace- 
ment of lost warrants. When the cadet actually enters the academy the live 
register card is made, and it replaces the card of the last cadet appointed from 
the congressional district of this cadet. The old card is placed in the previ- 
ously mentioned dead file. 

4. Compilation of lists of persons nominated for cacletsMps. to be used by 
examining boards and the Superintendent of the Military Academy. — .Just pre- 
vious to the holding of an examination, this division makes up lists, by certain 
Army posts, of all nominees, who are to take the examination. A list is sent 
to the examining board at each Army post where an examination is to be 
held, showing the names of the candidates to be examined. A similar list of 
all candidates is made and sent to the Superintendent of the Military Academy. 

III. Methods of Conducting Work. 

There are practically no lines drawn in this division as to definite assign- 
ments of special classes of work performed. The chief of division, Mr. Wood, 
attends personally to each branch of the work, the three clerks in the division 
acting as assistants. Mr. Evans or Mr. Scott do all stenographic work; Miss 
Garesche is generally employed in copying or filling in blank forms on the type- 
writer. All correspondence coming into the division is read by the chief of 
division ; if it is necessary for a reply to be made it is dictated by him, or turned 
over to one of the stenographers for his attention. 

Mr. Evans, known as the assistant chief of division, generally makes the 
notations on the cadet-slip records and acts as chief of division in the absence 
of the chief. 

The stenographer and typewriter, Mr. Scott, has just come into the division 
since Mr. Evans has been off on leave and is at present performing his duties. 
On his return Mr. Scott will take the place of Miss Garesche while she goes on 
leave, but no provision has yet been made for him after her return. 

IV. Relation to Other Divisions. 

The work of this division seems to have been kept separate from the work of 
the other divisions since the establishment of the Military Academy ; the divi- 
sion that seems to be the most closely related to this division is that of the 
Mail and Record Division. 

V. Organization and Salary Roll. 

This division has four employees of the following salary grades : 

Chief of division at $2,000 

1 clerk of class 2, salary 1,400 

2 clerks of class 1, with salaries aggregating 2,400 

Total salary expense 5,800 



426 REPOETS OF COMMISSIOJSJ- ON" ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The following is a list of persons employed in tlie division, showing the 
salary and nature of the work" upon which each is engaged : 



Name. 


Nature of work upon which engaged. 


Salary. 


Henry C. Wood 


Chief of division; correspondence iacident to the supervision 
of the United States Military Academy and to the appointment, 
examination, and admission of cadets to that institution. 

Assistant to the chief of division in conducting correspondence 
and in keeping necessary cadetship records. 

Expert stenography and typewriting, and assistant in corre- 
spondence. 

TvDe eoDvins 


$2,000 

1,400 


William L. Evans 


George E. Scott 


1,200 
1,200 


Octavie Garesche 









M. BESCRIPTIVE REPORT OF RETURNS DIVISION, STATEMENT OF THE LOCA- 
TION, WORK, METHODS, ORGrANIZATION, EaXJIPMENT, AND EXPENSE OF 
THE RETURNS DIVISION OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, "WAR DE- 
PARTMENT. 

I. Location. 

This division occupies one main room and part of the corridor, on the second 
floor, and one file room on the fifth floor of the State, War and Navy Building. 
The main room and corridor, which latter is separated from the main corridor 
by a 10-foot wire screen, is in the east wing of the building. The main room, 
numbered 259, is occupied by the chief of the division and six clerks. The 
balance of the room not thus occupied is used for the filing of returns, the bound 
books containing the compiled records of these returns and bound volumes of 
orders, Army List and Directories, Army Registers, and other literature of a 
miscellaneous nature. That part of the corridor inclosed for the use of this 
division is numbered 259J and is occupied by six clerks, there also being files 
of personal reports of officers of the Army, files of returns, and two wardrobes. 
The room on the fifth floor is in the northwest wing of the building and is 
numbered 546. It is used as a file room for personal reports, such department 
and other returns, papers, and records to which reference is but rarely desired. 

II. Functions and Work. 

The work of this division consists of three main classes: 

1. The custody of files of original military records as follows : 

(«) File of original returns of organizations of the Regular Army. 
(&) File of original returns from military posts occupiecl by the Regular 
Army. 

(c) File of original personal reports submitted by officers of the Army. 

(d) File of registers of compiled service of Regular and Volunteer oflicers 

and organizations of the Army. 

(e) File of registers of commissions and appointments of officers of the 

Regular and Volunteer Armies of the United States. 
(/) File of original returns of casualties in organizations. 

2. Compiling the records of service of officers and organizations of the Regular 
Army of the United States in the following ways : 

(a) Stations and duties or service of officers and organizations. 
(&) Foreign service of officers on active duty. 

(c) Detached service of officers of the line on active duty. 

(d) Leave record of officers on active duty. 

( e ) Strength of the Army by organizations at end of each month, showing 

gain and loss. 



APPENDIX II. 427 

3. Furnisliing information from the records in the following waj^s : 
(a) Publishing the Army List and Directory each month. 
(6) Publishing a list of Army officers and their families, and families of 
deceased officers residing in or near the District of Columbia. 

(c) Publishing a station list of organizations each month. 

(d) Publishing a monthly list of officers who have exceeded the amount 

of leave to which they are entitled for the information of the Pay 
Department and the office of the Auditor for the War Department. 

(e) Answering inquiries from other divisions, the Chief of Staff, Con- 

gress, and miscellaneous sources. 

la. The file of original returns of the organizations of the Regular Army 
consists of the returns received once a month from each organization of the 
Regular Army. These returns are prepared on forms approximately 8i by 11 
inches, printed on both sides, at the headquarters of the organizations, for the 
purpose of showing in detail the exact strength in officers and men at midnight 
on the last day of each month, and to show the events, individual service of all 
officers, and changes in personnel occurring during the month. In addition to 
these regular monthly returns received from organizations, field returns are 
prepared and forwarded to the War Department by oganizations or detach- 
ments of same when away from their permanent stations for the purpose of 
showing the date of leaving station, the intended destination, and the strength 
of the command. 

16. The file of original returns from military posts occupied by the Regular 
Army consists of the returns received once a month from each garrisoned post 
thereof and, like the returns from organizations, are prepared on forms approxi- 
mately 9i by 11 inches, printed on both sides, for the purpose of showing, in 
detail, the exact strength in officers and men at midnight on the last day of 
each month. Also to show the events, individual service of all officers, and 
changes in personnel occurring during the month. 

Ic. The file of original personal reports submitted by officers of the Army 
consists of reports, mostly on forms 3i by 8 inches, that are submitted by cer- 
tain officers of the Army showing, in detail, their duties and status at date of 
report or for a stated period. These reports are required for the purpose of 
keeping the War Department informed of the location and status of all officers 
not on duty with organizations, of all staff officers or officers performing staff 
duty, and of all officers retired from active service. 

Id. The file of registers of service of Regular and Volunteer officers and 
organizations of the Army, compiled from the original records at time they 
were received, consists of bound books of varying thickness, measuring 12 inches 
in width by 16 inches in length, containing the compiled service of all officers 
of the Regular and Volunteer Armies. The file is classified by arms of the 
service, as follows: Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery, Staff, Porto Rico Regiment of 
Infantry, and Philippine Scout officers, and retired. Each volume contains 
the compiled service for one year of all the officers of the arm or class covered 
by that volume. The officers in each volume are classified by organizations 
and by rank, their service being shown as follows in a space 2 inches wide by 
20 inches long, half the length being on each side of the binding fold : Name, 
rank at beginning of calendar year, increase of rank, if any, during the year, 
stations, whereabouts and status on the last day of each month. Leaves of 
absence, sickness, detached service, special duty, or the fact that the officer 
was absent without leave or in arrest at any time during the month is also 
shown. All orders affecting an officer's status are borne on this record in red 
ink in abstract form, thus showing for the year the status of the officer in 
detail and the authority for same. Each volume also shows, for the year, 



428 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

the commissioned personnel of the organizations covered by that volume, the 
number, names, and rank of officers for any desired period, and, in the case 
of line officers, the commissioned personnel of a company, troop, or battery 
can be determined for any period desired. In addition to the above information 
a record is shown of the stations and service of each organization of the Army 
for the year and any changes that may have occurred in the organization, 
such as the formation of an additional company or the reorganization of a 
regiment. 

le. The file of registers of commissions and appointments of officers of the 
Regular and Volunteer Armies of the United States consists of large, bound 
volumes containing, in chronological order, a record of the commissions or 
the appointments of officers, the date issued, date accepted, and such other 
information as is of value to the War Department regarding the officer and 
the manner of his entry into the service. The volumes are not compiled in 
the Returns Division, but in the Register section of the A. C. P. Division. 
The reason for this file being in the Returns Division is that, in answering 
inquiries from the auditor and others, it is often necessary to refer to the 
original entries in verifying the record of service. 

If. The file of original returns of casualties in organizations consists of 
returns received from organizations, showing, after the close of each action, 
all the casualties that occurred among the officers and enlisted men. The 
form requires that the name, rank, company, regiment, or corps, nature of 
casualty, etc.. be stated ; also a statement of the troops engaged and a record 
of events. 

2. Compiling the records of service of officers and organizations of the 
Regular Army of the United States consists of five divisions : 

{a) Stations and duties or service of officers and organizations. 
(&) Foreign service of officers on active duty. 

(c) Detached service of officers of the line on active duty. 

(d) Leave record of officers on active duty. 

(e) Strength of the Army by organizations at end of each month, show- 

ing gain and loss. 

2a. The recording of the stations and duties of officers and organizations 
consists in recapitulating the data found on returns, personal reports, and 
official papers, for the purpose of showing, for each calendar year, the service 
in detail of each officer and organization of the Army. Note description of 
" Registers of service," paragraph Id. 

2d. The record of the foreign service of officers on active duty is for the 
purpose of determining the proper officers to relieve those completing tours 
of service outside the geographical limits of the United States, and of furnish- 
ing information to the Paymaster General and the Auditor for the War Depart- 
ment for " foreign pay " purposes, and shows the dates of leaving and returning 
to the United States and the dates of arrival in and departure from the 
foreign country. The length of time in years, months, and days is shown for 
each tour, and the total of all tours determines the position of the officer on 
the roster (as the record is termed), as the officers are classified on the roster 
by arms of the service and by rank in the order of the total amount of time 
to their credit, the officer having the least amount being in the first position. 

2c. The record of the detached service of officers of the line on active duty 
is for the purpose of showing the total amount of time that an officer has 
been absent from the organization to which he is assigned for duty or from 
the arm of the service in which he is commissioned. Detached service has been 
defined by act of Congress approved August 24, 1912, and the record is shown 
in accordance with this definition. 



APPENDIX II, 429 

2d. The record of the amount of leave used by each officer of the Army on 
active duty is for the purpose of determining, at any time, the amount to 
which an officer is entitled on full pay, also to determine if an officer has 
exceeded the amount to which he is entitled on full pay, for by law an officer 
draws only half pay for the time he is on duly authorized leave in excess of 
the amount to which he is entitled. 

2e. The record of the strength of the Army by organizations at end of each 
month, showing gain and loss, is a recapitulation of the statements on returns, 
showing the strength in officers and men of each organization, and of the 
entire Army on the last day of each month, and the gain and loss in detail 
by source and cause. 

3. The furnish'ing of information from the records may be divided into four 
groups : 

(fl) Publishing the Army List and Directory each month. 
(6) Publishing a list of Army officers and their families and families 
of deceased officers residing in or near the District of Columbia. 

(c) Publishing the Station List of Organizations each month. 

(d) Publishing a monthly list of officers who have exceeded the amount 

of leave to which they are entitled, for the information of the 
Pay Department and the office of the Auditor for the War Depart- 
ment. 

(e) Answering inquiries from other divisions, the Chief of Staff, Con- 

gress, and miscellaneous sources. 

3fl. The Army List and Directory is an official document of The Adjutant 
General's Office published on the 20th of each month, containing, in addition 
to other information a complete roster of the officers of the United States Army, 
the personnel of organizations, the lineal and relative rank of officers, and an 
alphabetical list of officers, showing their addresses. It is published in pam- 
phlet form, 7i by lOJ inches in size, and contains about 125 pages. The register 
section of the A. C. P. Division posts the lineal and relative rank lists for the 
Returns .Division. 

36. The list of Army officers and their families, and fam^ies of deceased 
officers residing in or near the District of Columbia, is published in pamphlet 
form twice a year, about the first of November and the first of January. 

3c. The Station List of Organizations is published on the last day of each 
month, and contains a list of the stations of the United States Army and a 
list of the garrisoned posts, with the garrisons of each. It is printed on both 
sides of a sheet 111 by 18 inches in size. 

3cZ. The Leave List of Officers for the Pay Department and the office of the 
Auditor for the War Department is a monthly list published on the last day of 
each month containing the names of officers absent on leave in excess of the 
time allowed by law, as shown by latest returns received at the War Depart- 
ment. It is printed on one side of a sheet 8 by lOJ inches in size. 

3(?. Answering inquiries from other divisions, the Chief of Staff. Congress, and 
miscellaneous sources may be classified as follows: 

(1) Status of officers or organizations: 

(a) On record cards. 
(6) By phone, 
(c) By persons. 

(2) Statements of: 

(a) Detached service of officers. 

(6) Foreign service of officers. 

(c) Leave record of officers. 

(d) Military records of officers. 

(e) Stations of officers or organizations. 



430 REPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

III. Methods. 

1. FILING BECOEDS. 

(a) Returns. — All returns now received in tlie division are in three even 
folds, measuring vrhen so folded 3| by 81 inches. The size has varied, however, 
as new forms have been printed, so that some returns when folded measure as 
large as 4i by llj inches, and are folded in three or four folds, as the size of 
the return may require. Returns of all kinds are iBled, folded as received, 
on end, in a " Woodruff " wooden file box. These boxes measure approximately 
4i inches in width, inside measure, and lOi inches in depth and height. The 
returns are filed chronologically by organizations, the file boxes being placed 
in wooden cases or sectional shelves, four boxes in a section. 

These cases or shelves are built up as high as the size of the room will 
permit, and are mostly against the wall. But for lack of wall space in room 259, 
the main room of the division, four cases are placed about 4 feet from the wall 
cases and parallel to them in two tiers. 

(6) Personal reports. — As most of the reports received from officers are on 
forms 34 by 8 inches they are filed in " Woodruff " wooden file boxes, on end, 
in envelopes, thus separating the reports of one officer from those of another. 
The envelopes are filed alphabetically and the reports in each envelope chrono- 
logically. All reports received that have been made on paper larger than the 
form above mentioned are folded two or three times, as may be necessary, 
before filing. Such reports are also briefed with the officer's name and date, 
as an aid in filing and in locating a desired report later. In order to render 
the reports easy of access the boxes are emptied every two years and trans- 
ferred to the file room of the division, room 546. 

(c) Registers. — These volumes are placed on end, inverted, to facilitate han- 
dling and searching and are classified by arms of the service and whether of 
the Volunteer or Regular Army. Shelves are inserted in the filing cases at a 
convenient height for reference and are provided with a drop shelf, which 
serves not only as a rest for books and papers but as a shield against dust that 
would otherwise <)low in and settle on the volumes not in use. 

2. COMPILING SERVICE OF OFFICERS AND ORGANIZATIONS. 

Posting to registers from returns is accomplished by passing the returns, as 
they are received, from one compiler to another, each one taking the data on 
the returns that affects the records he is compiling. For example, the compiler 
In charge of the Infantry register posts all the data on each return that con- 
cern the service of an Infantry organization or officer. As the proper designa- 
tion of all officers is shown on each return, compilers select the records to be 
posted by not only reading the name but the designation also. In cases of 
material discrepancy between organization and post returns, or between returns 
and personal reports or other official papers, the attention of the commanding 
officers concerned is called to the discrepancy for the purpose of correcting the 
data that is wrong. This is true in compiling the service of the Infantry, Ar- 
tillery, Staff', Cavalry, Philippine Scout, and Porto Rico Regiment of Infantry 
officers, but not of the retired officers nor of the register shewing the strength 
of the Army. The service of retired officers is posted from personal reports re- 
ceived each month from all officers on the retired list, which reports are re- 
quired by the Army Regulations. The register showing the strength of organi- 
zations of the Army is compiled from the statement of strength, shown in 
figures on eich return. The posting of personal reports received from officers is 



APPENDIX II. 431 

aocoroplislied by each compiler posting tliose affecting the records in the register 
of which he is in charge. The filing clerk distributes the reports to each com- 
piler, as the reports are received. The posting from official papers other than 
returns and reports include special orders and record cards. These affect the 
future status of officers or are authorizations of certain acts and are material 
evidence in the records. Orders are passed along by each compiler in the same 
manner as are returns. The record cards go directly to the compilers concerned. 

The posting to the foreign service, detached service, and leave record rosters 
is accomplished by the compilers in charge, taking, periodically, the informa- 
tion necessary for each from the several registers of service. The compiler in 
charge of the foreign service roster, in addition to this, examines all returns 
from organizations and posts outside the United States for the purpose of 
keeping the roster posted up to date. This is a very essential feature in 
answering inquiries from the Chief of StafC regarding officers available for 
foreign service, and from the Paymaster General and the Auditor for the War 
Department for foreign service pay purposes. 

3. The information furnished from the records is prepared by the clerk or 
clerks in charge of the registers or rosters containing the information requested. 

(a) The copy for the Army List and Directory is prepared in five operations; 

(1) Two Directories of the last issue are cut and pasted onto sheets, one 

column of printing on each sheet. . 

(2) Each compiler in charge of the registers of Infantry, Artillery, Cav- 
" airy, Staff, Philippine Scouts, and Porto Rico Regiment of Infantry, 

and Retired Officers posts on this copy all changes which have 
occurred in the personnel of organizations or in the rank or ad- 
dresses of officers since the Directory went to press last. 

(3) On receiving the proof of this copy from the printer it is compared 

with the copy. 

(4) The corrected proof is then posted by each compiler mentioned, with 

all changes occurring since the first posting of the copy. 

(5) An effort is made each month to check the personnel of organizations 

and the rank and addresses of officers as shown by the Directory 
with the records in the registers, for the purpose of detecting 
errors, but it is rarely possible for all compilers to check both the 
personnel of organizations and the rank and addresses of officers, 
due to the work involved thereby and to the pressure of other 
work. 
The first posting to the copy is begun on the 8th of the month : the copy is 
sent to the printer on the 11th ; returned with proof on the 14th ; and sent finally, 
with corrected proof, on the 18th. The forms are closed on the 19th and 20th 
?nd the Directory is issued on the 25th. The portion of the copy pertaining to 
the lineal and relative ranks is sent to the register section of the A. C. P. Divi- 
sion, which posts it, reads the proof, and, when corrected and posted, sends it 
to the Returns Division for forwarding to the printer. This section also checks 
the personnel of organizations for the purpose of detecting errors in the lineal 
order or date of rank. 

(6) Copy for the printing of the monthly station list of garrisoned posts is 
prepared much in the same manner as is the Army List and Directory. Each 
compiler checks the last issue of the list with his record to see that the stations 
of the organizations are correct. One copy is used in the checking and when 
completed is put on the desk of the chief of the division for forwarding to the 
printer. Proof is received, which is checked and again posted up to date. The 
copy is usually started in preparation about the 22d of the month, so that it can 
be issued on the last day of each month. 



432 REPOETS OF COMMISSIOlsr ON ECOISrOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

(c) The List of Officers who have exceeded the amount of leave to which 
they are entitled, which is published for the information of the Pay Depart- 
ment and the office of the Auditor for the War Department each month, is 
prepared on a large sheet by the clerk in charge of the leave-record roster. It 
is the duty of this compiler to know the amount of leave to which each officer 
is entitled on full pay. If an officer has but a few days left to his credit in 
the present leave year, it is the duty of the clerk to go to the register contain- 
ing that officer's service, and ascertain if the officer has had any leave since 
the last posting to the roster. If the register shows that leave has been granted 
and used that will put the officer on a half-pay status, the officer's name, the 
date that the leave of absence commenced, the station of the officer when it 
commenced, a statement of the leave that he has had prior to the present one, 
the time granted on present leave, and remarks, such as the date of rejoining 
from the present leave. If an officer is absent without leave during the month 
this fact is noted on this list. When the copy has been completed by the com- 
piler in charge of the leave-record roster, it is placed on the desk of the chief 
of the division, who forwards it to the printer for a proof. When the proof 
is received it is corrected and returned to the printer in time for printing and 
issuing on the last day of the month. It is usually necessary to start the 
preparation of this list on the 22d. in order to have it completed and pritned 
by 'the last day of the month. 

lY. Organization and salary roll. 



Name. 


Nature of work upon which engaged. 


Salary. 


o 




In charge of the division: 


$1,800 


F 


B Heitman 


Furnishing information from the records and miscellaneous work. 

Examining Army returns, posting monthly Army strength, and 
compiling statistics. 

In charge of register of Artillery officers and furnishing informa- 
tion therefrom. Compiling monthly Army List and Directory 
and station list. 

In charge of register of Cavalry officers and furnishing informa- 
tion therefrom. Compiling monthly Army List and Directory 
and station list. 

In charge of register of staff officers and furnishing information 
therefrom. Compiling monthly Army List and Directory and 
station list. 

In charge of register of Infantry officers and furnishing informa- 
tion therefrom. Compiling monthly Army List and Directory 
and station list. 

Compiling detached-service roster of officers of the line on active 
duty. 

Compiling foreign-service roster of officers on active duty 

Assisting in compiling roster of foreign service 


1,800 


T 




1,400 


Tf 


Beck 


1,200 


M' 


. S. Eatherly 


1,200 


H 


E. Skinner 


1,200 


V, 




1,400 


K 


H. Halbach 


1,200 


Tt 


D. Coyner 


1,200 


Pi 


R Stough 


1,000 


T 


H. Wright 


In charge of register of retired officers. Compiling monthly Army 
List and Directory; assisting in filing monthly personal reports 
of officers. 

In charge of register of Philippine Scouts and Porto Rico Regi- 
ment of Infantry officers. Compiling monthly Army List and 
Directory. Filing personal reports of officers. 

Stenographv and typewriting 


1,200 


M 


J.Sullivan 


1,200 


r 


L Holt 


1,200 




Total 








17,000 











APPENDIX II. 433 

EQUIPMENT. 

The equipuieut of the division consists of six flat-top mahogany desks, one 
typewriter desk, five desk tables or sanitary desks, one table, one revolving 
bookcase, one inclosed maple bookcase, one large, brass chandelier, lighted with 
gas mantles, and four 16-candlepower electric globes. The chandelier is in 
room 259, and in the aisles between the tiling cases there are also tungsten drop- 
lights used in locating the desired files. In the corridor room, 2591, the light- 
ing is by a ceiling tungsten light of 60 watts. There are two windows in room 
259 facing the east and one facing south. There is one window opening on 
the porch and facing east in room 2591. 

The expense of material used in the Returns Division consists of four leather- 
bound books, with canvas covers, for the Infantry, Cavalry, Staff, and Artillery 
officers for each year's records ; one book for the retired officers, for three years' 
records; one book for Philippine Scouts and Porto Rico Regiment of Infantry 
officers for five years' records; and one book for the strength of the Army for 
five years. The cost of the four volumes first above mentioned for 1912 was 
$97.58. 

N. STATEMENT OF THE LOCATION, WORK, METHODS, ORGANIZATION, EftUIP- 
MENT, AND EXPENSE OF THE MEDICAL DIVISION OF THE ADJUTANT GEN- 
ERAL'S OFFICE. 

I. Location. 

This division occupies four rooms on the third floor of the State, War, and 
Navy Building, numbered 363 to 373, inclusive, and three rooms, numbered 
1, 2, and 8, on the main floor of the Army Medical Museum Building, and one 
large basement room in the west wing of the same building. This latter portion 
of the division is sometimes referred to as the Seventh and B Street Section 
of the Medical Division. Two of the rooms in the State, War, and Navy Build- 
ing are large rooms, having two entrances each. The number of employees in 
the two buildings on July 1, 1912, is as follows : 
State. War, and Navy Building — 

Rooms numbered 363 to 365 9 

Rooms numbered 367 to 373 4 

Army Medical Building — 

Room numbered 1 2 

Room numbered 2 

Room numbered 8 8 

23 
II. Functions and Work. 

The work of the Medical Division consists of : 

(a) The custody of files. 

(6) Furnishing reports on the medical history of soldiers in the Mexican 
War, Civil War, Indian wars, and War with Spain, and the per- 
manent militaiy establishment. 



The files contain the medical records of the Army, both Regular and Volun- 
teer troops, from 1821 to December 31, 1910. These files contain a great vnriety 
of original medical papers, including the monthly reports of sick and wounded, 
personal papers relating to individual patients, and personal reports of medical 

72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 28 



434 REPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

officers separated from the Service, together with medical-record cards which 
have been prepared from original records. The arrangement of the file, covering 
so long a period, necessarils^ varies ; but generally the records of hospitals are 
filed by hospitals, the records of organizations are filed by organizations, per- 
sonal records are filed alphabetically by organizations, and the medical-record 
eards are filed alphabetically by organizations. 

There are 5,942,000 medical-record cards of volunteers of the Civil War, ■ 
1,000 medical-record cards of volunteers of the Mexican War, and 1,060,000 
medical-record cards of Regular soldiers on file in the State, War, and Navy 
Building, and 2,000,000 medical-record cards of Regulars on file at the Army 
Medical Museum Building. In cases where cross references are necessary in 
the file of medical-record cards, cross-reference cards are placed in the files 
with such information as will enable the clerk to locate the proper medical- 
record cards without difficulty. 

The individual-record cards on file in rooms 363 to .373, State, War, and 
Navy Building, were made up at the Tenth Street branch, and cover records 
up to January 1, 1884. Subsequent to that date, and up to 1905. the cards, 
with the exception of those for volunteers in the Spanish War, were prepared 
in the Surgeon General's Office and were transferred at one time to the Seventh 
and B Streets branch. Since 1905 all the cards are prepared in duplicate at 
posts or hospitals, and constitute the original records (registers being no longer 
in use in the Army). The original cards are forwarded to the Surgeon 
General's Office monthly, together with monthly reports of sick and wounded, 
and are filed in the Surgeon General's Office, where they remain until after 
the close of the fiscal year. The Surgeon General's Office uses these cards for 
the compilation of statistics and then sends them to the Seventh and B Streets 
branch of the Medical Division annually, where they are filed. The Medical 
Division receives annually from the Surgeon General's Office 97,000 medical- 
record cards and 2,800 monthly reports. As these cards are received at the 
Army Medical Museum Building they are immediately distributed into tempo- 
rary file boxes so that a searcher may be able to refer to them readily. They 
are placed in the permanent file as promptly as possible, two or three clerks 
from the Medical Division's force in the State, War, and Navy Building (room 
363) assisting in the filing when current work permits. 

Medical-record cards for volunteer soldiers in the Spanish War and Philip- 
pine Insurrection were made up at the Tenth Street branch and are filed there. 
These cards are filed in jackets with military-record cards and personal papers. 
The original reports and records from which these cards were prepared are on 
file at the Seventh and B Streets branch. 

In cases where posts or hospitals have been discontinued the duplicate copies 
of cards, together with other papers, reports, etc., which were at the time of 
preparation retained at the post or hospital, are sent to The Adjutant General's 
Office. They are filed in the Medical Division under the name or number of 
the post or hospital. All papers, orders, and other administrative documents 
of a discontinued post or hospital which have no bearing upon an individual 
case are tied into a package and filed in the basement of the Army Medical 
Museum in numerical order, an index for the same being kept according to the 
post or hospital. Hospital registers and prescription books of abandoned posts 
and hospitals of the Mexican War and since are filed on shelves by States and 
a book index kept. These records are seldom referred to. 

Data concerning births, marriages, and deaths of civilians in hospitals are 
carded from monthly reports and filed in alphabetical order by subject. This 
work is done at the Seventh and B Streets branch and requires very little time, 



APPENDIX II. 435 

the average number of this class of cases carded per year being as follows: 
Marriages, 44 ; births, 571 ; deaths, 183. 

Medical personal papers for volunteers in the Civil War are on file in the 
Regimental Records Division, and for volunteers in the Spanish War at the 
Tenth Street branch. 

FURNISHING INFORMATION. 

The number of requests received annually is as follov^^s : For medical history, 
2,000 ; for military and medical history, 16,000. These may be classified as fol- 
lows: Civil War cases, 9,000, or 50 per cent: Spanish War cases, 1,800, or 10 
per cent ; Regular Army cases, 7,200, or 40 per cent. This is an average of 
about 62 cases per day. 

It is difficult to estimate the time spent in preparing the necessary informa- 
tion on a single case, for the reason that a case may be satisfactorily disposed 
of by reference to the medical record cards only, or the case may also require 
a search to be made through the individual papers, the hospital registers, and 
the prescription books of the hospitals which are filed at the Army Medical 
Museum Building. Some cases are in such condition that it is clearly necessary 
to refer to original records in order to make a complete report, while other 
cases are in such condition that it is a matter of individual judgment whether a 
search of original records should be made. 

A printed form is used by the Pension Office in making requests for military 
and medical histories, and the requested information is entered upon another 
[trinted form furnished by The Adjutant General's Office. (The latter form is 
the same size as that used in making the request for the information.) When 
the case is completed both forms are returned to the Pension Office. In former 
years the information supplied by the Medical Division to the Pension Office 
was indorsed upon the form used in making the original inquiry. 

A printed form is also used by the Auditor for the War Department in making 
request for military and medical histories, but the information is indorsed upon 
the original inquiry. 

III. Methods. 

Each clerk makes a daily report of work performed and the clerk in charge 
of the division sends to the chief clerk a consolidated daily report. A daily 
report is also made to the "tally clerk" in the Mail and Record Division show- 
ing unfinished cases on hand at close of day that have been one or more work- 
ing days in the office, the number of each case and status. A daily report 
of absentees is made to the chief clerk. 

Medical record cards were not made covering cases from January 1, 1S84, 
to January 1, 1894, except for a few States. Searches for information for this 
period are made through the original monthly reports of sick and wounded. 
These records are on file at the Seventh and B Street branch. Mr Manning, the 
clerk in charge of the Medical Division, has recommended to The Adjutant Gen- 
eral's Office that those records be carded. 

When a card, or a set of cards pertaining to a soldier, is withdrawn from 
the file, a marker or charge card is left in its place, showing the name of 
the soldier, the number of the case, and the initial of the searcher charged 
with such card, or set of cards. A book record is also kept of each card with- 
drawn, showing the case number, surname of the soldier or officer, card number, 
and as the cards are returned to the file, the entry in the book is canceled 
Toy making a check mark. 



436 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EPPICIBNCY. 

In the files of medical cards are a inimber of cards for men whose military 
organization is not shown, due to eri-or or incompleteness of original record from 
which cards were made. At spare times clerks go through these files and the 
original records with a view to ascertaining the military organizations in which 
the men served, and so enable the division to make proper entry on the card 
and to file it in its proper place. About 6 per cent of the time of all clerks in 
rooms 363 to 373 is devoted to this work. 

Oases received in the Medical Division for action may, for the purpose of 
illustrating their movement, be classified as follows: 

1. Civil War cases, Volunteers. 

2. Regular Army cases, prior to January 1, 1884. 

3. "War with Spain and Philippine Insurrection cases. 

4. Regular Army cases January 1, 1884, to date. 

About 80 per cent of tlie cases received are statement-of-service cases (green 
record card), i. e., calls from the Commissioner of Pensions and Auditor for the 
War Department for medical history, or for botli militarj^ and medical history. 
About 20 per cent of the cases received are requests from other divisions of The 
Adjutant General's Ofiice for information, made on the correspondence I'ecord 
eard (white) or on separate memorandum. Tliese cases are subject to the 
same movement after reacliing the Medical Division as tlie statement-of-service 
cases, according as they may come within classes 1, 2, 3, and 4, indicated above. 

The mo\emeut of the statement of service cases may be described as follows: 
All are received in the Mail and Record Division, briefed, numbered, and dis- 
tributed as follows : 

Class 1. — To the Regimental Records Division where a statement of military 
history is prepared ; thence, with the medical personal papers from Regimental 
Records Division inclosed to the medical card room, 367, where the medical cards 
pertaining to the man are inclosed and the case forwarded to the receiving desk 
in room 363; thence distributed to the medical examiners and indorsed to 
examine each case with a view to its completeness, cause any further needed 
search to be made, and then add the medical history to the statement of service ; 
thence to the reviewing desk in room 363 ; thence to the military examiners in 
room 51, Mail and Record Division (after returning the medical cards and 
personal papers to their respective files by forwarding them to the proper rooms 
for that purpose). 

■ Class 2. — To the Regular Army Rolls Division for military record ; thence to 
room 367 for medical cards; thence to room 363 where case is completed as indi- 
cated in class 1. 

Class 3. To Tenth Street branch, where military statement is prepared ; 
thence, with medical cards and personal papers from Tenth Street branch in- 
closed, to room 363, where the medical record is added to the statement of 
service, and the case disposed of as indicated in class 1. The medical cards 
and personal papers are returned to Tenth Street branch for file. 

Class -'/. The Regular Army Rolls Division for statement of military record; 
thence to receiving desk in room 363 ; thence to Seventh Street branch for 
medical cards, personal papers, and report as to physical defects noted at enlist- 
ment ; thence, if necessary, to Tenth Street branch for additional report as to 
physical defects noted at enlistment ; thence to room 363 ; thence to Surgeon 
(xeneral's OflSce, should the man's service extend later than December 31, 1910 : 
thence back to room 363, inclosing such medical cards and personal papers as 
may be found in Surgeon General's Office ; thence to medical examiners and in- 
dorsers, who add the full medical history to the statement of service. The case 
is then disposed of as in class 1, all medical cards and personal papers being re- 
turned to their proper files. 



APPENDIX II. 



437 



From Jjimiary 1 to August 15, 3912. 1.22G cases — a daily average of 6.3.'^ 
cases — were referred to the Surgeon General's Office for report on medical 
records pertaining to the period subsequent to December 31, 1910. 

The movement of cases within the State, War, and Navy Building is ac 
complished by means of the regular five-minute messenger system of the office. 

The movement of cases to and from Seventh Street section, Tenth Streel: 
branch, and the State, War, and Navy Building is accomplished by means of the 
regular office mail wagon at stated intervals during the day. 

IV. Organization, Duties, and Salaries of Emjployees. 

This division was, until 1S89, under the supervision of the Surgeon General's 
Office as part of the Record and Pension Division of that office. This latter 
division was consolidated, with some divisions of The Adjutant General's Office, 
into the Record and Pension Division of the War Department. 

The names, compensation, and duties of emiiloyees in the ^Medical Division 
of The Adjutant General's Office, oh July 1. 1912. are as follows : 

ROOMS .303 AND 305. 



Names. 



J. N. Manning. 
J. F.Cash 



J. L. Owens 

P. M. Kennerly. 

II. AY. Dumall.. 
J. S. F. Sessford. 
D. G. Strable... 
D. F. Murphy.. 
M. G.Chew 



Natnre of work upon which engaged. 



In charge of division 

Receiving cases addressed to room 3tj3, examining cases, and 

distributing same to searchers and indorsers. 
Searching casualty lists, death and discharge records, and 

personal papers, United States Army, prior to Jan. 1, 1884. 
Examining cases, collecting record information, and preparing 

statements of medical histories. 
do 



.do. 
.do. 
.do. 



Reviewing statements of medical histories. 



ROOMS 367 TO 373 (MEDICAL CARDS PRIOR TO JAN. 1, 1884). 



Salary, 



$1,800 
1,800 

1,400 

1,000 

1,C00 
1,600 
1,400 
1,200 
1,600 



K. N. Harper. 
L. C.Blaks... 



W. L. Drury. 
J.B, Sitter... 



In charge of section; returning withdrawn cards to the files, and 

at times assisting at the receiving desk. 
Receiving eases, issuing same to searchers, and keeping record 

of medical cards charged out. Also assisting in searching 

at times. 

Searching medical card files 

do 



$1,000 
1,400 



1,400 
1,200 



ORIGINAL MEDICAL RECORDS SECTION, SEVENTH AND B STREETS SW. 



W. F. Snyder. 
C.F. Small... 



R. E. Harvey. 



L. P. .\ltscheu. 
W. W. Giles... 



In charge of section 

Receiving cases, issuing cases to searchers, attending telephone, 

and e.xamining searchers' reports. 
Returning medical cards (,o files, examining medical card files, 

and searching. 

Searching and reporting from records, and filing records 

do 



F. 11. M. Murray I do 



W. O.Whitney 

J. H. D. Nordeman. 
E. G. Murrell 



.do. 
.do. 
.do. 



J. D. Marx ! Reviewing, fUlng, and cataloguing medical records. 



$1,800 
1,600 

1,400 

1,400 
1,400 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,400 



438 REPORTS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

One messenger at $720 per annum is assigned to tlie part of tlie division in 
the State, War, and Navy Building from the subclerical force under the super- 
vision of Mr. Keiper. One laborer at $660 per annum is assigned to the Seventh 
Street branch from the Tenth Street subclerical force. 

Fifty per cent of the time of clerks at Seventh and B Street branch, vphich is 
equivalent of the full time of five employees, is consumed in separating and 
filing papers and records coming in from time to time from posts and hospitals. 

O. STATEMENT OF THE LOCATION, WORK, METHODS, ORGANIZATION, EQUIP- 
MENT, AND EXPENSE OF THE REGIMENTAL RECORDS DIVISION OF THE ADJU- 
TANT GENERAL'S OFFICE. 

I Location. 

This division occupies 44 rooms on the fourth floor and 3 rooms in the 
basement of the State, War, and Navy Building. These rooms are located in 
the north, east, south, and vpest vpings of the building. One room, numbered 450, 
is occupied by the chief of the division. The room adjoining the chief of 
division's room is occupied jointly by the Regimental Records and Archives 
Divisions, This is a large room and is numbered 452 and 454. The Regimental 
Records Division uses this room for a file of personal papers of men who were 
in the Volunteer Armies in the Civil War. It is also used by a clerk in the 
Regimental Records Division, who Is employed in printing, with rubber type, 
forms for emergent or temporary use and room numbers or other addresses on 
mail jackets, envelopes, etc., for all divisions of The Adjutant General's Office. 
The Archives Division uses this room for a file of prisoner-of-war records, which 
is in charge of one of the employees of that division. The remaining rooms occu- 
pied by the Regimental Records Division are used for file purposes. These rooms 
are grouped into sections each of which is in charge of a clerk known as an 
" in-box " clerk. The files are so arranged that the record cards for any given 
military organization are located in a room as near as possible to the room con- 
taining the original military records from which the card records were prepared. 

The numbers of the rooms designated as the stations of the " in-box " clerks 
together with the numbers of the rooms assigned to each " in-box " station are 
as follows : 



'In box" station. 



Files of military record cards. 



Files of 
original 
records. 



402. 
405. 
411. 

431. 

455. 
463, 
468, 

477 
489 



402 and 404 

403and405 

409 and 411 

410 and 412 (Revolutionary War). 

430 and 431 

449,451,453, and 455 

463, 465, 467, 469, 471, 473, and 475. 

461, 462, 464, 466, and 468 

477, 479, 481, and 483 

485, 487, and 489 



400 
400 
414 



415 
460,486 
460,480 
482,484 
486,488 
486,488 



All military record cards and original records contained in the rooms listed 
in the above statement relate to the Civil War, Mexican War, and Indian wars, 
with the exception of the military record cards in rooms 410 and 412, which 



APPENDIX II. 



439 



relate to tlie Revolutiouary War. The original records of the Revolutionary 
War are not filed in this division, but in the Archives Division. 

In rooms 44. 46, and 47. in the basement of the State, War, and Navy Build- 
ing, are located the files of the original records of volunteer troops in the 
Spanish War. The record cards which have been prepared from these original 
records are filed in the Tenth Street branch of The Adjutant General's Office 
because of lack of room in which to file these record cards in the. State, War, 
and Navy Building. 

The chief of this division has an index showing the numbers of the rooms in 
which are filed the military record cards and original documents for the regi- 
ments furnished by each State during the Civil War, Mexican War, and Indian 
wars. The form of this record is as follows : 

Location of carded military records. 



state. 



Alabama 

Arizona 

Arkansas 

Brigade bands 

California 

Colorado 

Colored troops 

Connecticut 

Dakota 

Delaware 

Departmental Corps 
District of Columbia 

Florida 

Georgia 

Illinois 

Indiana 

Indian H. G 

Iowa 

Kansas 

Kentucky 

Louisiana 

Maine 

Maryland 

Massachusetts 

Michigan 

Minnesota 

Mississippi 

Mississippi M. Brig . 



No. of 
original 
record 
room. 


No. of 

card 
room. 


488 


402 


488 


405 


400 


402 


480 


477 


488 


489 


400 


405 


414 


411 


486 


489 


400 


402 


486 


477 


480 


463 


488 


477 


488 


489 


488 


489 


460 


455 


460 


463 


400 


402 


400 


402 


400 


402 


400 


402 


400 


402 


488 


409 


488 


477 


486 


477 


484 


468 


488 


405 


488 


489 


460 


463 



State 



Missouri 

Nebraska 

Nevada 

New Hampshire 

New Jersey 

New Mexico 

North Carolina. . 

New York 

Ohio 

Oregon 

Pennsylvania . . . 
Ehode Island . . . 
South Carolina.. 

Tennessee 

Texas 

U. S. C. T 

U. S. Vols 

U. S. V. V. Inf.. 
TJ. S. V. V. Eng 

U. S. S. S 

Utah 

V.R.C 

Vermont 

Virginia 

Washington 

AVest Virginia.. - 
Wisconsin 



No. of 
original 
record 
room. 



400 
400 
400 
488 
486 
488 
488 
415 
480 
400 
482 
486 
488 
400 
488 
414 
414 
414 
414 
414 
400 
414 



484 



No. of 
card 
room. 



40S 
402 
402 
489 
455 
406 
489 
431 
463 
402 
468 
489 
489 
405 
405 
411 
411 
411 
411 
463 
402 
452 
489 
489 



440 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY, 

FUNCTIONS AND WORK. 

The work of this division consists of three main classes : 

(o) The custody of files of military record cards and of original military 
records, as follows: 

1. File of military record cards of A'olnnteers iU'the Civil War, Indian 

Wars, and War with Mexico. 

2. File of personal papers of volunteers in the Civil War. 

3. File of regimental books and papers of volunteer organizations in 

the Civil War, Indian Wars, and M'ar with Mexico. 

4. File of regimental books and papers of volunteer organizations in 

the War with Spain. 

5. File of military record cards relating to the Revolutionary War. 
(6) Furnishing information from records. 

(c) Printing, by use of hand type, or for emergent and temporary use, 
and room numbers or other addresses on mail .iackets. envelopes, 
etc., for all divisions of The Adjutnut General's Office. 

FILE OF MILITAKY EKCOKD CARDS OF VOLUNTEERS IN THE CIVIL WAR, INDIAN WARS, 

AND WAR WITH MEXICO. 

This file includes the individual military record cards and some " personal 
papers," i. e., original documents pertaining to one man only, of volunteers in 
the Civil War, Indian Wars, and War with Mexico, together with a card index. 
The military record cards and personal papers are filed together while the index 
cards are in a separate file. 

The military record cards contain the information concerning individuals, 
which was reported on certain original military records and reports, such as 
muster-in rolls, muster rolls, descriptive books, returns, muster and descriptive 
rolls, and muster-out i-olls. A special printed form of record card was used 
for each class of original records from. which information was transcribed, but 
all cards are of the standard size, 3 J inches by 8 inches. The work of pre- 
paring these cards was completed several years ago. A separate record card 
was prepared for each name on each muster roll or other original record, 
and all the cards for each man were then assembled. There are thus as many 
cards for a man as the number of times his name appeared on separate muster 
rolls and other records. A serial number was stamped upon the back of each 
record card. One series of numbers was used for all cards prepared from the 
records of troops in all wars. The numbers were assigned in serial order to 
the names as they appeared on the original records. The numbers of the record 
cards for any man may be widely separa<"ed in the series, since some of his 
record cards may have been prepared from records receiving the first numbers 
in the series, while other record cards may have been prepared from records 
receiving much higher numbers in the series. 

Personal papers consist of such original documents as pertain to one man 
©nly. The personal papers on file in the Regimental Records Division are 
those of volunteersi in the Civil War. Most of the personal papers — approxi- 
mately 80 per cent — have been placed in the military record card file, while 
the balance are still in a separate file. It is the intention to eventually trans- 
fer all personal papers to the military record card file. The personal papers 
include the following: Bed cards, burial records, certificates of disability for 
discharge, court-martial charges, destcriptive lists, discharge certificates, enlist- 



APPENDIX II. 441 

meut imiiei's. finnl statements, furloiiglis or leave of absence, medical certifi- 
cates, medical descriptive lists, orders, i^risoner. of vv^ar records, resigiiatious, 
miscellaneous papers relating to military service or history. 

The personal papers on file for a man are inserted in an envelope vv^hich 
is filed in the jacket containing the military record cards for that man. The 
envelope containing the papers has spaces on the front for entering the name 
of the man and of the organization in which he served, and also has a printed 
list of the several kinds of personal papers', with spaces for recording the 
number of papers of each kind filed. 

The military record cards for each man, together with any personal papers 
which may be in the record card file, are placed in a separate file .jacket. The 
jacket measures 4^ by 9| inches. On the front of the jacket spaces are pro- 
vided for entering the following information : 

1. Name of man. 

2. Designation of the regiment and company in which he served. 

3. Rank on entering and on leaving the service. 

4. List of the serial numbers of military record cards contained in the jacket. 

5. Number of personal papers contained in the jacket. 

6. Reference to old document file mark of papers showing an office notation. 

7. Cross reference to any other military organizations in which this man 
served. 

The jackets containing the military record cards are filed by .States. Under 
each State the cards for men in the Civil War are placed fir.st and are followed 
by the cards of men in the Indian Wars, and lastly by cards for men in the 
War with Mexico. The cards for each war are arranged first by the several 
branches of the service, as follows : 

1. Cavalry, by regiments, battalions, and independent comniand.s. 

2. Artillery — heavy artillery followed by light artillery. 

3. Engineers. 

4. Infantry, by regiments. 

5. Men unassigned to commands. 

6. Personal papers for men whose organization is not stated thereon, and for 
men for whom no military record cards are on file. 

The first box of record cards for each regiment or other separate organization 
is labeled in red so as to assist the searchers in readily locating organizations. 
In the first box for each regiment are cards containing office notations and 
cards containing a history of the organization. These cards are known as 
•• General notation cards " and " Record of events cards." Following the jackets 
containing these cards are the jackets containing the military record cards 
of the men in the organization. These jackets are arranged alphabetically In 
dictionary order by the names of the men. The jackets are numbered serially 
by regiments, a new series of numbers being used for each regiment. The 
jacket numbers are entered in red ink at the top of the jackets. The purpose 
of these numbers is to indicate whether any jackets are missing from the files. 

The record card file contains many cross references. These ai"e made to 
cover service in different commands and different forms of spelling proper 
names. Cross references are made in two ways: (1) At the foot of a jacket 
containing military cards, and (2) on a cross-reference slip, jacket size, in 
the case of a name under which no military cards are filed. Prior to 1907 
file jackets instead of slips were used for this purpose. In some of the file 
boxes over one-third of the jackets are merely cross references and contain no 
record cards. 



442 REPOETS OF COMMISSION" ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The military record cards which were originally placed in the custody of this 
divisiou consisted of those prepared at the Tenth Street branch from the muster 
rolls and certain other regularly prepared military records. Additional cards 
to the number of about 3.000,000 were later prepared from fjpecial and miscel- 
laneous records and these cards were retained in the Tenth Street branch. It 
is the practice to transfer these cards from the Tenth Street branch to the 
State, War, and Navy Building as rapidly as they are needed for reference pur- 
poses, and to file them with the other military record cards in the Regimental 
Records Division. At the present time about 1,000,000 cards have been trans- 
ferred from the Tenth Street branch and filed in this division. 

The indej' cards show the name of the man and the organi?;ations in which he 
served. Separate files are maintained for the War with Mexico, Civil War. and 
Indian Wars. The index cards for each war are arranged in the alphabetic order 
of names of men by States. Numerous cross references are given in the index 
card file. These refer to services in different commands and to different forms 
of spelling proper names. 

At the time the militarj^ record cards were prepared a record was made show- 
ing the serial numbers assigned to the names appearing on each ovigiual record 
which was carded. This record of serial numbers has been preserved and is now 
filed in the Regimental Records Division and is known as the " Numerical In- 
dex " of the military record cards. The numerical index shows what serial 
numbers were assigned to the names on each original document from which 
record cards were copied, together with the name of the document from which 
the cards were prepared and the names of the employees who copied and 
verified the record cards. The numerical index is contained on cards of the 
same size as the military record cards and these index cards are arranged in 
the numerical order of the serial numbers assigned to the record cards. This 
numerical index is very rarely consulted. 

FILE OF PERSONAL PAPERS OF VOLUNTEERS IN THE CIVIL WAR. 

As has been stated in the description of the file of military record cards, 
some personal papers are filed with the military record cards, and the balance, 
are in a separate file of personal papers. The papers in the separate files are 
of the same classes as. those described in connection with the file of military 
record cards and are filed by the same method — i. e., arranged by individuals 
to whom they relate and placed in envelopes. These envelopes are arranged 
by States, by branches of the service, as Cavalry, Artillery, etc., by organiza- 
tions, and alphabetically by the names of the men in each organization. Such 
papers as pertain to men whose organization is not stated thereon or for whom 
there are no military record cards on file are filed together at the end of the 
State to which the men were accredited. The files of personal papers are 
frequently consulted. 

The file of personal papers in room 452 originally contained about 1,700 
boxes of papers, but the papers in about 150 boxes have been transferred to 
the file of military record cards. All personal papers in room 452 will be 
^'ventually transferred to that file, the work of transferring them being prose- 
cuted whenever employees are not needed on current or on more urgent work. 

The Adjutant General's OflSce in reporting oft the handling and filing of 
correspondence in the Regimental Records Division referred to personal papers 
only in connection with the military record card file, thus considering that the 
file of personal papers is a part of the military record card file. 



APPENDIX II. 44 S 

FILES OF EEGIMENTAL PAPERS OF VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CIVIL WAR, 
INDIAN WARS, AND WAR WITH MEXICO. 

This file includes such papers of volunteer organizations in the Civil War, 
Indian Wars, and War with Mexico as relate to any single military organization 
and contain a record of two or more persons. Those papers are sometimes 
described as " Two-or-more-name papers." 

The papers in this file may be described as consisting of two main classes,, 
namely, those which have been carded and those which have not been carded. 
The carded papers are those from which military record cards have been pre- 
pared and include muster rolls, returns, and other military records and reports 
which were regularly prepared, together with a few special reports. The 
remaining papers in this file, namely, " uncarded papers," consist of special 
reports or records which were prepared only upon special occasions and not 
regularly. In this file the papers are arranged by States, by wars, by branches 
of the service, as Cavalry, Artillery, Engineers, etc., and by organizations, as 
in the file of military record cards, previously described. For each regiment 
the carded papers are filed first, and these are followed by the uncarded. 

The records which have been carded are stamped with the date on which the 
record cards were prepared. 

The uncarded papers are now being arranged into groups according to the 
subject matter of the papers. This work is carried on only when employees in 
the Eegimental Records Division can be spared from the current work of the 
division. Up to date about 10 per cent of all uncarded papers have been rear- 
ranged according to the subject of the paper. In connection with the rearrange- 
ment of the uncarded papers an index of the names contained in these papers 
is being prepared. A separate index is being made for each regiment, showing 
the names arranged alphabetically with references to the papers on which each 
name appears. The purpose of this index is to make it possible to readily locate 
any information in these records concerning any ofiicer or enlisted man. 

In addition to the carded and uncarded regimental papers, this file also con- 
tains the book records of volunteer regiments and companies. The book records 
of the regiments of each State are filed immediately after the regimental papers 
for the State, thus the papers and books for any given State are placed in the 
same section of the files. The regimental books are placed first in the file and 
are followed by the company books. No index has as yet been prepared to 
these book records, but it is the intention of the division to prepare such indexes 
when the indexing of the regimental papers has been completed. The book 
records and the file of regimental papers are consulted on an average of several 
times a day. As has been stated, the original documents for a State are filed 
in a room located as near as possible to the room containing the file of military 
record cards for that State. This arrangement facilitates reference from the 
one file to the other. 

FILE OF REGIMENTAL PAPERS OF VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS IN THE WAR WITH 

SPAIN. 

This file contains the original regimental papers of the volunteer organizations 
in the Spanish War. These papers are of the same kind as the papers in the 
" file of regimental papers of volunteer organizations in the Civil War, Indian 
Wars, and War with Mexico," which hare just been described. 

Most of the papers of volunteer organizations in the Spanish War have been 
carded, as have the corresponding papers for the Civil, Indian, and Mexican 



444 REPORTS OP^ COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EEEICIENCr. 

AVars. Tlie military record cards for volunteers in tlie Spanish War are not 
filed in tlie Regimental Records Division becanse of a lack of space, bnt are iu 
the Tenth Street branch. 

The Spanish War papers are arranged by States, branches of the service, and 
regiments or other organizations. Those papers are filed in the basement of 
the State, War, and Navy Building, while all other files of the Regimental 
Records Division are on the fourth floor of that building. 

FILES OF MILITARY-RECORD CARDS RELATING TO THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR. 

This file includes military-record cards and index cards similar to those 
relating to men in the Civil War, Indian Wars, and War with Mexico, described 
above. The record cards are filed in jackets which are arranged by States, 
branches of the service, organizations, and alphabetically by the names of the 
men in each organization. Two files of index cards are kept, one being a 
general index and the other an index by States. Personal papers are filed with 
the record cards. 

FURNISHING INFORMATION FROM RECORDS. 

In a report to the commission under date of April 19,. 1912, The Adjutant 
General's Office estimates that the Regimental Records Division receives 89,462 
communications annually. These .are classified in the report as follows: 

1. Requests for military histories of individuals 67, 727 

2. Requests for military and medical histories of individuals 8, 535 

o. Requests for miscellaneous-record information regarding individuals 

or organizations 13, 200 

All communications received in this division require a search of the records 
in its custody. The information procured from the records is indorsed (a) on 
the communication. (6) on a form which is attached to the communication, or 
(c) on the record card accompanying communication. This division thus takes 
action upon and sends out the same number of communications as it receives. 
Of the total number of communications in groups 1 and 2 above, 19,875 are acted 
upon jointly by this and other divisions of The Adjutant General's Office, and 
all communications in group 3, namely, 13,200, are also acted upon jointly. 
Thus, of all communications handled in this division, 37 per cent are prepared 
or acted upon partly iu this and partly in other divisions. The other divisions 
acting on these communications are Correspondence and Examining, Miscel- 
laneous, Mail and Record, Rolls, Returns, Archives, Medical, and Administrative 
Divisions, and Tenth Street and Publication branches. The record cards for 
iill incoming communications acted upon by this division and all of these com- 
munications that are not sent out of the office are filed in the Mail and Record 
Division, 

The communications handled in this division may be divided into two classes, 
(1) requests for statements of service which are filed in the statement of service 
in- "green card" file. These communications include the first two groups 
reported by The Adjutant General's Office, namely, requests for military and 
anedical histories, and (2) communications which are filed in the regular 
correspondence of " white card " file. These are described in the report made 
by The Adjutant General's Office as " requests for miscellaneous-record informa- 
tion regarding individuals or organizations." 

(A. G. O. comment: The communications handled in the Regimental Records 
Division may, according to file on which recorded, be divided into three classes, 
viz: (1) Cases recorded in the statement-of-service (green-card) file, (2) cases 



APPENDIX II. 



445 



recorded on the regular correspondence (white-card) file, and (3) unrecorded 
communications: and according to nature of the communication may also be 
divided into three classes, viz: Into requests for (1) military history; (2) mili- 
tary and medical liistory; and (3) miscellaneous record information regarding 
individuals or organizations. 

The following table shows for each of these classes the estimated annual num- 
ber of communications handled in this division : 





State- 
ment of 
service 
file. 


Regular 
file. 


Unre- 
corded. 


Total. 


Requests for military histories 


46,534 
8,53.5 


21, 193 




67, 727 


Requests for military and medical histories 




8,535 


Requests for miscellaneous record information regarding indi- 




13,200 


13,200 








Total 


55,069 


21, 193 


13,200 


S9, 462 







Communications recordeii in the statement of service file include requests for 
statements of service made upon The Adjutant General's Office by the Com- 
missioner of Pensions, Auditor for the War Department, General Land Office, 
and Civil War associations. The larger part of the requests are received from 
the Commissioner of Pensions and Auditor for the War Department. These 
requests are made on especially prepared forms which were designed by those 
offices in cooperation with The Adjutant General's Office. These forms contain 
spaces Avhich are filled in by the office requesting the information, and which 
show the name, company, and regiment of the man whose history or description 
is sought. Additional spaces are provided for the use of The Adjutant 
General's Office in malving its statement of service. Requests for statement of 
service received from other sources are made in the form of letters, the I'eplies 
to which are either indorsed on the letters or on a form wliieh is attached to 
the letter. Printed indorsement forms are provided for tlie preparation of 
replies. 

All communications recorded in the statement of service file are accompanied 
with green record cards when received in tlie Regimental Records Division. 
Difl'erent forms of record cards are provided for recording the different classes 
of requests for statement of service handled in the Regimental Records Divi- 
sion. These cards have printed titles showing the author or source and the 
purport of the communication and in some cases the name of the war in which 
service was performed. Four forms of green record cards are used for record- 
ing inquiries from the auditor's office, eight forms for inquiries from the Com- 
missioner of Pensions, one for inquiries from tlie General Laud Office, and one 
for inquiries from other sources. It sometimes occurs that a case which 
was first handled as a statement of service file case (green record card) is 
transferred to the regular correspondence file (white record card). 

The statement of service cases, accompanied with green record cards, are 
sent to the Regimental Records Division dii'ectly from the ]\Iail and Record 
Division. 

Regular correspondence file communications acted on by this division ore 
desci'ibed in the report made by The Adjutant General's Office to this commis- 
sion as " requests for miscellaneous record information regarding individuals 
or organizations." (See A, G. O. comment above.) This class of correspond- 
ence includes specified classes of requests for statements of service, together 



446 REPORTS OF COMMISSIOlSr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

with applications from former enlisted men for certificates of discharge, appli- 
■cations from former enlisted men for removal of charges of desertion, and other 
tommuuications requiring information from the military records in order to 
prepare replies. The requests for statements of service which are recorded 
and filed in the regular correspondence file include requests from members of 
€ongress, Comptroller of the Treasury, Civil Service Commission, State ofiicials, 
associations and societies, together with any request which may involve 
the interpretation of any law or regulation or may involve any complications 
in the preparation of replies. All requests for statements of service of men In 
the Revolutionary War are also recorded as regular correspondence file cases. 

All communications belonging to the regular correspondence file which are 
acted on by this division are accompanied with white record cards when re- 
ceived. The file searchers enter the requested information on the record cards, 
and the communications with record cards attached are than returned to the 
division which called upon the Regimental Records Division for information 
nnd which will prepare the reply. Several different forms of white record cards 
are used and samples of these are submitted as exhibits accompanying the 
reports for the Correspondence and Examining and other divisions requesting 
information from the Regimental Records Division. 

Communications of this class, i. e., belonging to the regular correspondence 
file, are received in the Regimental Records Division from Correspondence and 
Examining, Miscellaneous, and Returns Division. 

PRINTING FORMS, ENVELOPES, JACKETS, ETC. 

One of the clerks of this division is employed in printing forms for emergent 
-or temporary use and room numbers or other addresses on mail jackets, en- 
velopes, etc., for all divisions of The Adjutant General's Otfice. This work 
is done by use of rubber type set in a hand frame or holder. The printing of 
these forms, etc., is no more closely connected with the other work of this divi- 
sion than with the work of other divisions, and the men employed on the print- 
ing is assigned to this division for administrative reasons. 

Methods of Conducting Work. 

administration. 

In connection with the supervision of personal services, each employee is re- 
quired to prepare a daily time and work report, on the standard form used 
throughout The Adjutant General's Office. Each employee in the Regimental 
Records Division reports on this form the total time actually employed, and the 
time employed and the quantity of work performed on the following activities : 

1. Statements of service prepared. 

2. Statements of service, supplemental. 

3. Searches made. 

4. Papers filed. 

5. Papers withdrawn from files. 

6. Reports made (on correspondence record cards). 

7. Special worlc. 

(a) Papers examined. 

(6) Names slipped from papers. 

(c) Names indexed. 

The first six titles are printed on the standard form of report, while the title 
'special work" and its subdivisions are stamped on the standard forms for 
the special use of the Regimental Records Division. The caption " Papers ex- 
amined " refers to the number of regimental papers which have been examined 



APPENDIX 11. 447 

and rearranged according to the subject matter of the papers. The title 
■" JS'anies slipped" refers to the number of names copied from the regimental 
papers onto sheets of paper in connection with the work of preparing indexes 
lo the regimental papers. The sheets of paper containing the copied names 
are cut into strips which are assembled alphabetically by names. These slips 
are then used in the preparation of the index of the regimental papers. The 
title " Names indexed " refers to the number of names copied from these slips 
•onto the index forms. These reports are submitted to the head of the division. 
A daily report of absentees is rendered by the man in charge of the division 
to the chief clerk of The Adjutant General's Office. Whenever an employee is 
late, he must submit a written explanation of the cause of tardiness. 

In connection with the supervision of work in progress, the head of the' 
division prepares a statement of the daily assignment of clerks, showing the 
number of cases assigned for search to each man in the division. This sheet 
cont'.ins the names of the employees, a column for entering the number of 
cases in the hands of each employee at 9 a. m., and another column for en- 
tering cases as they are assigned during the day. 

A memorandum or table of cases on hand at specified hours is kept by 
the head of the division or by some one designated by him. This memo- 
randum shows the number of cases on hand in each of the 10 substations 
throughout the division at each hour from 9 a. m. to 1 p. m. and at each 
Isalf hour from 1.30 p. m. to 4 p. m. A column is also provided for showing 
the number of congressional cases on hand. This memorandum is used by 
the head of the division to determine the quantity of work at each sub- 
division and to show the points where additional men are needed and where 
men can be spared. 

A division daily report of work performed is submitted to The Adjutant 
General's Office by the chief of the division. This report is a summary of 
the employees' daily time and work reports and shows the number of cases 
disposed of under the same headings as used on the employees' reports. The 
division report also contains a summary of the number of cases on hand, 
received, and disposed of for the day, and the number of clerks present for 
duty and the number absent. 

A division daily report of cases on hand at close of work is submitted by 
the head of the division for all cases which " have been one or more working 
days in the office." This report shows the serial number of each case so held, 
the date of its receipt in office, desk number, and status. The report is sub- 
mitted to the " tally clerk " in the Mail and Recoi'd Division. 

SEARCHING FILES AND PREPARING STATEMENTS OF MILITARY SERVICE. 

All incoming communications are received in the office of the chief of the 
division, where they are assigned to employees for search of records. 

The Adjutant General's Office requires that an inquiry for information con- 
cerning military service state, if known, the regiment and company in which 
the man served. As has been described, the cards containing the record of 
service are arranged alphabetically by organizations. It is thus easy to locate 
in the files the records of any man who was in the Volunteer service, if his 
organization is known. 

When the jacket containing the desired record is found, it is temporarily 
withdrawn from the file and a personal charge card is inserted. Each file 
clerk or searcher has a supply of these cards with his name printed thereon. 
The file clerk while working in the files enters the requested information 
(a) directly on the incoming communication, if the request is made on one 
of the forms used by the Pension Office or Auditor for the War Department 



448 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

and provided with spaces for the reply; (b) oii a form especially provided for 
giving information concerning military service in reply to requests for the 
same; or (c) on the record card accompanying the incoming communication. 

The file clerlv then enters on the flap of the file jacket a record of the request 
for information. If the communication containing the request is recorded in 
the statement of service file, the entry on the file jacket contains the letter 
" S," indicating statement of service, together with the serial number of the 
communication, the abbreviation or initials of the ofiice making the request, and. 
in Pension Office cases, an abbreviation or initials indicating the class of infor- 
mation desired. If the communication containing the request is recordetl 
in the regular correspondence file, the entry on the file jacket contains the 
letters "A. G.," together with the serial number of the communication. An 
illustration of the first class of entry is as follows : 

" S. 3067156 P. O., M." 

This entry indicates that information has been furnished from the records 
in reply to a request contained in a statement of service communication, 
numbered 3067156, received from the Pension Office and requesting a statement 
of military service. 

Entry is made on the corresj)ondence record card of the action taken, as 
" statement made." This entry is usually made in abbreviated form. 

If an entry on the flap of the file jacket .shows that a prior request from 
the same source has been made for the same information, the communication 
is answered by giving a reference to the date of the earlier request. 

Of the cases handled in this division, 37 per cent require joint action by this 
and other divisions, either in the search of records for information or in the 
drafting of the reply. The other divisions acting jointly with this division 
in the search of records are the Archives Divison, Medical Division, Returns 
Division, and the Tenth Street branch. Statement of service cases received 
from the Pension Office, Auditor's Office, Land Office, and Commissary Gen- 
eral's Office and some cases from individuals which involve the history of men 
in the Volunteer Armies of the Civil War, Indian Wars, and War with Mexico, 
are first referred to the Regimental Records Division for search of its records 
and, if necessary, this division refers them to other divisions. The other cases 
handled in this division are usually referred to it by some other divisions to 
which the cases are first referred upon their receipt in The Adjutant General's 
Office and which takes final action on them. 

In cases handled jointly by Regimental Records and Archives or Returns Divi- 
sions the Regimental Records Division enters its data on a specially prepared 
form or on the accompanying correspondence record card and forwards to the 
other division acting on the case. In cases handled jointly by the Regimental 
Records and Medical Divisions the former division enters such iufoiunation as 
it may have concerning the military service on the fonn of record card and 
forwards the case to the Medical Division, together with any papers filed in the 
Regimental Records files which have a bearing on the medical history of the 
case. The Medical Division uses these papers, together with its own files, in 
preparing the medical history, and then returns the papers loaned by the Regi- 
mental Records Division to that division. In most cases handled jointly by 
Regimental Records Division and Tenth Street branch the case is referred to 
the latter office, with the request made on the record card that "all cards be 
furnished." The cards requested contain military records, and, as previously 
explained, are transferred to the Regimental Records files as rapidly as occa- 
sion arises to consult them. About 2,600 calls for cards are made upon the 
Tenth Street branch each month, and about 10,000 cards are received monthly 
from that office in answer to these calls. 



APPENDIX II. 449 

In referring cases to other divisions for action, sometimes tlie ease itself 
shows clearly what action should be taken by those divisions, and no requests 
or suggestions are made. In other cases requests or suggestions are written on 
the correspondence card indicating the action to be taken or the information to 
be furnished by the other divisions. 

Special forms are used by the Regimental Records Division in referring to the 
Mail and Record Division (a) any case in which it is discovered that the brief 
on the record card contains a different name or organization f^;'om that shown 
in the communication and (6) any case in which it is discovered that the 
brief of the purport of the incoming communication as given on the record card 
Ip incomplete. 

If a case is returned to the Regimental Records Division for correction, the 
chief of that division attaches to the case a special form on which is indicated 
that part of the statement requiring correction. One of these forms is used for 
each man who searches the records for information, and the name of the 
searcher is written at the top of the card. The form constitutes a record of the 
cases handled by each man which are returned for correr,tion. 

Upon completion of a search of the files, the case is put in the proper box for 
collection by the five-minute messenger service. There are 10 stations in this 
division from which mail is collected by the messenger service. From any one 
of these stations a completed case may be forwarded to the next division which 
is to handle it. 

Organization. 

This division contains 26 employees, one of whom acts as the chief of divi- 
sion. All men in this division are under the immediate supervision of the chief 
of division, or, in his absence, under the supervision of his assistant. The num- 
ber of men at each salary grade is as follows : 

Clerks of class 4 3 

Clerks of class 3 3 

Clerks of class 2 11 

Clerks of class 1 9 

The files are divided into nine subdivisions or sections each of which is in 
charge of a clerk known as an " in-box clerk." Each of these clerks furnishes 
information in response to requests which pertain to his particular section of 
the files and his duties are confined to this work. In addition to these file 
men who work in only designated portions of the files, there are eight " general 
searchers " who search any part of the files required by the cases which they 
may handle. Five men are employed partly as general searchers and partly on 
other kinds of work, and two men are assigned to special work. The number of 
men at each salary grade assigned to each class of work as reported on May 22, 
1912, is shown in the following statement : 

1. Chief of division, Mr. H. A. Johnson Clerk, class 4 

2. Assistant to chief of division Clerk, class 4 

3. " In-box clerks," assigned to specified section of the files 1 clerk, class 3 

6 clerks, class 2 
2 clerks, class 1 

4. General searchers 1 clerk, class 3 

1 clerk, class 2 
6 clerks, class 1 
(Note.— Three of the general searchers of class 1 are used as suhstitute 
" in-box " clerks.) 

72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 29 



450 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

5. General searchers devoting part time to special work : 

(a) General searcher at present employed in indexing 

regimental records 1 clerk, class 3 

(&) General searcher, with special work of handling 
memoranda from other divisions requesting in 
formation 1 clerk, class 9 

(c) General searcher, with special work of correcting 

any errors found in records 1 clerk, class 2 

(d) General searcher, with special work of handling re- 

quests for information to be used in making inscrip- 
tions on headstones 1 clerk, class 2 

(e) General searcher, with special work of filing all 

cards received from Tenth Street branch 1 clerk, class 1 

.6. In charge of files of personal papers and regimental papers- 1 clerk, class 4 
7. Printing, by use of hand type, forms, envelopes, packets, etc., 

for all divisions 1 clerk, class 2 

With respect to the number of employees assigned to this division and the 
quantity of work to be performed, the chief of the division stated that overtime 
work is seldom required now but was frequently necessary until about a 
year ago. 



p. STATEMENT OF THE LOCATION, WORK, METHODS, ORGANIZATION, EQTTIP. 
MENT, AND EXPENSE OF THE ARCHIVES DIVISION OF THE ADJUTANT 
GENERAL'S OFFICE. 

I. Location. 

This division occupies 26 rooms and part of 10 rooms in the State, War, and 
Navy Building and a part of the fifth floor of the building at 610 Seventeenth 
Street NW. The location of the rooms in the State, War, and Navy Building 
occupied by the Archives Division is as follows : 

Subbasement rooms: Wholly occupied, none; partly occupied, 2. Basement 
rooms: Wholly occupied, 5; partly occupied, 3. Fourth floor rooms: Wholly 
occupied, 12 ; partly occupied, 1. Fifth floor rooms : Wholly occupied, 8 ; partly 
occupied, 3. Sixth floor rooms : Wholly occupied, 1 ; partly occupied, 1. 

These rooms are used for files of records and documents, for the accommoda- 
tion of the employees who have the custody of and make searches of the records 
and documents, and for storing cases of unpacked records and documents. The 
Archives Division is divided into five sections, each of which has charge of a 
group of records. The location of these sections and of the records in their 
custody is as follows : 



Name of section and of files. 


Room number. 


1 


(d) Files of battle reports and miscellaneous papers 


495. 




(ft) Files of records of Revolutionary War and of War of 1812.. 

(_r.} Files of papers rplnf ing to hnnntips and fn f^l^ims . . 


497, 501 (in part). 
491, 493, 559 (in part). 


?, 


Records of Discontinued Commands 


444, 446, 447, 448, 456, 457, 458, 459, 549, 


Z 


Enrollment Records : 


562, 652, 044 (in part), 047 (in part), 
30-31 (in part), 34 (in part), 44 (in 
part), 450 (in part), 659 (in part), 560 
(in part). 

547, 550, 551, 553, 556, 653 (in part). 

450 (in part), 559 (in part), part of the 
fifth floor of building at 610 Seven- 
teenth Street NW. 

90, 92, 94, 96, 98, 603. 


4 


Prisoner of War Records 


f, 


Confederate Archives 









APPENDIX II. 451 

The chief of the division is located in room 495 aud the assistant to the chief 
of division in room 493. 

The room numbers indicate the floor as well as the number of the room, viz : 
Subbasement room numbers have zero for the first figure, basement room 
numbers have only tvpo figures, and the first figure of all other numbers indi- 
cates the floor number. 

The above list shovps that the rooms occupied by the discontinued commands 
section are widely separated, and the same is true of the rooms occupied by 
the prisoner of war records section. The former section has cases of records 
stored in the subbasement, files of records in the basement and on the fourth, 
fifth, and sixth floors of the State, War, aud Navy Building. The prisoner of 
vpar records section has files on the fourth and fifth fioors of the State, War, 
and Navy Building and on the fifth fioor of the building at 610 Seventeenth 
Street NW. 

II. Functions and Wokk. 

The functions of this division consist of (a) the custody of records and (&) 
furnishing information from records in response to requests received from other 
branches of The Adjutant General's Office. 

CUSTODY OF RECORDS. 

The records filed in this division and the sections in charge of these records 
are as follows: 

A. In charge of the assistant chief of division: 

1. Revolutionary War: Rolls, returns, lists, and other papers. 

2. War of 1812 : Rolls, returns, and other papers. 

3. Civil War : Papers relating to bounties, pay, and claims. 

B. In charge of discontinued commands section : 

4. Mexican War : Letters, reports, returns, and other papers. 

5. Civil War : Records of discontinued commands ( including records 

of the military divisions, departments, districts, armies, corps, 
brigades, and posts). 

6. Records of military districts during reconstruction period (consist- 

. ing of telegrams, letters, orders, circulars, reports, and other 
papers). 

7. Records of the bureau of refugees, freedmen and abandoned 

lands, and of the freedmen's branch of The Adjutant General's 
Office. These records consist of letters, circulars, vouchers, and 
miscellaneous papers relating to disbursements, returns, reports, 
lists, and other papers. 

8. Records of the Secretary's office. Correspondence records of the 

office of the Secretary of War from 1800 to 1866. 

9. Records of the War with Spain and the Philippine Insurrection. 

These records consist of telegrams, letters, reports, orders, cir- 
culars, returns, and other papers. 
10. Records of discontinued posts and other discontinued military 
commands. 
0. In charge of Enrollment Section : 

11. Civil War: Records of the Provost Marshal General's Bureau (in- 
cluding records of superintendents of volunteer recruiting serv- 
ice, mustering officers, acting assistant provost marshals general, 
boards of emolument, draft rendezvous, and collecting, drilling, 
and organizing volunteers. 



452 KEPORTS OF COMMISSION" ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

D. In charge of Prisoners of War Records Section : 

12. Civil War: Prisoners of War Records (including records of the 

Office of the Comissary General of Prisoners). 

E. In charge of Confederate Archives Section : 

13. Confederate Archives (Confederate War Department records and 

some records of other departments of the Confederate States 
Government). These records consist of muster rolls, returns, 
telegrams, letters, orders, circulars, vouchers, and miscellaneous 
papers relating to disbursements, reports, lists, and other papers. 

The Archives Division has adopted certain practices in the care of records 
which are general throughout the division and which may be stated as follows : 

(a) Each file room has an index of the records contained therein. This 
index is kept in the room in which it belongs. 

(&) The only persons permitted to withdraw from, or return to, the files the 

original records are the employees of the section in which the records are filed. 

• (c) Such efforts are made to extend and improve the indexes to records, and 

to take other means to make the record information more available, as the 

chief of the division or the section chief directs. 

(d) Records are being rebound at the Seventeenth Street branch. The 
object of rebinding is twofold : First, to preserve the records ; and, second, to 
gain space by binding several old record books together and eliminating blank 
pages. 

All original records of the Revolutionary War are in the custody of this 
division. The records (other than books) are filed in jackets which are ar- 
ranged by States and military organizations, so far as the records relate to 
military organizations. Miscellaneous records not relating to military organi- 
zations are numbered and filed in jackets and are indexed by subjects. The 
muster rolls of troops in the Revolutionary War have been carded and the cards 
are filed in the Regimental Records Division. The original records are seldom 
consulted. 

All original records of the War of 1812 are in the custody of this division. 
These records, other than books, are filed in document files arranged by States 
and military organizations so far as the records are those of such organizations. 
The regimental records have been carded, the cards being filed in the Tenth 
Street branch. The original records for this war are seldom consulted. 

The records of the War with Mexico include all original records of volunteers 
in this war, excepting regimental and personal papers which are filed in the 
Regimental Records Division. These original records are seldom consulted. 

The Civil War records of Union troops, as shown by the list given above, are 
divided among four sections, and the Confederate records are assigned to a fifth 
section. 

The Civil War records relating to bounties, pay, and claims, include a large 
variety of books and papers, such as records relating to claims for collecting, 
drilling, and organizing volunteers ; commutation papers ; records of the disburs- 
ing branch of the Provost Marshal General's Office relating to accounts and dis- 
bursements of the Provost Marshal General's Bureau (or Department) ; vouch- 
ers for advance pay and bounty paid by mustering and disbursing officers; 
records of Board of Claims and of Claims Commission ; file of rejected claims ; 
files of correspondence up to the year 1889 with correspondence record books; 
files of property returns, etc. A complete index of the classes of records is kept 
with the records. The records are systematically arranged — those pertaining 
to military organizations being arranged by States and organizations, or alpha- 
betically by names of mustering and disbursing officers; and those pertaining 



APPENDIX II. 453 

to the disbursing branch of the Provost Marshal General's Office being arranged 
by " disbursing divisions " or by States and congressional districts. 

The records of discontinued commands of the Civil War fill two entire rooms 
and parts of six other rooms "on the fourth floor of the State, War, and Navy 
Building. These records include only those relating to posts, brigades or higher 
commands, and are arranged by military divisions, departments, armies, corps, 
and brigades. So-called " Station books " are kept in the office of the chief of 
the discontinued commands section for the purpose of showing the several 
brigades, corps, armies, etc., in which each regiment served throughout the Civil 
War. In these " Station books " the regiments are arranged by States. These 
books constitute a general regimental index to the records of discontinued com- 
mands of the Civil War. The section chief also keeps an index of the names 
of men court-martialed during the Civil War, the names being arranged by 
States and military organizations. An index of many military subjects upon 
which the records contain information is kept in the section chief's office. In 
addition to these general indexes, each file room has an index or set of index 
books containing titles of the subject matter in, and the dates covered by, the 
records in that room. 

No detailed description of the remainder of the records in the discontinued 
commands section is necessary. For the most part, these records are sys- 
tematically arranged in the files and are indexed by rooms. Some of the 
records of the War with Spain, of the Philippine Insurrection, and of discon- 
tinued posts in the Philippines and Cuba are stored in the packing cases in 
which received. Lists of the contents of these boxes are kept in the office of 
the chief of section. 

The records of the Provost Marshal General's Bureau, which pertain to en- 
rollment and draft, and to recruiting, enlisting, and organizing, volunteers, are 
filed in the enrollment section. These records comprise many classes, which are 
listed in an index book in the office of the section chief. The records are filed 
by States and congressional districts. Most of the records are in such condi- 
tion that the record of a man can be found, provided the State and congressional 
district in which he enlisted or was drafted for service are known. About 
one-half of the old records of the Provost Marshal General's Bureau are ade- 
quately indexed, so that a man's record may be found even though the congres- 
sional district in which he enlisted or was drafted is not known. The records 
of enlistments, drafted men, etc., in the congressional districts differ greatly 
in form, content, and completeness, thus adding materially to the difficulty of 
procuring information from the records. 

The prisoner of war records include records of both Federal and Confederate 
prisoners. These records include: 

(a) Files of letters. 

(&) Correspondence records. 

(c) Rolls of "arrivals" of prisoners at Federal camps and prisons. 

(d) Rolls of "dispositions" of prisoners. 

(e) Clothing account. 

(/) Records of commutation for rations. 

(g) Records of money and valuables taken from prisoners. 

An index has been prepared to show the books and documents in the file of 
prisoners of war records. Some of the records are indexed so as to show the 
names contained therein. A record card or slip has been prepared for each 
Federal or Confederate prisoner whose name appears on the records. The cards 
or slips of volunteer Union troops who were taken prisoners are filed in the 
Regimental Records Division in the file of military record cards, and the cards 
of Confederates who were taken prisoners are filed in the Tenth Street branch. 



454 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The Confederate archives are arranged by classes of records and by States. 
Each room is furnished with an index of the records filed therein. An alpha- 
betical card index of all soldiers whose names appear in the muster rolls and 
returns was prepared many years ago. This index gives merely the reference 
to the record on which the soldier's name appears. It will be superseded by 
the card records which are now being prepared at the Tenth Street branch and 
which will show the military service of each Confederate soldier for whom a 
record can be found. The Archives Division forwards the Confederate records 
to the Tenth Street branch for carding as rapidly as they are needed. After 
the preparation of the cards the original records are returned to the Archives 
Division while the record cards are filed at Tenth Street. 

FURNISHING INFORMATION FROM RECORDS. 

Information is furnished from the records in answer to, first, informal 
requests made by other divisions of The Adjutant General's Office and other 
branches of the War Department; and, second, written communications from 
outside sources referred to the Archives Division for action. 

The informal requests are few in number and require but a very small 
amount of the time of the employees of the division. At the present time 
representatives of several Southern States are making jjhotographic copies 
of some of the original records in the custody of this division. This work 
throws upon the Archives Division the work of listing, withdrawing, checking, 
and refiling such records as are desired for copying. It is estimated that the 
work of the Archives Division incidental to answering informal requests and 
to handling records which are being copied would in the aggregate require not 
to exceed one-half of the time of one clerk. 

Furnishing information requested in written communications is the most 
important work of the Archives Division. The Adjutant General's Office re- 
ports that approximately 18,000 written requests for information are annually 
received in this division. Each of these communications requires a search 
to be made in the original records. This division does not prepare replies 
to any communications, but forwards all received communications, together 
with the results of the search of the records, to some other division which 
prepares the replies. With respect to furnishing information for the prepara- 
tion of replies, this division acts jointly with other divisions on all cases, 
i. e., no cases are acted upon exclusively by the Archives Division. 

The Adjutant General's Office reports the communications acted upon by 
this division as consisting of two classes, namely, (1) requests for statements 
of military service, amounting to 4,000 cases annually; and (2) requests for 
other record information, amounting to 14,000 cases annually. 

The 4,000 military service cases consist of those requests for statements 
of service which can not be adequately answered from the military record 
cards on file in other divisions of the office. This number constitutes about 
3 per cent of the total number of requests for statements of military service 
received by The Adjutant General's Office. These cases include (a) prisoner 
of war cases, averaging about 10 cases daily; (6) service cases requiring 
reference to the records of the Provost Marshal General's Office, which show 
the history of men from the time they were enrolled up to the time their 
names appear on muster rolls and other records of active service; (c) cases 
involving data concerning advance pay and bounties, averaging about 20 cases 
a month; (d) cases involving the payment of bounties to deserters; and (e) 
other involved cases of military service which require reference to original 



APPENDIX II. 455 

records and uocaments. All of these 4,000 cases are recorded on the green. 
or statement of service, record cards. 

The 14,000 communications classified as requests for " other record informa- 
tion " may be divided into the following subclasses: {{a) Requests for infor- 
mation to be used in connection with military histories of officers and men. 
These cases are recorded on the white record cards and are treated as general 
correspondence, for the reason that they involve some complications in the 
preparation of the replies. The. subject matter of these communications is 
closely allied to that of communications recorded on the green record cards. 
About three-fourths of the 14,000 communications requesting other record in- 
formation are in this subclass. (6) Inquiries from the Civil Service Commis- 
sion requesting information concerning former oflicers and enlisted men. 

(c) Inquiries from the Court of Claims and from other sources requesting 
information which may have a bearing on claims against the Government. 

(d) Inquiries requesting information on the loyalty of persons to the Federal 
Government, (e) Cases involving the record of civil employees of the Provost 
Marshal General's Ofiice. (/) Requests for information on the service of 
officers and men in the Confederate Army, (g) Requests from individuals 
for historical and statistical data for private purposes. About 300 requests of 
this nature are received annually. They differ from subclasses a to /, in that 
the latter pertain to some phase of public or governmental business. 

Methods of Conducting Work. 

administration. 

The methods employed in the supervision of employees and the reports and 
records used in connection therewith are similar to those described for the Regi- 
mental Record and other divisions of the office. The reports include the 
(a) employee's daily time and work report, (6) employee's explanation of 
cause of tardiness, and (c) chief of division's daily report of absentees. In 
connection with the supervision of work, several reports of work performed 
and of work in hand are made. Bach section chief prepares a daily statement 
of work performed which is submitted to the chief of division, who in turn 
prepares a consolidated statement for the whole division and submits it to the 
Administrative Division. The chief of division submits to the tally clerk a 
daily report of cases on hand at close of work. 

METHODS USED IN FURNISHING INFORMATION FROM RECORDS. 

The communications handled in this division are acted upon jointly by it and 
some other division of The Adjutant General's Office. Each division in for- 
warding communications to the Archives Division sends them to that section 
which, in the opinion of the forwarding division, can furnsh the requested in- 
formation. There are five rooms in the Archives Division in which mail is 
received from other divisions, namely : 

1. Office of chief of division. 

2. Discontinued Commands section. 

3. Enrollment section. 

4. Prisoners of War Records section. 

5. Confederate Archives section. 

The divisions which refer the largest number of communications to the 
Archives Division are the following : 

1. Correspondence and Examining Division. 

2. Mail and Record Division. 

3. Regimental Records Division. 

4. Tenth Street branch. 



456 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Communications are also referred to the Archives Division from the following 
divisions : 

5. Administrative. 

6. Medical. 

7. Miscellaneous. 

8. Orders. 

9. Publication. 

10. Returns. 

11. Rolls. 

It is necessary for the employees in these divisions, who handle cases which 
may be sent to the Archives Division, to be informed as to the number of the 
room to which the communications should be sent for a report. 

As communications are received in these sections, the section chiefs assign 
them to clerks for a search of the records. The chiefs of the Discontinued 
Commands section and the Confederate Archives section devote a larger part 
of their time to supervisory and review work and a smaller part of their time 
to searching records for requested information than do the chiefs of the other 
'sections enumerated. 

The communications as received in this division are always accompanied by 
record cards, which are utilized for recording requests for, or instructions con- 
cerning, the information which the Archives Division is requested to furnish 
and for recording the results of the search of other answers to the request. 
The " Statements of military service " cases are accompanied by green record 
cards. These cases are received in the Archives Division mainly from the 
Regimental Records Division, which has entered on the record card a request 
for the particular class of information desired. Only such military service 
cases of the Regimental Records Division are referred to the Archives Divi- 
sion, as that division has been unable to satisfactorily handle by reference 
to the military-record cards in its custody. These cases are referred to the 
Archives Division on the supposition that an examination of the records of that 
division will produce some information not shown on the records of the Regi- 
mental Records Division. 

The communications classified in the report of The Adjutant General as 
" Requesting other record information " are accompanied with white record 
cards. In some of these cases the communication itself indicates the class of 
information which is sought from the Archives Division. In such cases the 
only entry made on the record card by the division forwarding the communica- 
tion is "Archives Division, for report." In other cases a definite call for par- 
ticular information is entered on the record card by the division forwarding 
the communication to the Archives Division. In all cases the searcher must 
refer to the communication itself and he can not rely solely upon the brief 
request entered on the record card. 

Upon receiving a case for a search, a clerk consults, if necessary, the general 
Indexes in the ofl3ce of the chief of the section which show the rooms in which 
the several classes of records ai'e located. Most of the clerks in this division 
are so thoroughly familiar with the files that in practice they seldom need to 
refer to the indexes in order to learn the room in which the desired record is 
located. The clerk next consults the " room indexes." These show in some 
detail the subject matter and the dates covered by the records filed in each 
room. Reference to these indexes is necessary to ascertain what records to 
search for the information requested. In some cases individual record books 
are adequately indexed. In these cases it is a simple matter to ascertain 
whether the record contains the desired information. In other cases, where 
the individual record book is not adequately indexed, a search consuming sev- 



APPENDIX II. 457 

eral hours may be made in the effort to locate the desired information. The 
extent to which records are indexed has been more fully stated in the previous 
section of this report describing the functions of this division. 
f::Upon completing the search of the records, the clerk enters on the record card 
such information as he has found v^hich has a bearing on the inquiry. Excep- 
tions to this general practice occur under tvpo conditions. First, if a consid- 
erable quantity of record information is requested, the clerk withdraws the 
original records from the file and forwards them to the division requesting the 
information, and makes an entry on the record card indicating this fact. In 
such a case the clerk who has searched the files places in the record book slips 
of paper indicating the portion of the record which is to be copied. A charge 
card is placed in the file whenever a record is withdrawn to be sent out of the 
room in which it belongs. Second, if the communication consists of a request, 
statement-of-service (or green slip) case, from the Auditor for the War De- 
partment for information concerning advanced pay or payment of bounty to an 
enlisted man, the information found upon searching the records is entered upon 
the printed form which the auditor used in making his request upon The 
Adjutant General's Ofiice. In this latter case the Archives Division sends the 
form letter containing the indorsed reply to the examining section of the Mail 
and Record Division for review. The communication is then returned to the 
auditor. This class of communications is, however, very small, not exceeding 
20 per month. 

The time required for making a search of the records varies greatly because 
of the following factors: 

1. The definiteness with which the request is made ; that is, the inclusion or 
omission of such information as will expedite the location of the record con- 
taining the desired information, such as the military organization and the 
period in which service was performed. 

2. The amount of information requested. The amount varies from a brief 
statement concerning the military history of an enlisted man up to a volumi- 
nous report on some military subject. For example: The investigating and 
reporting upon the claim of the State of Texas for reimbursement for moneys 
expended in defense of the State against Mexican marauders and Indian depre- 
dations, 1855-1861, recently consumed the clerical time of this division approxi- 
mately equivalent to 36 days' time of a clerk. Any case, regardless of its 
extensiveness, is treated as only one unit in the court of cases. 

3. The condition of the particular records which must be searched. If these 
are adequately indexed, the work of making a search can be performed in a 
fraction of the time necessary if the records have not been adequately indexed. 

The usual practice is to assign one nian to a case, but exceptions are made 
in some cases calling for very extended searches of the records. The only 
class of cases which are regularly divided up among several searchers are the 
so-called " Loyalty cases," which are handled in the Confederate Archives 
section. There are 21 classes of records which -must be searched in order to 
make a complete report on loyalty cases. In handling these cases a printed list 
of the classes of records is used. The clerk to whom the case is originally 
assigned takes up the first class of records on this list, and other clerks who 
may be assigned to the case take up subsequent classes of records in the order 
given on the printed list. The serial number of the loyalty case is entered at 
the top of this list, and each clerk enters his initials opposite that class of 
records which he has searched. 

It is the practice of the chief of the Archives Division to keep in touch with 
the work in progress in the several sections by personally visiting them. If 
he finds that the work of a section is falling behind, additional men are tern- 



458 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

porarily transferred to that section from some other section. Such a tempo- 
rary transfer is most frequently made to the Prisoners of War Records sec- 
tion. This is nominally a section, but in reality only one clerk in the 
Archives Division is now engaged in furnishing information from the records 
of prisoners of war. The volume of work is not greater than one clerk can 
handle, but a part of the records of prisoners of war are located in the State, 
War, and Navy Building, and the balance in the building at 610 Seventeenth 
Street. If a communication requires a search to be made in the records in 
the last-named building, the clerk regularly assigned to this work leaves his 
desk in the State, War, and Navy Building and goes to the building at 610 
Seventeenth Street. At such time a substitute is assigned temporarily to the 
work of the desk in addition to his own work. Four men in the division are 
used as " general utility men," in addition to performing certain regular 
duties. These are the -men who are temporarily transferred to those sections 
on which the work may be accumulating more rapidly than in other sections. 



IV. Organization. 

This division contains 19 employees. The names, 
tion assignment of these men are as follows : 



salaries, duties, and sec- 



Name. 


Nature of duties. 


Salary. 


1 W E Harley 


In charge of the division 


82, 000 


2. Edwin Williamson 


Assistant to chief of division and general utility man. Custody 
of bounty and claims records and searching and reporting from 
records. 


1,800 







DISCONTINUED COMMANDS SECTION. 



3. A. F. Getty 1.. 

4. J. E. Brooks.. 

5. W. M. Deck. . . 

6. W. F. Drown. 

7. M. B. Liehty.. 

8. J. C. Maxwell. 

9. H. Page 

10. R. Ullmer 



Section chief, Discontinued Commands Records 

Searching and reporting from records and general utility. 

do, '. 

do, 

Searching and reporting from records 

do 

do 

do 



$1,600 
1,600 
1,600 
1,600 
1,400 
1,400 
1,200 
1,200 



PRISONERS OF WAR RECORDS SECTION. 



11. B. D. Thomson. 



Custody of prisoners of war records and searching and reporting 
from records . 



CONFEDERATE ARCHIVES SECTION. 



12. Frank Jones. . . 

13. F.I. Hunter.. 

14. S.W.Smith... 

15. A. Dodge 

16. N. M. Macrae. 

17. F. G. Calvert. . 



18. S. Cottrell 

19. G. M. Marechal. 



Section chief, Confederate Archives section. 

Searching and reporting from records 

do 

do 

do 

Consolidating index cards 



ENROLLMENT SECTION. 



Searching and reporting from records. 
do 



Jl,800 
1,600 
1,400 
1,200 
1,200 
1,000 



$1,400 
1,000 



1 Mr. Salter died Aug. 10, 1910. 



APPENDIX II. • 459^ 

The total sahuy roll of the division is $27,800. As has been stated in the de 
scription of the functions of this division, the principal work is the furnishing 
of information from records. While the labor cost of handling individual cases 
varies greatly, the average cost of all cases acted on in this division is approxi- 
mately $1.50 for each case. 

G. STATEMENT OF THE LOCATION, WORK, METHODS, ORGANIZATION, AND EftTJIP. 
MENT OF THE TENTH STREET BRANCH OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'S 
OFFICE. 

This branch of The Adjutant General's Office consists of several separate 
units, each of w^hich is carrying on a distinct line of w^ork. These several 
units are brought together into one so-called " branch " more from accident than 
from any logical arrangement. These several units are no more closely con- 
nected vv^ith each other than they are vs^ith other parts of The Adjutant Gen- 
eral's Office. In fact, some of these units are much more closely connected 
in their work with divisions in the State, War, and Navy building than they 
are with other units of the Tenth Street branch. 

Because of the nature of the organization and work of the Tenth Street 
branch it has been found desirable to arrange this descriptive report in two 
main sections as follows: First, a description of the Tenth Street branch as a 
whole and of those things which may be considered as general or common to 
all subdivisions of the Tenth Street branch. Second, a description in detail 
of the funcitons, methods, personnel, etc., of each subdivision or section 
of the Tenth Street branch. 

General Description of the Tenth Street Branch. 
I. location. 

This branch occupies the entire old Ford Theater Building (511 Tenth Street) 
consisting of three large rooms, 68 feet by 100 feet, and an annex (509 Tenth 
Street) consisting of five rooms on three floors. This branch also has employees 
located in the Seventeenth Street building, and' the State, War, and Navy 
Building. 

The number of employees in each room or on each floor of the Tenth Street 
buildings and in each other building is as follows : 

Clerks on first floor, 511 Tenth Street ^_ 12 

Clerks on second floor, 511 Tenth Street 46 

Clerks on third floor, 511 Tenth Street 60 

Clerks on first floor, 509 Tenth Street 2 

Clerks in front room, second floor, 509 Tenth Street 1 

Clerks in back room, second floor, .509 Tenth Street 2 

Clerks in front room, third floor, 509 Tenth Street 

Clerks in back room, third floor, 509 Tenth Street 1 

Clerks at Seventeenth Street building occupied by Seventeenth Street 

branch 4 

Clerks in room 94 in State, War, and Navy Building occupied by Archives 

Division 1 

Engineer, assistant engineer, firemen, messengers, assistant messengers, 

watchmen, and laborers, including night and day force at 509-511 Tenth 

Street NW 19 

Laborers at Seventh and B Street building 1 

Total 149 

The second floor front room of the annex is occupied by the clerk in charge 
of the Tenth Street branch. 



460 KEPOKTS or COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

II. FUNCTIONS AND WOEK. 

The work of this branch consists of the following main classes : 

I. Furnishing statements of service from the records in its custody. 

The clerk in charge stated that there are about 45,000 statements of 
service furnished annually, but the aggregate of all incoming and out- 
going correspondence is about 153,000 annually. 

II. Examining, classifying, and filing finger-print identification records of the 
Regular Army. 

III. Eeproducing military and medical records by the index-record card 
system. 

IV. Custody of the following files : 

(a) The identification records of the Regular Army, consisting of exami- 
nation forms ; outline figure cards ; photographic and finger-print 
records (there are approximately 230,000 now on file). 

(6) All of the card records (648,785 individual record cards are on file) 
and personal papers of the Philippine insurrection (these are the 
individual records of 38,600 soldiers). 

(c) All of the card records and personal papers of the Spanish-American 

War Volunteers (personal records of 230,000 individual soldiers. 
About 2,300,000 card records on file). 

(d) Record cards of War of 1812. (Over 1,549,000 individual record cards 

constitute the record of 484,000 soldiers). 

(e) Card records of the Confederate States soldiers as far as they are 

complete (consisting of 6,635,000 individual record cards). This 
work is in the course of completion at the present time. 

(/) Approximately 3,500,000 record cards of the Civil War soldiers (Fed- 
eral). These are miscellaneous records that have not been collated 
or filed with individual cases on file in the Regimental Records 
Division. There are 3,276 file boxes with an average of 1,200 record 
cards to the box. 

(g) Special indexes of the Wars of the Revolution and 1812 (there is 
practically no work on these files, but they are kept up by this 
branch), 

V. Printing. The printing of forms, blanks, envelopes, etc., for all divisions 
of The Adjutant General's Office. 

III. ORGANIZATION. 

This branch has 144 employees, and is organized into the office of the clerk 
in charge, or administrative section, and into five work sections each of which 
is in charge of a section chief. The chief of section No. 1 is also given general 
supervision over the entire third fioor of the Tenth Street branch, on which 
are located sections 1, 2, and 3. The chief of section No. 4 is given general 
supervision over the second and first floors, on which are located sections 4 
and 5. The clerk in charge of the branch is Mr. Fred Van Vranken, and his 
assistant is Mr. Ernst Schmid, each of whom receives a salary of $1,800 per 
annum. 

Third floor, Mr. Yount in charge. 

1. Section 1 ; carding records. Mr. Yount in charge. 

2. Section 2; distributing record cards (after they are compared). Mr. 
Buckler in charge. 

3. Section 3; identification records. Mr. Kaye in charge. 



APPENDIX II. 461 

Second and first floors, Mr. Rosafy in charge. 

(The parts not marked as at Seventeenth Street or at room 94, or first floor, 
are on the second floor.) 

4, Section 4; Mr. Rosafy in charge. This section performs the following 
classes of work: 

a. Comparing military record cards with original records. 
6. Briefing military record card jackets. 

c. Examining jacketed military record cards for accuracy and completeness. 

d. Recording card numbers on jackets. 

e. Arranging and file numbering military card jackets. 

/. Making duplicate index cards for State and Consolidated Indexes. 

g. Searching and reporting from records. 

h. Printing (first floor), Mr. Dony in charge of printing. 

i. Examining and preparing records for carding ; making indexes of records 
for carding (at Seventeenth Street branch and at room 94, State, 
War, and Navy Building). Mr. Whitcomb in charge. 

5. Section 5 ; Mr. Lundy in charge. Revising indexes of records to be carded 
and preparing card forms. 

The number of employees at each salary is as follows: 

Clerical force. 

1 clerk of class 4, in charge of branch $1, 800 

4 clerks of class 4, with salaries aggregating 7, 200 

11 clerks of class 3, with salaries aggregating 17, 600 

16 clerks of class 2, with salaries aggregating 22, 400 

60 clerks of class 1, with salaries aggregating 72, 000 

32 clerks at $1,000 per annum, with salaries aggregating 32, 000 

Total salaries (clerical) $153,000 

Nonclerical employees. 

1 engineer and superintendent $1,650 

1 assistant engineer 900 

2 firemen at $720 each per annum_ 1, 440 

1 messenger 840 

8 assistant messengers ($720) 5,760 

3 watchmen ($720) 2,160 

4 laborers, unclassified ($660) 2,640 

Total salaries (nonclerical) 15,390 

Aggregate salaries, clerical and nonclerical 168, 390 

Methods of conducting work. 

In connection with the supervision of personal services, each employee is 
required to prepare a daily time and work report on blanks submitted herewith 
as appendixes. These blanks are turned in at the close of business each day 
to the clerk in charge of the section, who consolidates the individual reports on 
a blank, a copy of which is also submitted as an appendix hereto. This section 
report in turn is sent to the clerk in cliarge of branch, who consolidates the 
reports of the chiefs of sections on a form, a copy of which is hereto appended 
as an exhibit, which is sent to the chief clerk of The Adjutant General's Office. 
The report to the chief clerk also shows the number of cases on hand and 



462 BEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

received for the day, and the number of clerks present for duty and the 
number absent. 

A daily report of absentees is submitted by the clerk in charge of each section 
to the clerk in charge of the branch. Whenever an employee is late, he must 
submit a written explanation of the cause of tardiness. A form is provided for 
this purpose. 

A clerk in the office of the clerk in charge keeps a daily card report of every 
<;lerk in the branch, which shows the section in which said clerk works, his full 
name, salary, work performed each day, and in the case of carders, the per- 
centage of errors. This is consolidated at the end of six months to be used in 
considering the efficiency of the clerk. 

A report of cases on hand at close of day is prepared by the head of each 
section. This report shows the number of cases on hand in each of the sections 
throughout the branch. 

This branch has six deliveries of mail to and from the main office of The 
Adjutant General's Office each day and seven on Saturdays. The hours of 
<;ollection are as follows : 8.30 a. m., 10,10 a. m., 11.15 a. m., 1 p. m., 2.30 p. m., 
3.30 p. m. 

The wagon that calls for this mail also leaves such mail as may be sent to 
this branch from the main building. 

This branch also has a system of sending a messenger with any paper that 
is " immediate " or " special." The paper to be so delivered is given to the 
clerk in charge, by whom it is immediately dispatched by special messenger to 
Its proper destination. 

General equipment in the Tenth Street Ituilding. 

Heating a/nd lighting equipment. — These buildings are steam heated and are 
lighted by about three hundred and fifty 16 and 32 candlepower electric lights, 
which will total five hundred 16 candlepower. 

Files. — The file cases used at this branch are the Woodruff vertical wooden 
files. 

Telephones. — There are two telephones in this building, one being located on 
the desk of the clerk in charge, the other on the desk of the clerk in the 
adjoining room. 

Typewriters. — There are only two typewriters at this branch, one a second- 
hand No. 7 Eemington, the other an old model semicircular Hammond. 

Block and tacJcle. — ^A block and tackle is suspended from a beam in the center 
rear of the Ford Theater Building and is used to elevate or lower furniture, 
stationery, circulars, etc. 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EACH SECTION OF THE TENTH STREET BRANCH. 

Section I. — Carding records. ' 

Location. — This section occupies a part of the third floor of the old Ford 
Theater Building. Mr. Tount is the clerk is charge. 

Functions. — The function of this section is the carding of records; 1. e., the 
preparing of index-record cards from original records. 

Methods. — After the records have been prepared for carding by the index 
section on the second floor the cards printed for each particular roll, the records 
iind printed blanks are sent to the carding section on the third floor, as required 
for carding. The rolls for an entire regiment or organization are usually 
received at one time, the records being in permanent office file boxes. An index 
of the organization on which each record is specifically noted accompanies cards 
and records. A careful examination is then made; and if the cards are found 



APPENDIX II. 



463 



correct, they are arranged for carding. There are usually several different 
forms of printed blank cards for each organization, and on each package of 
cards is put the number of the corresponding roll, and also a " model " card, to 
guide the copyist (carder). The records are then entered on a "blotter," from 
which they are issued for carding, and the date of issue and final date of comple- 
tion are noted thereon. When the carding of an entire organization has been com- 
pleted the cards, records, and index are returned to the index section on the sec- 
ond floor. After having been compared they are returned to the copyist for any 
necessary correction, after which they are again returned to the index section. 

The copyist makes a report of work each day, showing the hours on duty 
and the number of record cards made. From these reports a daily consolidated 
report is made showing number of clerks on duty, nature of duty, total number 
of record cards made, and the average of the section, which is forwarded daily 
to the Administrative Division. In addition to preparing the report above 
referred to, the clerk in charge of the section is required to give a constant 
oversight to the wotk. He decides doubtful entries, deciphers faded and muti- 
lated records, etc., as the work progresses. He also has general supervision of 
the force and work of the entire third floor, makes a daily report of absentees, 
preserves order and discipline, and performs other duties incident to supervising 
a force comprising about 65 clerks. 

Personnel. — The names, duties, and salaries of the clerks in this section are 
as follows: 



Name. 



Nature of duties. 



Salary. 



Yount, A. G 

Uarrali, A. A 

Barton, L. L 

Blalock, E.H.... 
Gary, Tristram. . . 

Fish.R.W 

Johnson, T. A 

Middleton, J. P.. 

Nelson, James 

Norris, J. L 

O'DriscoU, B. J.. 

Potter, W.M 

Eowe, G. M 

Scott, W.H 

Taylor, O.T 

Wilkinson, J. W. 

Boyd, I. A 

Brown, James 

Giss, R. L 

Hyatt, J. B 

Jeffrey, W. P.... 
Lecture, W. G... 

Love, J. W 

Martin, L. H 

Mustain, A. B. . , 

Ramsey, J. A 

Roxby, W. A..., 

Stewart, J. S 

Sykes.L. F 

West, G.C , 

Williams, J. W.. 
Ingraham, J. A.. 



In charge of section 

Assistant to clerk in charge, issues work to and instructs carders. 

Carding Confederate military records 

do 



.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
-do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 



Furnishing statements from military records . 



$1,800 

i,eoo 

1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 



464 REPOETS OF COMMISSIOlSr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 
Section II. — Distributing record cards. 

Location. — This section occupies a part of tlie third floor of old Ford Theater 
Building. Mr. Buckler is in charge. 

Ftmctions. — Distributing record cards after they have been compared with 
the original records. 

Methods. — When the record cards of an organization have been stamped and 
dated they are sent to the distributing section for arrangement in cases. All 
the cards of each soldier are brought together, and although copied from various 
sources, as regimental, prisoner-of-war, and medical records, and at various 
times they are placed in one group. When this has been done all the cards of 
the organization are sent to the second floor for jacketing. 

Personnel. — The names, duties, and salaries of the clerks in this section are 
as follows: 



Name. 



Nature of duty. 



Salary. 



Buckler, Z. S.... 
Warren, S. R... 

Sewell, T. E 

Crosby, A. U 

Mulhall, W. M.. 

Reiss, B. W 

Hensley, J. T . . . 
Hibbard, W. W. 
Miller, J. A 



In charge of bistributing section 

Assorting and distributing military record cards for briefing 

Distributing and assorting record cards for briefing 

Distributing and assorting record cards preparatory to briefing. 



.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 



$1,800 
1,600 
1,400 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 



Section III. — Identification records. 

Location. — This section occupies part of the third floor of the old Ford 
Theater building and one room on third floor of annex. Mr. Kaye in charge. 

Functions. — (a) Classifying, filing, and having the custody of the identifica- 
tion records of the Regular Army, consisting of examination forms, outline 
figure cards, finger-print records, photographs; (&) searching records for pur- 
pose of establishing the identity of enlisted men, and former enlisted men. 

Methods. — ^An identification record is prepared and forwarded to this office 
of every man who enlists or reenlists in the Army. A complete identification 
record consists of a finger-print record, a photographic negative and photograph, 
and the report of the physical examiuation of the soldier. Upon the receipt 
of the above records in the personal identity section they are sorted, counted, 
and stamped with the date of their receipt and turned over to Mr. Vreeman. 
Mr. Vreeman verifies the sorting of the tlifferent records by posts and by 
months and enters them on what is known as a " check slip," a sample of 
which is attached hereto. This is done in order to keep track of al! records 
received and also of those due but not received. At the end of each month a 
monthly report of applicants for enlistment is, or should be. received from each 
of the posts, recruit depots, and recruit depot posts in the Army. If any of 
the records or reports have not been I'eceived they are written for. The identifi- 
cation records fire then passed to Mr. Wines, who "preliminarily examines" 
the finger-print records to see that each impression is satisfactory and that the 
rolled impressions have been taken in their proper seauence; in fact, he criti- 
cally examines the records to see that they are satisfactory in every respect. If 
they are defective, they are returned for correction after a casual search over 



APPENDIX II. 465 

the finger-print records of the same classification. After the finger-print records 
ha\e been examined uud found correct, they are separated from their negative 
jackets, which contain the photographic negative and the photograph (the 
jackets and contents are usually sent on the inside of the folded finger-print 
records), and then turne<l over to the classifiers. 

The classification of the tinger-print records is done in accordance with the 
method of E. R. Henry, and described in his book entitled " Classification and 
Uses of Finger-Prints." After they are classified they are turned over to a re- 
examiner (Mr. Parks), who goes over them carefully to see that they have been 
classified correctly. He afterwards enters the classification number on the 
negative jacket. As these jackets are filed alphabetically, the negative jacket 
furnishes an alphabetical file to all enlistments and also an index to all finger- 
print records in the main file. 

After the finger-print records have been reexamined and indexed the finger- 
print record is passed on to the setircher. It is his duty to search the records 
first in the place where the new case is classified, and, if no record is found, 
in all the possible combinations that it might come under. If a record of the 
same man is not found, the file is researched and if the research develops no 
similar record, the new record is filed in its proper place as classified. If on 
searching, a finger-print record is discovered in the file corresponding to the 
one in hand, it is a " discovered identity." The negative jackets are brought 
together, and if a note is found thereon showing that prior service terminated 
otherwise than honorably, the case is written up on form provided for the 
purpose, and, together with the finger-print records of both enlistments, 
sent to the Administrative Division. A telegram is sent to the place of 
enlistment directing the confinement of the recruit. If a reply is received stating 
that the recruit has been confined, the case, of which a record has been made 
jn the Mail and Record Division, is returned to the identity section and photo- 
graphic copies of both the finger-print records and photographs are made and 
the case returned to the Administrative Division with the copies. The duties 
of the photographer, in addition to making these copies, are to critically examine 
all photographs and negatives received and, if found unsatisfactory, to com- 
juent thereon. Unsatisfactory photographs and negatives are returned to have 
new ones made. 

All reports of desertion after having been recorded in the Mail and Record 
Division are sent to the identity section to be noted and have data for circu- 
lars prepared. Notation is made on the negative jackets of all delin<iuencies 
of the soldier, such as desertion, dishonorable discharge, absence without leave, 
discharge on surgeon's certificate of disability, etc. The data is prepared on 
Form No. 389, A. G. O. After the circulars are printed they are sent to this 
section to be mailed. They are sent to the United States marshals, private 
detectives, police officers, sheriffs, etc., and also to the different military posts. 
The places of birth, residences, residences of beneficiaries, etc., are circularized 
by sending circulars to those and surrounding towns and to the sheriffs of the 
counties in which such towns are located Snd to sheriffs of adjoining counties. 
The mailing list for this purpose is prepared by the aid of an atlas and is 
called a " special mailing list." This work is under the supervision of Mr. 
H. H. Brown. If the post commander reports that the recruit deserted before 
the telegram directing his confinement was received, data is at once furnished 
for a circular in his case. 

A file is also made and kept up, showing the locality of birthplaces, residences, 
and beneficiaries, arranged by States and counties, so that all deserters from 

72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 30 



466 REPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

certain localities are brought together. This is used to answer calls from 
olEcers and persons desiring to know if any deserters are at large from any 
particular section or place. A complete alphabetical file is kept of all men 
identified as disqualified by desertion or other causes. This record is made 
on forms marked " B " and " C," which tell who was identified, when reported, 
how he was identified, by whom, and remarks. " How identified " seems super- 
fluous as this section is identifying by means of the finger-print system, but 
before the finger-print system was in operation identifications were made by 
means of scars and marks. They then kept a record of all tattoo marks, 
arranged according to a system, and if a man with distinctive tattoo marks 
should now enlist for whom they have no finger-print records they would 
identify him by the " tattoo file." A descriptive and assignment card is received 
for all men enlisting and is sent to this section to have their assignment noted 
on the negative jackets. Mr. Duncan is in charge of this work. Mr. Fleetwood 
files all negative jackets. 

Personnel. — The names, duties, and salaries of the clerks in this section are 
as follows : 



Name. 



Nature of work upon which engaged. 



Salary. 



W.S. Kaye 

A.I. Daugherty... 
P. K. Pennington. 

Oren Atwood 

W. A. Brinkman. 
C. A. Fleetwood.. 

J. S. Hunt 

H. I. Littlejolm... 

A. W. Parks 

H.W.Miller 

C. D. Skippon 

H. A. Vreeman. . 

R. E. Wines 

R. B. Duncan 

H. H. Brown 

G. E. Hernandez 

P. Mora-Rico 

Jose Escabi 

W.H. Bozarth... 
WiLhelm Fennel.. 



In charge of identity section 

General assistant to clerk in charge 

Assists on data for deserter circulars and miscellaneous work 

Classifying finger-print records 

In charge of mailing deserter circulars 

Filing n - gat ive jackets , 

Searcher and researcher of finger-print records 

Photographer 

Reexamines and classifies finger-print records 

Noting apprehensions and surrenders and getting out data for 
deserter circulars. 

Assistant photographer and answers calls for Navy identifica- 
tions. 

Keeps check list of all records received and writes for missing 
records, and answers calls regarding reenlistments. 

Preliminary examination of finger-print records and miscellane- 
ous work. 

Noting assignments on negative jackets 

Makes out special list for mailing deserters' circulars 

Assists on preparation of special list for mailing deserters' circu- 
lars and addresses envelopes for list. 

Noting dispositions on negative jackets 

Examines and files reports of physical examination 

Classifies finger-print records 

Handles reenlistments and locality index 



SI, 600 
1,400 
1,400 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 

1,200 



1,200 

1,200 
1,000 
1,000 

1,000 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 



Equipment. — This section has a photographic outfit consisting of a Folmer 
& Schwing 11 by 14 camera. This is equipped with a Cook lens. This outfit 
is on the third fioor of the Tenth Street annex, one large room, which includes 
a dark room, 8 by 10 feet. The operating expenses, not including salaries, are 
about $60 per month. 



APPENDIX II. 467 

Section IV. 

Location.- — This section occupies the first aud part of the second floor of the 
old Ford Theater Building, part of the Seventeenth Street branch, and of room 
94, State, War, and Navy Building. Mr. Rosafy is in charge. 

Functions. — The functions of this section are as follows : 

(a) Comparing military record cards with original records. 

(6) Briefing military record card jackets. 

(c) Examining jacketed military record cards for accuracy and completeness. 

id) Recording card numbers on jackets. (Card numbering.) 

(e) Arranging and file numbering military cajd jackets. 

(/) Making duplicate index cards for State and consolidated indexes. 

{g) Searching and reporting from records. 

{h) Filing. 

{%) Examining and preparing records for carding; making indexes of records 
for carding (at Seventeenth Street branch and at room 94, State, War, and 
Navy Building). Mr. Whitcomb in charge. 

U) Printing. 

Methods: (a) Comparing. — After records have been carded the cards are 
sent to the comparers and carefully compared with the oinginal records as a 
safeguard against errors and omissions, and the correctness of each copied 
entry is determined with absolute certainty before the card is allowed to pass 
to the next stage of work. All errors and omissions are noted and returned to 
the copyist for correction. 

The cards are then sent to the automatic numbering machine and each card 
receives a number in the series to which it belongs. 

The numerical index card shows the number of military record cards made 
from each original record and the first and last card number. 

The cards are then sent to the distributing section and distributed in such 
a way that all cards pertaining to each person will fall together and are then 
returned to the briefer. 

(h) Briefer. — The briefer ascertains the correct names, rank, company, and 
regimental organization, places the cards in the manila jacket, and properly 
briefs the above data on the jacket. 

(c) Examiner. — The examiners next receive the jacketed records and ar- 
range the cards in their proper chronological order, investigate and remedy all 
defects that may be discovered, make the necessary reference slips for varia- 
tion of names, files with the military card records any medical cards and per- 
sonal papers that may pertain to the case, enters and checks the steps taken 
on the face of the jacket. The jackets are then ready for card numbers. 

(d) Card nuinljering. — ^The numerical card number of each index record 
card is entered with red ink on the face of the card jacket, after which they 
are file numbered. 

(e) File ninnhering. — ^The jacketed records, after being arranged alpha- 
betically by organizations, are numbered consecutively. They are then indexed. 

(/) Indexes. — Duplicate general index cards are made for each jacketed 
case and reference slip for the State and the consolidated general indexes. 

(fir) Searching and reporting. — The searching and reporting from the mili- 
tary card records includes the making of statements of service from all records 
in the custody of this branch and furnishing data of all kinds from these 
records in ?-esponse to requests for information from various authorized 
sources. 



468 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION OX ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

(h) Preparing records for carding. — This work consists generally of ar- 
ranging, classifying, and indexing records of Confederate prisoner of war 
and military records of organizations that were in the Confederate service in 
the Civil War preparatory to carding. In addition to handling the records on 
file, many records are received from time to time from the various States that 
furnished troops for the Confederate service. These records are loaned to the 
War Department so that copies may be made of them for use in The Adjutant 
General's Office. These borrowed records, after being carefully examined as 
to their authenticity, are then compared with the records on file in order to 
avoid duplication. Owing to the errors made in the names and organizations 
on the rolls of Confederate prisoners of war, considerable worli in addition to 
that above mentioned is performed; as these errors require searches to be 
made of the original carded rolls and military prison registers, in cases where 
some of the cards made from the records can not be properly placed with the 
cards showing the correct name and organization on account of the difference 
in the prisoner's name or oi'ganization, or both, as shown on some of the 
records from the time of capture to the time of final disposition. Besides the 
regular rolls and registers of the prisoners of war there are many miscellane- 
ous records that have to be compared with them, so that any records showing 
material information not shown on other records may be carded. 

There are five clerks detailed from the Tenth Street branch to the Seventeenth 
Street branch who are engaged upon the worli of preparing the Confederate 
records as above outlined. The duties of the clerk in charge (Mr. Whitcomb) 
are general supervision of the index work, making statements in cases where 
information is requested relative to Confederate records, answering inquiries 
made by Tenth Street branch and other divisions of the office. His other time 
is given to work of a supervisory nature. The duties performed by the other 
clerks are as follows: 

Burton R. Ross; salary, $1,600. Examining the original indexes (or cata- 
logues) made of the Confederate military records with a view to correction, 
if necessary, by reason of incompleteness or want of sufficient evidence for 
clearing up any complication which may be involved in the organization under 
consideration. His further duty is to copy the index and see that it com- 
pares with the original. The original index goes with the records to Tenth 
Street, the copy remains at Seventeenth Street for the use of the index section. 

L. M. Mooers ; salary, $1,400. Arranges and classifies miscellaneous prisoner- 
of-war records, compares them with the regular rolls and registers, and indexes 
such as are found to contain material information not shown on other records. 
He also attends to sending records to Tenth Street branch for carding and to 
receiving them back. 

T. D. McCaw ; salary, $1,200. This clerk is employed in furnishing informa- 
tion to Tenth Street branch for the purpose of placing the cards made from 
the prisoner-of-war records with the proper command to which the soldier 
belonged. Many of these records are incomplete and inaccurate as to the name 
and organization, which are found to vary on the records of the different prisons 
in which the soldier was confined. 

C. E. McLaughlin; salary, $1,200. This clerk indexes the Confederate mili- 
tary records for carding, arranges them chronologically with their proper 
organizations. Notes are then made as to any changes in designation or organi- 
zation caused by the many transfers, reorganizations, and consolidations in 
the Confederate States Army. The rolls being incomplete, it often requires 
a search of various miscellaneous files to ascertain the complete record of 
companies. Many regiments were formed by consolidation of other regiments 



APPENDIX II, 469 

or battalions. It is then necessary to ascertain the authority for the action 
and identify prior service. In case of a disbanded organization, investigation 
is made to determine any subsequent service of its members in other organi- 
zations. 

(/) Printing.- — The force employed in printing may be referred to as a sepa- 
rate section, although, as the Tenth Street branch is organized, it is a part 
of Section IV. The printing section is maintained for the purpose of printing the 
various cards, blanks, pay checks, memoranda, envelopes, and miscellaneous 
forms used in connection with the work of The Adjutant General's Office. 

This section occupies three rooms on the first floor, one room being used as 
a composing or typesetting room and also containing an engine and a paper 
cutter, and the other rooms being used as pressrooms. The composing room 
contains over 100 fonts of job type. It is estimated that there are several 
thousrnds pounds of body type; that is, plain printing type of the sizes known 
in the trade as 6-point, 8-point, 10-point, 11-point, 12-point, and 14-point. 

The two pressrooms contain six printing presses, engines, and a numbering 
machine. In one pressroom .are four presses, known as cylinders and platens, 
respectively. The cylinder press is what Is known as a two-revolution, two- 
roller press, and may be used to print a sheet approximately 36 by 42 inches. 
The platen presses are one Universal of the size known as half-medium, one 
of the size known as half super-royal, and one Gordon of the size known as 
eighth medium. In the other pressroom are two presses and a numbering ma- 
chine. The presses are cylinder and platen, respectively, the cylinder being 
what is known as a drum cylinder, and the platen is a Universal, half-super- 
royal in size. This pressroom also has an engine to drive the presses and the 
numbering machine. The presses are from 20 to 40 years old. 

Eleven men are available for work in the printing section. They are car- 
ried on the rolls of the office as clerks detailed to the work of printing. The 
man in charge receives $1,600. 4 men receive $1,400 each, 4 men receive $1,200 
each, and 2 men receive $1,000 each, the average being $1,272 each for the 
■entii'e force. When there is not sufficient work to keep the whole force of 11 
men fully employed in the printing section, the men are assigned to clerical 
work. The number steadily employed in the printing section is estimated to 
average 7 men. Of those employed in the composing room, 4 are said to have 
served an apprenticeship and are regarded as compositors. They entered the 
•service as such. When additional help is needed in the pressrooms, composi- 
tors or clerks are assigned to the work of feeding presses, etc. 

In general, the work done may be described as blank work or small job 
work. It is estimated that there are 500 different forms, which vary in size 
and number printed. Some forms have many changes, and an edition may 
range from 10 to 175 copies. Nearly all these forms are printed directly from 
the type, and in only a few cases are electrotype plates used. 

As indicative of the quantity of work done, the following statement covering 
the period from January 1 to June 30. 1912, is given : 

Forms .: 850, 000 

General index cards 160, 000 

Kecord cards • 527,000 

Envelopes, all kinds 725,000 

This statement does not include various small jobs and miscellaneous work. 

No daily record of the product of each press is kept, nor is there any account 
kept of the actual time during which the presses are in use. It is stated there 
are periods when all the presses are running and other periods when all 
are idle. 



470 REPORTS OP COMMISSIOiST ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Personnel. — The names, duties, and salaries of all the employees in Section 
IV are as follows, the employees being located in the Tenth Street Branch, 
unless otherwise specified: 



Name. 



Nature of duties. 



Rosafy, L. A 

Whitcomb, G. A. 



Booth., E.H.. 
Deny, J. H.... 
Leonard, J. M. 
Ross, B. R.... 



Spang, E. H. 



Ballard, L. L . 
Crabbe, W. G. 



Donaldson, W . . . 

French, G. B 

Malvin, W.H.J. 

Mooers, L. M 



Bicketts, Wm... 
Shewalter, C. W . 
Sommers, P. U.. 



Underwood, C. H . 
Weaver, Darwin. . 



Wyckoff, Harry. 



Baker, John.. 
Blazer, T. W. 



Burke, F. E 

Ceilings, W.H 

Davis, W. B 

Douglas, A. S 

Douglas, J. E 

Fehl, MissL. E. W... 

Fowler, F. A 

Goodman, W. R 

Graves, G. E 

Hamm, Mrs. Frances. 

Hammer, I.N 

Hearst, W.T 

Hill, W. W 



Howard, J. H. 



Krause, 0. A 

Patterson, C. H. 
Rankin, E. D... 

Sallade, M! 

Whelan, T. A... 



In charge of section 

Examining and preparing records for carding, making index of 
the records for carding (Seventeenth Street branch). 

Comparing military record cards with original records 

In charge of printing 

Supervising searching and reporting from military card records.. 

Examining and classifying records for indexing and copying in- 
dexes (Seventeenth Street branch). 

Examining and arranging military and medical record cards after 
briefing. 

Comparing military record cards with original records 

Record of work for Tenth Street branch and assisting in adminis- 
trative section. 

Printing office forms and blanks (pressman) 

Comparing militarj^ record cards with original records 

Briefing military card jackets and assisting pressman in printing 
blanks and forms. 

Searching and examining prisoner-of-war records at Seventeenth 
Street branch. 

Printing office forms and blanks (compositor) 

Filing general index cards 

Examining and arranging military cards and making statements 
of service from military record cards. 

Examining and filing military record cards 

Printing office forms and blanks and assistant to clerk in charge 
of printing. 

Searching military card files, CivU War, and filing general index 
cards. 

Printing office forms and blanks (compositor) 

Furnishing statements of service from military card records, op- 
erating stamp-numbering machine, and keeping a numerical 
index record. 

Printing office forms and blanks 

Comparing military record cards with original records 

Filing personal papers and medical cards 

Fihng military record cards , 

Comparing military record cards with original records 

Indexing military card jackets 

Furnishing statements of service from military card records 

Comparing military card records with original records , 

Card numbering military card jackets 

Briefing military card jackets 

do 



Filing general index cards 

Furnishing statements of service from military card records and 

examining and arranging record cards. 
Comparing military and medical record cards with original 

records. 
do 



.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do- 



APPEXDIX 11. 



471 



Name. 



Nature of duties. 



Salary. 



McCaw, T. D. 



McCoacli, J. R 

McLaughlin, C. E. 



Scliooley, J. H . 

Smitli, P. J 

Smith, J. C 

Street, H. R . . . 
Ward, S. A.... 
Upton, E. A. .. 



Taylor, Miss H. G.. 

Campbell, W. D 

Snyder, Fred 

Jones, C. E 

Rosenbaum, W. T . . 
Leonard, Miss M. C . 

Herrera, Luis 

Royer, J. H 



Searching records of C. S. A. prisoners of war (Seventeenth Street 

branch). 

Printing office forms and blanks (pressman) 

Examining and classifying Confederate military records and 

making indexes thereof preparatory to carding (Seventeenth 

Street branch). 

Filing index cards 

Furnishing stateuients of service from military record cards 

Printing office forms and blanks 

Furnisliing statements of service from military record cards 

do 



Keeps record of cases received and dispatched; time and work 
records of second floor. 

Briefing military card jackets 

Furnishing statements of military records 

do 



Comparing military record cards wath original records . 

do 

Indexing military card jackets 

do 

Printing office forms and blanks 



$1,200 



1,200 
1,200 



1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 

1,200 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 



1 SECTioi\' V. — I'rcparing caid forms. 

Location. — This section occupies a part of the second floor of the old Ford 
Theater Building. Mr. Lundy is iu charge. 

Functions. — The functions of this section comprise revising indexes of records 
to be carded and preparing card forins. 

Methods. — The records for carding and their indexes are received by this 
section from the Seventeenth Street branch. The number and class of records 
are verified from accompanying index, and card forms are prepared for each 
record to be carded. These card forms are sent to the printer and the proofs 
furnished by him are verified and approved in this section. When the printed 
cards have been received they are placed with their proper record and sent to 
the copying section, samples of all forms being retained for future reference. 
When carding has been completed the records and cards are returned to Section 
V and from thence issued to the comparers. 

Personnel. 



Name. 



Nature of duties. 



Salary. 



Lundy, E. K In charge of section, revising indexes of records to be carded and preparing 

card forms for printer. 

Gilliam, R . H ; Issues work to and instructs comparers 

Rose, M. E Preparing card forms for printer and re\'ising indexes of records for carding. 

Lieser, W. T Preparing card forms for printer and searching 



$1, 600 

1,600 
1,400 
1,200 



472 REPOETS OF COMMISSION OX ECONOMY AjSTD EFFICIENCY. 

K, STATEMENT OF THE LOCATION, WORK, METHODS, ORGANIZATION, "ANI 
EQUIPMENT OF THE SEVENTEENTH STREET BRANCH OF THE ADJUTANl 
GENERAL'S OFFICE. 

This branch of The Adjutant General's Office consists of several units, and 
because of the nature of the organization and the work of the Seventeenth 
Street branch it has been found desirable to arrange this descriptive report in 
two main sections as follows : First, a description of the Seventeenth Street 
branch as a whole ; and, second, a description in detail of the functions, 
methods, personnel, etc., of each subdivision of the Seventeenth Street branch. 

Genekal Description of the Seventeenth Street Branch. 

I. Location. 

This branch occupies the building known as 610 Seventeenth Street NW., 
which consists of five floors and a basement, each floor containing one room, 
20 by 60 feet, and a large hall. 

II. Functions and icork. 

The functions of this branch are as follows: 

I. (a) Arranging and filing all duplicate muster rolls, returns, etc., of regi- 
mental and other organizations in service during the Mexican War. various 
Indian wars, the Civil War, the War with Spain, the Philippine Insurrection, 
and miscellaneous papers which are seldom needed to be consulted. 

{!}) The custody of part of the Confederate prisoner of war records. 

II. Rebinding books, making mail jackets, etc.. for The Adjutant General's 
Office. 

III. Repairing documents, etc., which do not need rebinding, for The Adju- 
tant General's Oflfice. 

IV. {a) Carpenter repair and cabinet work for The Adjutant General's 
Oflace. 

(6) Blacksmithing, welcfing. etc., for The Adjutant General's Office. i 

III. Personnel. 

The number of employees on each floor of the Seventeenth Street branch 
is as follows : 

First floor : 

Skilled inechauic $1, OOO 

Messenger (detailed by Mr. Keiper to assist the carpenter) 840 

Second floor : 

Clerk in charge 1, 600 

Clerk , 1, 200 

Clerk 1, 000 

Third floor: 

Bookbinder 1^ 200 

Bookbinder, $4 per diem (detailed from G. P. O.). 
2 book sewers, $2 jier diem (detailed from G. P. O.). 



APPENDIX II. 473 

Fourth floor : 

Clerk (detailed from Tenth Street branch) $1,800 

Clerk (detailed from Tenth Street branch) 1,600 

Clerk (detailed from Tenth Street branch) 1,400 

2 clerks (detailed from Tenth Street branch) 1,200 

A messenger (detailed by Mr. Keiper) comes on at 7 a. m. and remains until 
3 p. m. He cleans up the building and does such messenger work as is ueces- 
sarj-. including duty on hourly mail route. A messenger relieves him at 3, but 
carries mail as messenger until 4.30. After 4.30 he cleans up the building and 
acts as Avatchman until 11 p. m. He telephones to the Telegraph Division of 
the Secretary's office in the State, War, and Navy Building every hour on the 
half hour and goes to the branch at 1712 G Street every other hour. He is 
relieved bj- a watchman at 11 p. m. 

GENERAL EQUIPMENT. 

This building is heated by furnaces and has both gas and electric lights. 
There is only one telephone in the building, this being in the office of the clerk 
in charge. 

Detailed Description of Each Subdivision of the Seventeenth Stkeft 

Branch. 

custody of files. 

{(I) Claude R. Zappone, clerk in charge, salary $1,600, has the custody 
of. and personally arranges and files, all papers in the files of duplicate copies 
of muster rolls, returns, etc., of the regimental and other organizations in serv- 
ice during the Mexican, Indian, Civil, and Spanish-American Wars and the 
Philippine Insurrection. 

These files are arranged by State, organization, and date, just as the files of 
original papers in the State, War, and Navy Building are arranged. When, 
from any cause, an original record is misplaced or mutilated or damaged to such 
an extent that it can not be read, this branch is called upon to supply the 
duplicate. 

The file cases of duplicate military records, about 120 in number, are stored 
on the fifth floor (44 cases), fourth floor (28 cases), third floor (2 cases), and 
second floor (30 cases). 

(&) This branch also has the custody of a i)art of the original prisoner of 
war records. The other original records of this class are in the State, War, and 
Navy Building, and are in the custody of Mr. Harley, Chief of the Archives 
Division. 

Note. — At the present time employees of the Tenth Street branch are working 
on these records, therefore the detailed information in regard to them is given 
under " Section IV " in the descriptive report on the Tenth Street branch of 
The Adjutant General's Office. 

rebinding books, making mail jackets, etc. 

Location. — The bookbinding section occupies part of the third floor of the 
building at 610 Seventeenth Street NW. 

Methods. — This section is maintained for the purpose of repairing and rebind- 
ing hooks, records, etc., and making "box-index cards" (or guides) and mail 



474 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

jackets for Tlie Adjutant General's Office. The methods of work may be briefly- 
described as follows : 

When a book or record needs rebinding it is sent to this section. The old 
worn-out covers are i-emoved, damaged papers are repaired by tissue, vellum, 
paper cambric, etc., as the case may require. Unnecessary leaves or blank 
pages are taken out before rebinding, the remaining leaves are properly col- 
lated, sewed, and placed in covers. The work is then " finished," its particular 
treatment depending upon the character of the book and the purpose for which 
it is to be used. The amount of work on hand varies. The work is usually 
received in batches of 20 books a-t a time. The average length of time that a 
book is in the bindery is estimated as three days. 

Besides the binding done in this section, certain index cards called " box-index 
cards " and certain mail jackets called " double-pocket mail jackets " are pro- 
duced. The box-index cards are of various sizes, a typical sample being 
approximately 4 by Si inches. They are made of cardboard or thick manila 
and cut to the desired shape by hand, a pair of shears being used for the pur- 
pose. The double mail jackets are designed to hold papers of various kinds 
while being transmitted by the five-minute messenger service. In general 
appearance the mail jacket resembles an envelope minus the fiap. A strip of 
cardboard or stiff manila is inserted in the jacket, running its whole length, 
and this serves as a partition between the two pockets. On the end of the card- 
board partition the addresses are stamped. These double mail jackets are also 
handmade. 

The blotters used in the Office of The Adjutant General are cut in the 
bookbinding section. 

The material used in the binding and repairing of books is supplied by the 
Government Printing Office upon request of the clerk in charge of the bindery. 

A lecord is kept of the books handled in the bindery, and a monthlj'- report 
of the work done is sent to the bindery of the Government Printing Office. 
It is estimated that an average of about 65 books a month are completed in 
the section. Last year the section produced about 8,000 double mail jackets 
and about 10,000 box index cards. 

The bindery keeps no account of the cost of work done nor does it keep any 
record of the cost of material received from the Government Printing Office. 
Aside from the known pay of the employees, there is no information available 
in the bindery as to the cost of its operation and maintenance. 

Personnel. 



Name. Nature of duties. 



Salary. 



Britt, Geo. S 

Johnson, William R. 
Duffy, Margaret A . . . 
Simmons, Mary P . . 



Practical bookbinder (in charge) 

Bookbinder per diem. 

Sewer per diem. 

Sewer per diem. 



$1,200 
4 
2 



The per diem employees are detailed to the work of this section from the 
Government Printing Office. Their details are renewed each month. They are 
requiied to make a daily time report to the Government Printing Office. The 
three Government Printing Office employees in this section have been on detail 
for 2, IS, and S years, respectivelj'. The clerk in charge began his duties in 
1SS9. 



APPENDIX II. 



475 



Equipment. — The meclianical equipment consists of one 30-inch paper cutter, 
operated by hand; a binder's board cutter, and a stand press. There are no 
power-operated machines in the section. 

REPAIRING DOCUMENTS. 

Location. — This section occupies the rear of the second floor of the building 
at 610 Seventeenth Street. 

Methods. — ^All worn, torn, or mutilated rolls, returns, and other papers and 
documents in the Office of The Adjutant General, in need of repair but not 
necessitating rebinding, are sent to this section, where thej- are repaired with 
Tellum. 

Personnel. 



Name. 


Nature of duties. 


Salary 


McKee, J. M. E 




$1, 200 






1,000 









CARPENTER AND BLACKSMITH SHOPS. 

Location. — («-) The carpenter and repair shop occupies the first floor of the 
building at 610 Seventeenth Street. 

(6) The blacksmith shop is in the rear of the building at 610 Seventeenth 
Street. 

Methods. — (a) Practically all the cabinetwork, carpentry, upholstery, job 
work, etc., for The Adjutant General's Office is done in this shop. They make 
new flling cabinets and boxes and repair old cases and boxes. They also repair 
all furniture, etc., for The Adjutant General's Office. All cast parts used for 
repair purposes in this shop are purchased (except such box "runners" as are 
made at the Tenth Street branch of The Adjutant General's Office). 

(6) Such welding and ironwork as becomes necessary to be done for The 
Adjutant General's Office is taken care of in this shop. 

Personnel. 



Name. 



Nature of duties. 



Salary. 



Ulrickson, Otto. 
Caton, R. T 



Skilled mechanic. 
Messenger 



II, 000 



Equipment. — {a) The equipment of the carpenter shop consists of ] car- 
penter's outfit, incomplete; 2 electric motors; 1 hand planer and joiner; 1 saw 
bench. 

(&) The blacksmith shop equipment consists of 1 anvil, 1 sledge hammer, 1 
forge, a number of handmade tools for use in shop. 



Appendix III. 

THE PRESS COPY VEESTJS THE CARBON COPY IN ITS LEGAL 

ASPECT. 



One of the arguments advanced by tliose who are opposed to the substitution 
of the cai-bon copy as a record of outgoing correspondence for the press copy 
now employed is tliat the character and effect as "secondary" evidence of the 
carbon copy is less potential than the press copy. 

■ Under the "Best Evidence Rule" the highest degree of proof of which the 
case from its nature is susceptible must if accessible be produced. Of course, 
the original signed letter or document is the best evidence and a copy second- 
ary to the original writing is not conclusive. 

1. The Pkess Copy as Evidence. 

It is a well-settled rule of law that where the fact to be proved is evidenced 
by a written instrument or other writing the original writing is the best evi- 
dence and the copy is not admissible unless the original is produced or its 
absence is satisfactorily explained, or unless the copy is made primary evidence 
by statute. An examination of the cases in relation to the introduction of 
press copies as evidence discloses that the courts are unanimous in their de- 
cisions that letterpress copies or even photographic copies of letters or docu- 
ments are at best secondary evidence and can only be brought into court upon 
compliance with the rules governing the introduction of such evidence. 

In the case of Woodenware Co. v. Harmon (128 Wis., 177; 107 Northwestern 
Eeporter, 239) the supreme court of the State said: 

" The court received letterpress copies of letters in evidence over objection. 
They were objected to on the ground that there was nothing to show that the 
originals were not in existence and that they could not have been produced if 
proper steps for their production had been taken. The circumstances did not 
disclose but that the originals were in existence, in the custody of the county 
clerk and under a proper subpoena could have been brought into court. Under 
such circumstances no proper foundation is shown entitling him to offer copies 
as the best available evidence on the subject. Original letters and letterpress 
copies are not regarded as being duplicates." 

The following is laid down by the Supreme Court of Missouri in the case of 
State V. Lentz (154 Mo., p. 223; S3 Southwestern Reporter, p. 970) : 

"Press copies of letters written by a stranger to this proceeding clearly fall 
within the class of testimony given as secondary evidence. The original letters 
being primary, the copies must be placed in the secondary class. This testimony 
was only admissible after proper and unavailing efforts to secure the originals 
had been made. The mere fact that they could not compel the production of the 
originals would not avoid the necessity of at least making an effort to secure 
them. It will suffice to say on this question that upon the retrial of this case 
the proper foundation can be laid for the introduction of this testimony." 

See also to the same effect ; 

Macbeth Co. v. Ostheimer (159 Fed., 655). 

Spottswood V. Weir (66 Cal., 525; 6 Pac, 381). 

Watkins v. Paine (57 Ga., 30). 

Heilman Milling Co. v. Hotaling, (21 Ky. L. Rep., 950; 53 S. W., 555). 

Westinghouse Co. v. Tilden (56 Nebr., 339; 76 N. W., 416). 

476 ^ 



APPENDIX HJ. 477 

Foot V. Bentley (44 N. Y., 166). 

Heller v. Heins (78 N. Y. Supp., 887). 

Anglo American Packing Co. v. Cannon (31 Fed., 313). 

Nodin V. Hurray (3 Camp., 228 (England)). , 

Loveriu v. Bumgarner (59 W. Va., 46). 

II. The Carbon Copy as Evidence. 

(o) As primary evidence. — By the overwhelming weight of judicial authority 
the carbon copy is held to be primary evidence, and is thus placed upon a much 
higher evidential plane than the press copy, and its introduction as evidence is 
not dependent upon notice to the opposite party to produce the original or 
submit explanation as to its nonaccessibility. 

The leading case as well as the most recent upon this subject is " Interna- 
tional Harvester Co. v. Elfstrom," decided June 7, 1907, in the Minnesota 
Supreme Court (101 Minn., 263). This was an action brought to recover upon a 
written contract for the purchase price of a McCormick binder, which the 
plaintiff claimed it sold and delivered to the defendant. The jury returned a 
verdict in favor of the plaintiff and appeal was taken. One of the questions 
upon the appeal related to the reception in evidence of what the appellant 
claimed was a mere copy of the contract without having first accounted for 
the absence of the original. The court in deciding upon this question said : 

" This presents an interesting and somewhat novel question, but which by 
reason of the introduction of labor-saving devices in modern offices is liable to 
arise more frequently in the future. A sheet of carbon paper was placed 
between two sheets of order paper, so that the writing of the order upon the 
outside sheet produced a facsimile upon the one underneath. The signature of 
the party was thus reproduced by the same stroke of the pen which made the 
surface, or exposed, impression. In State v. Teasdale (120 No. App., 692; 97 
S. W. Rep., 966) it was held that a carbon copy of a letter was not admissible 
in evidence until the original letter from which it was made was accounted for. 
The signature would not, under ordinary circumstances, appear upon the carbon 
copy of such a letter. In Chesapeake, etc., R. Co. v. Stock (104 Va., 97; 51 S. E. 
Rep., 161) it was held that a carbon copy made at the same time by the same 
impression of type may be regarded as a duplicate original of the letter itself 
and admitted in evidence without notice to produce the letter. We think this 
view can be sustained, and that a clear distinction exists between letterpress 
copies of writings and duplicate writings produced as was the contract in the 
case at bar. It is well settled that where a writing is executed in duplicate or 
multiplicate each of the parts is the writing which is to be proved, because by 
the act of the parties each is made as much the legal act as the other. Cross- 
man V. Crossman, 95 N. Y., 145, 148; Hubbard v-. Russell, 24 Barb. (N. Y.), 404, 
408; Lewis v. Payn, 8 Cow. (N. Y.), 71, 18 Am. Dec., 427; Jackson v. Denison, 4 
Wond. (N. Y.), 558; Barr v. Armstrong, 56 No. 577, 586; Weaver v. Shipley, 
127 Ind., 526, 27 N. E. Rep., 146; Cleveland, etc., R. Co. v. Perkins, 17 Mich., 296; 
Philipson v. Chase, 2 Campb., 110. It is very generally held that a reproduction 
of a writing by a letterpress can not be considered as a duplicate. 2 Wigmore 
Ev., 234, and cases there cited; Nenasha Wooden Ware Co. v. Harmon, 128 
Wis., 177, 107, N. W. Rep., 299. 

" The distinction between letterpress copies and instruments produced by the 
use of carbon paper, as in this instance, seems reasonably clear and satisfac- 
tory. What makes two numbers of an instrument duplicates and equivalents is 
the fact that the legal act of the parties as consummated embraces them both. 
Letterpress copies are produced by an act distinct from and subsequent to the 
consummation of the legal act of execution. It may or may not be the act of 



478 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSIOlSr ON ECOISTOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

the parties to the contract. We know from common experience tliat snch copies 
are ordinarily produced by the labor of clerks and other employees, and that 
the results are not always satisfactory. But all the numbers of a writing 
which result from the completion of the legal act of the parties, although aided 
by mechanical devices or chemical agencies, meet tlie requirements of originals. 
If the reproduction is complete there is no practical reason why all the products 
of the single act of writing the contract and affixing a signature thereto should 
not be regarded as of equal and equivalent value. In this instance the same 
stroke of the pen produced both signatures. The argument that the recognition 
of these instruments as duplicates would encourage fraudulent practices does 
not touch the principle involved. 

" The order of the district court is affirmed." 

The following cases are in accord with the above case in holding that the 
carbon copy of a writing is admissible in evidence without accounting for the 
nonproduction of or making an effort to produce the original : 

Chesapeake, etc., R. Co. v. Stock (104 Va., 97; 51 S. E., 161). 

Hubbard v. Russell (24 Barb., 404). 

Cole V. Ellwood Power Co. (216 Pa. St., 283; 65 Atl., 78). 

Virginia-Carolina Chemical Co. v. Knight (106 Va., 674; 56 S. B., 725). 

Waterman v. Davis (66 Vt, 83; 28 Atl., 664). 

Wright V. Chicago, etc., R. Co. (118 Mo. App., 892; 94 S. W., 555). 

Savannah Bank & Trust Co. v. Purvis et al. (65 S. W., 35). 

Burnett Cigar Co. v. Art Wall Paper Co. (51 So., 266). 

In the case of Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Co. v. F. W. Stock & Sons (51 
S. E. Rep., 161), a Virginia case, the court said: 

" The contention of the plaintiff in error is that a copy of a letter can not be 
admitted in evidence where no notice has been given to produce the original 
and no foundation laid for the introduction of a copy. To this the defendants 
in error replied that a letter-press copy is not regarded as equivalent to the 
letter itself, but a carbon copy, which is made at the same time and by the same 
impression of type with the letter, may well be regarded as a duplicate original 
with the letter itself. And we think this position is sound." 

In the case of Hubbard v. Russell (24 Barb., 404) the court said : 

" If two letters are written at the same time to the same person, one being 
the exact counterpart of the other, one being sent to the person addressed and 
the other retained by the writer, each is an original, and the one retained may 
be put in evidence by the party who retained it without notice to the opposite 
party to produce the other." 

The following is an extract from the syllabus of the case of Cole v. Ellwood 
Power Co. (65 Atlantic, 678; Supreme Court of Pa.) : 

" Where the original paper and the carbon copy are made on the typewriter 
at the same time and signed by the same person and executed in the same man- 
ner, both may be considered originals and either one is admissible in evidence 
without notice to produce the other." 

In the case of the Virginia-Carolina Chemical Co. v. Knight (Va. ; 56 S. W. 
Rep., 725) the action of the lower court in admitting in evidence a copy of the 
paper headed "Immediate report of accident" and signed by " H. Harlan, 
employee," in which it was stated among other things that the plaintiff, at the 
time of the accident was an employee of the defendant, was assigned as error. 
The admissibility of the paper was denied on three grounds : 

1. That it was a copy and not an original. 

2. That the original was sent to the attorneys representing the defendant in 
this case and was therefore a privileged communication. 

3. That it was not made by one who had authority to bind the defendant by 
his admission. 



APPENDIX III. 479 

The Supreme Court of Virginia held : 

" It appears that the paper offered in evidence was ©iie of three, all made at 
the same time and by the same impression of the copying pencil. One, called 
the original, was made to be sent to the Travelers Insurance Co., in which 
it is claimed the defendant had a policy of indemnity; one to be sent to the 
manufacturing department of the defendant, and the other to be retained for 
its files. The paper in question must be regarded as a triplicate original, and 
under the decision of Chesapeake & Ohio, etc., was, if otherwise proper, ad- 
missible in evidence." 

Wright r. C, B. & Q. (Mo.; 94 S. W. Rep., 555), extract from opinion of the 
Court : 

" Something was said in the testimony as to the carbon copies of the scale 
tickets. This we understand means several copies made at one writing. Such 
carbon copy is practically an original and there can be no ob.1ection to receiv- 
ing it as evidence." 

Savannah Bank & Trust Co. v. Purvis et al. (Ga. ; 65 S. W. Rep., 35) : 

" We think the court erred in holding that the notice as to attorney's fees 
and the evidence as to its mailing, etc., was secondary evidence and incompe- 
tent on the ground that the copies of the notice actually sent to the defendants 
were the highest evidence and that it was necessary for the plaintiffs to serve 
notice to produce on the defendants before that nature of ]iroof would be 
authorized. As was said by the Supreme Court of Alabama in Westbrook v. 
Fnlton in speaking of a similar transaction : " * These papers or notices do not 
stand to each other in the relation of original and copies. One is just as much 
an original as the other.' " 

Burnett Cigar Co. v. Art Wall Paper Co., 51 Southern Reporter, 266 (Ala- 
bama). 

This was a suit for breach of contract. The contract in question was pre- 
pared in writing in quadruplicate form. It was typewritten with three carbon 
copies. There was therefore no question as to primary and secondary evidence. 
Each was necessarily a copy of the other and each was the original of the other 
until signed. Of course, those that were signed became the contract, and if no 
changes were made in any, those not signed were only copies of those signed 
with the signatures of the parties wanting. 

One of these copies appeared to have been changed by erasures and by inter- 
lineations shown to have been made by Burnett after they were prepared ; 
whether before or after execution was disputed, and whether the typewritten 
document, with or that without interlineations constituted the contract, was one 
of the disputed questions, the plaintiff claiming that the interlineations were 
not a part of the contract and the defendant that they were. 

The court said : 

" The contract was executed in duplicate — that is, two of the four prepared 
copies were signed — each party retaining one of the duplicates. The plaintiff 
showed loss of the copy kept by it. and one of the other two copies not signed 
was therefore the next best evidence of the original, if there were no changes 
or interlineations made before it was executed. As to whether these changes 
were made before it was executed was disputed, and it was a question for the 
jury to saj' which line of theory of it thej' would believe. Appellants contend 
that plaintiff's copy of the contract having been lost, the other copy changed 
by the defendant should have been introduced instead of the copy offered and 
otherwise identified as a true and correct copy of the original which was shown 
to have been lost. This might be true as a general rule of evidence, but not in 
this particular case, where it was shown and admitted that the one held by 
defendants had been changed by interlineations and materially changed from 



480 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

the copy held by the plaintiff, which was lost, and as claimed by plaintiff, 
though denied by defendant, changed after the contract was executed. While 
the defendant's copy was admissible to prove their theory, and it was intro- 
duced in evidence with defendant's explanation as to the interlineations, it was 
not conclusive and did not render the carbon copy offered in evidence inadmis- 
sible, it being identical with that of the defendant's, except as to the interlinea- 
tions, and defendants did not contend that they ever made any interlineations 
as to the copy held by the plaintiff, and which was lost." 

(6) The carhon copy as secondary evidence. — It appears from the above 
citations that the carbon copy is placed upon a higher evidential plane as a 
record of correspondence than the letter-press copy. The letter-press copy is 
in no instance regarded as of the same probative force as the original, whereas 
a carbon copy, in nearly all jurisdictions, is held to be practically an original. 
and therefore iutroducible as such. In the only case in which the carbon 
copy is not regarded as primary evidence, it is placed upon the same plane as 
the letter-press copy and held by the court to be admissible under the same 
rules as apply to a letter-press copy. 

In the case of McDonald v. Hanks (Tex.; 113 SW. Rep., 504), the plaintiff 
undertook to establish the execution of a deed. In laying the predicate for the 
introduction of secondary evidence to establish the execution and contents of 
this deed, plaintiffs offered in evidence carbon copies of certain typewritten 
letters written by their attorney to surviving members of the family and rela- 
tives, making inquiry as to said deed. It was shown by the attorney who wrote 
the letters that it was his custom, in preserving copies of business letters, to 
prepare carbon copies of the originals, which were filed away. The carbon 
copies in question were not signed, but it was shown that the copies offered 
were such carbon copies of letters signed and mailed to the addressees. No effort 
was made to procure from such addressees, all of whom lived in this State but 
in different counties, the originals of the letters sent, and no evidence was 
offered tending to show that such originals could not have been procured. 
Objection was made to the introduction of each of the copies on this ground, 
which was overruled, and defendants excepted and made the ruling the basis 
of their first four assignments of error. 

The Court of Civil Appeals held : 

" We are of the opinion that the assignment should not be sustained. The 
copies of the letters signed and forwarded and those kept bj^ the writers can 
not be considered duplicate originals. There can be no logical difference be- 
tween such copies and letterpress copies, which have always been held to be 
copies which are not admissible in evidence without accounting for the non- 
production of the originals. If the writer, desiring to preserve a copy of the 
letter, writes at the same time two copies exactly alike, one of which he pro- 
poses to sign and other to keep, it is a matter of indifference which copy he 
signs, but the one signed becomes the original and the other a copy, no matter 
by what force of evidence it is shown to be an absolutely accurate copy. The 
court was in error in overruling the objection and admitting the copies; but 
in the view we take of this case such error does not require a reversal of the 
judgment, for the reasons hereafter shown." 

In the case of State v. Teasdale (Mo.; 97 S. W. 995), a carbon copy of a let- 
ter received by the addressee was admitted in evidence over the objection of 
defendant. The addressee testified that he received the original and that it 
was in his oflice at his home in a distant city. 

The Supreme Court held : 

" That the court below erred in admitting the copy, if no effort was made to 
produce the original, which was shown to be in existence and in possession of 
the party offering the copy." 



THE HANDLING AND FILING OF COR- 
RESPONDENCE IN THE MAIL AND 
RECORD DIVISION OF THE OFFICE OF 
THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS. 



72734 °—H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 31 481 



THE HANDLING AND FILING OF CORRESPONDENCE IN THE MAIL 
AND RECORD DIVISION OF THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF 
ENGINEERS. 



I. Introduction. 

To the end that the problem of the Division of Mail and Kecord 
of the Office of the Chief of Engineers of the War Department, 
which is the subject of this report, may be better understood, it is 
thought desirable to sketch in outline the location, general work done, 
and the organization of the office. 

LOCATION. 

This office is located in the State, War, and Navy Building and 
occupies 34 rooms, as follows : 
Sub-basement : 018, 019, 021. 

Basement: 17 to 21, 23 and 27, 91, 93, 95, 97, and 99. 
First floor: 116 to 129, 191, 193, 195, 197, and 199. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF FUNCTIONS OF THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF 

ENGINEERS. 

The Chief of Engineers commands the Corps of Engineers and 
supervises all their operations through his office. This corps is 
charged with all duties relating to construction and repair of forti- 
cations, whether permanent or temporary ; with all works of defense ; 
with all military roads and bridges, and with such surveys as may 
be required for these objects or the movement of armies in the field. 
It is also charged with the river and harbor improvements, with 
military and geographical explorations and survey ; with the survey 
of the lakes and with any other engineer work especially assigned 
to the corps by acts of Congress or orders of the Secretary of War. 

War Department Order of May 15, 1894, which has never been 
rescinded, directed that bureaus, containing not more than 25 clerks 
shall not have more than two divisions; those containing over 25 
to 50 clerks, inclusive, shall not have more than three divisions ; those 
of more than 50 clerks shall not have a greater number of divisions 

483 



484 EEPOKTS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

than one for each additional 50 clerks and that of such division two 
shall consist of — 

a. A Mail and Eecord Division, the business of which shall 

include the receipt and mailing of communications. 
5. A Correspondence and Examining Division, the business of 

which shall include the drafting of correspondence and 

the examination of accounts and returns, or other liko 

subjects. 
At that time the force of this office was assigned to two divisions 
as specified in section 2 of the order of May 15, 1894. Theoretically, 
this divisional organization exists at this time. The Mail and Record 
Division has been kept intact, but is not presided over by a chief of 
division. The chief clerk is nominally in charge of this division, but 
the active administrative functions are performed by a clerk receiv- 
ing a salary of $1,900, and designated as " clerk in clerical charge." 
The Correspondence and Examining Division exists in name only, 
the duties of this division being assigned to five independent sections, 
namely, military section, river and harbor section, miscellaneous civil 
section, accounts and contract section, and maps, files, and drafting 
section. 

DESCEIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONS OF EACH DIVISION AND SECTION. 

Mail and Record Division. — The Mail and Record Division is 
charged with the duty of (1) receiving and dispatching correspond- 
ence, (2) recording and indexing correspondence, and (3) filing 
records, indexes, and documents. A detailed report for this division 
is given as Part II of this report. 

Military ■section. — The work of this section comprises, in general, 
all correspondence involved in the administrative work of the office 
in connection with the designing, construction, maintenance, or repair 
of the seacoast fortifications and other military structures, the devis- 
ing, preparation, and issue of engineer supplies and equipment to the 
Coast Artillery and to the mobile Army, the instructions and equip- 
ment of engineer troops, and the numerous miscellaneous military 
matters acted upon by the office, together with the keeping of records 
of the commissioned personnel of the Corps of Engineers. 

More specifically, the work involves the preparation of both general 
and special instructions to constructing officers in relation to types 
and details of the various works and the methods of carrying them 
on, the examination of plans and projects for constructive work and 
supervision of same, the allotment of funds, the preparation of esti- 
mates for appropriations, the supervision of the purchase, the lease 
and sale of military lands and the determination of boundaries 
thereof, the examination and approval of requisitions for engineer 



OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGHsTEEKS. 485 

supplies, the construction and application to the military work of 
the office of laws and regulations, the compilation of regulations, 
orders, etc., affecting the work of the Engineer Department, the 
preparation and issue of all orders affecting the conmiissioned per- 
sonnel of the Corps of Engineers, together with other numerous 
details of related work. 

River and harbor section. — The papers acted upon by this divi- 
sion are those bearing on all matters pertaining to improvement, 
by construction or otherwise, in rivers and harbors provided for by 
Congress and the consideration of applications and plans for con- 
struction of dams in navigable waters by private parties. 

Upon the executive branch of this division devolves the considera- 
tion of related correspondence, including communications from out- 
side parties, except such as concerns bids and contracts. 

This involves the study of reports on preliminary examinations 
and on surveys covering projected improvements, as well as the maps 
accompanying same, with a view to the preparation of a suitable 
report to the Secretary of War with appropriate recommendation for 
transmission to Congress; the consideration and verification of all 
subprojects for the expenditure of the appropriations made by Con- 
gress and the indication of department action thereon ; the allotment 
of funds for various works of improvement, including the operation 
and care of completed works and the consideration of subprojects 
as above for the expenditure of such allotments; consideration of all 
requests for authority to purchase plant, machinery, supplies, land, 
etc., required for use on river and harbor improvements; the con- 
sideration of estimates for additional funds to be provided by Con- 
gress for work in progress, each work being a separate item; the 
acquisition of land for river and harbor purposes and the lease of 
river and harbor property in pursuance of law; also the lease of 
water power developed by Government structures in streams under 
improvement and action in matters relating to water-power projects, 
except at Niagara Falls; the drafting and writing of correspondence 
necessary to the final action in each case ; the preparation and editing 
of the Annual Eeport of the Chief of Engineers on river and harbor 
works. 

The engineering branch passes upon engineering features in con- 
nection with plans for structures to be built and with specifications 
for construction work and excavation. 

The floating-plant branch passes on all matters relating to the 
construction, purchase, and repair of floating plant, including the 
preparation of plans for dredges, steamboats, and other vessels, and 
of specifications therefor. This includes hulls, machinery, and other 
outfit. 



486 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON" ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Miscellaneous civil section. — The work of this section consists in 
the study of projects, preparation of correspondence, and recom- 
mendations in all matters relating to the establishment of and 
changes in harbor lines; the removal of wrecks and other obstruc- 
tions to navigation; the bridging of navigable waters; the super- 
vision of New York Harbor; the lakes survey; the water supply of 
Washington ; the preservation of Niagara Falls ; the national parks ; 
the public buildings and grounds of the District of Columbia, and 
other miscellaneous matters. 

Accounts and contracts section. — All work relative to money ac- 
counts, property returns, and bookkeeping is performed in this 
section. All contracts are also examined in connection with the 
specifications and bids to see that they conform to points of law 
and department regulations. A record of the civil-service employees 
in the Engineer Department at Large is also kept in this section. 
This section also has charge of the receipt, storage, and distribution 
of publications to officers in the field. 

Map^ -files., and drafting section. — This section has the care and 
custody of all maps, charts, drawings, etc., received or made in the 
office. It is also charged with the examination and checking of maps,^ 
charts, and plans published under the direction of the Chief of 
Engineers or the publication of which is supervised in that office, 
comprising the lake survey charts, harbor charts, drawings illustrat- 
ing the reports of district officers, confidential drawings relating to 
the national defense, maps of battlefields printed for use of the 
Army and for distribution, and maps for the establishment of the 
United States harbor lines, and preparation of maps, charts, and 
plans pertaining to fortifications and works of river and harbor 
improvements. It is also charged with the examination of descrip- 
tions of lands purchased for the United States, computation of areas 
and volumes, checking of surveys, preparation of lithographic trans- 
fers and lithographic stones. Maps, plans, etc., are reproduced in 
this section by blue print and Vandyke negative methods, by litho- 
graphic process, and also by photostat machines. 

With the exception of the work performed in the accounts and 
contract section, the work of the so-called Correspondence and Exam- 
ining Division is either of a legal, technical, or administrative 
character, and the method of conducting this work will not be con- 
sidered in this report. A preliminary examination and report has 
been prepared on the accounting section and will be further con- 
sidered and a detailed report made in connection with the report 
which the commission is now preparing on the accounting system 
in the War Department. 



OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF EFGINEEKS. 487 

OEGANIZATION. * 

The organization of the office is as follows : 
Executive and administrative: 

1 brigadier general, chief of office. 
1 colonel, assistant to chief of office. 

1 lieutenant colonel, assistant to chief of office. 

2 majors, assistants to chief of office. 
2 captains, assistants to chief of office. 
1 lieutenant, assistant to chief of office. 

Legal: 

1 law officer, at $3,000 $3,000 

Office of chief cleric: 

1 chief clerk, at $2,000 $2,000 

1 clerk, at $900 900 

6 messengers, at $840 . 5,040 

8 assistant messengers, at $720 ^' 2, 160 

2 laborers, at $660 1, 320 

1 charman, at $360 360 

11,780 

Military section: 

1 chief of division, at $2,000 2, 000 

1 assistant engineer, at $2,400 2,400 

~ 1 clerk, at $1,800 1, 800 

3 clerks, at $1,600 4,800 

1 clerk, at $1.400 1,400 

1 clerk, at $1,200 ^ 1,200 

1 clerk, at $1,000 \.- 1,000 

3 clerks, at $900 2,700 

17,300 

River and liarlior section: 

1 chief of division, at $2,000 2,000 

2 assistant engineers, at $2,400 4,800 

2 clerks, at $1,600 3, 200 

1 clerk, at $1,400 1,400 

1 clerk, at $1,200 1,200 

2 clerks, at $1,000 2,000 

1 clerk, at $900 900 

1 ship draftsman, at $2,400 2, 400 

1 draftsman (marine), at $1,800 1,800 

2 draftsmen (hull), at $1,800 3,600 

23,300 

Miscellaneous civil section: 

1 chief of division, at $2,000 2, 000 

1 clerk, at $1.600 1,600 

1 clerk, at $1,200 1,200 

1 clerk, at $1.000 1,000 

5,800 

Accounts and contracts section: 

1 clerk (in charge), at $1,900 1,900 

4 clerks, at $1,800 7,200 

1 clerk, at $1,600 1,600 

5 clerks, at $1,400 7,000 

8 clerks, at $1,200 9,600 

2 clerks, at $1,000 2,000 

1 clerk, at $900 900 

30,200 



488 REPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Mail and Record Division: 

1 clerk (in charge), at $1,900 $1,900 

2 clerks, at $1,800 3,600 

4 clerks, at $1,600 6,400 

6 clerks, at $1,400 8,400 

4 clerks, at $1,200 4,800 

5 clerks, at $1,000 5,000 

5 clerks, at $900 4,500 

$34, 600 

Map files and drafting section: 

1 assistant engineer, at $3,600 3, 600 

2 draftsmen, at $1,800 3,600 

1 draftsman, at $1,400 1,400 

1 draftsman, at $1,000 1,000 

1 clerk, class 4, at $1,800 1, 800 

1 clerk, class 3, at $1,600 1, 600 

1 clerk, class 2, at $1,400 1, 400 

2 clerks, class 1, at $1,200 2, 400 

1 lithographer, at $1,200 1,200 

1 mechanic, at $1,000 1,000 

1 blue-print operator, at $840 840 

19,840 

Total number, 107 145, 820 

Of the force above enumerated statutory provisions are made for 
83 persons as follows : 

1 chief clerk, at $2,000__^ $2,000 

2 chiefs of division, at $2,000 4, 000 

8 clerks, at $1,800 14,400 

11 clerks, at $1,600 17,600 

13 clerks, at $1,400 18,200 

16 clerks, at $1,200 19, 200 

10 clerks, at $1,000 10,000 

11 clerks, at $900 9, 900 

6 messengers, at $840 5,040 

3 assistant messengers, at $720 2, 160 

2 laborers, at $660 1,320 

83 Total amount of appropriation 103, 820 

The legislative act of August 23, 1912, also provides that the serv- 
ices of skilled draftsmen, civil engineers, and such other services as 
the Secretary of War may deem necessary, may be employed only in 
the office of the Chief of Engineers to carry into effect the various 
appropriations for rivers and harbors, fortifications, and surveys to 
be paid from such appropriations, provided that the expenditures on 
this account for the fiscal year 1913 shall not exceed $42,000. Allot- 
ments have been made for the payment of 24 employees, from this 
appropriation, as follows : 

1 assistant engineer, at $3,600 $3,600 

3 assistant engineers, at $2,400 7,200 

1 law officer, at $3,000 3,000 

1 draftsman (ship), at $2,400 2,400 



OFriCE OP THE CHIEF OP EFGINEEES. 489 

1' draftsman (marine engine), at $1,800 . $1,800 

2 draftsmen (liuU), at $1,800 3,600 

2 draftsmen, at $1,800 3,600 

1 draftsman, at $1,400 1,400 

1 draftsman, at $1,000 1,000 

1 chief of division, at $2,000 2,000 

2 clerics, at $1,900 3, 800 

1 clerk, at $1,600 1,600 

1 clerk, at $1,400 1,400 

1 clerk, at $1,200 1, 200 

1 clerk, at $1,000 1,000 

1 lithographer, at $1,200 1,200 

1 mechanic, at $1,000 1,000 

1 blue-print operator, at $840 840 

1 charman, at $360 360 

24 Total amount of appropriation 42, 000 

II. Detailed Description of the Location, Work, and Methods 
OF the Mail and Records Division. 

This division occupies rooms 123, 121, 119, 117, 19, and 563 in the 
State, War, and Navy Building. The tv^^o rooms last named are 
used for filing purposes only. 

This division has the care and custody of all correspondence of 
the bureau, except that relating to money accounts and property 
returns. About 66,000 pieces of correspondence are received an- 
nually, or approximately 210 daily, from the office of the chief 
clerk, where it had been previously received and separated into four 
groups, namely, fortifications and personnel, rivers and harbors, 
accounts and contracts, and maps and charts. About 95 per cent 
of this incoming mail is recorded and indexed. 

Incoming correspondence. — The mail is placed in baskets on the 
desks to which it pertains, and the clerks in charge of the several 
desks examine and separate it into two classes, namely, correspond- 
ence which bears the office file marks, and that which is apparently 
new. A list of the former is made and handed to a record card file 
clerk, who withdraws the record card from the files and places them 
with the list on the appropriate desk. The letters pertaining to the 
latter class are taken by the clerks in charge of the several desks, 
who examine the current index to ascertain if there has been pre- 
vious correspondence on the same subject. If nothing is found, the 
papers receive new file numbers with new record cards to correspond. 
Both classes are then arranged numerically. 

Stainping and numbenng. — The office stamp is imprinted on the 
back of the lower fold of the first sheet, showing the name of the 
department and office and the date of receipt of the particular paper. 
The number of the case and the serial subnumber of the paper, 
called " inclosure number," is inserted in ink within the office stamp. 



490 REPORTS OF COMMISSIOliT ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Recording. — The necessary entries are made on record cards, show- 
ing the date of the receipt of the papers, the inclosure numbers, and 
a synopsis of the contents. 

Forwarding original papers. — The original papers are then sent 
to the executive officers or clerks for action, all special mail being 
forwarded as soon as the letter has been recorded. Ordinary current 
mail is taken by messenger at 30-minute intervals and placed upon 
the desk of the executive officer or clerk to act upon. 

Indexing. — The record cards are passed to the chief indexer, who 
places the proper index cards therewith and hands them to clerks, 
who index the new entries under persons, subjects, and places. The 
•index clerk initials the record card to show that the proper entries 
have been made on the index cards. The index cards are then 
returned to the chief indexer, who files them in alphabetical order, 
by name and subject, and the record cards are passed to a record 
file clerk for file. 

Outgoing correspondence. — From 45,000 to 50,000 pieces of out- 
going correspondence pass through this division annualh^, or ap- 
proximately a daily average of 160 pieces. Two carbons are made 
of all correspondence, excepting short and stereotyped indorsements, 
and three carbons are made of important letters to officers in the 
field. After letters have been signed they, together with the carbons 
and the documents to which they pertain, are sent to the desk of the 
dispatch clerk. 

Dispatching. — The dispatch clerk separates the carbon copies from 
the originals, makes a list of the latter, which shows the case and 
inclosure number, the names of the persons to whom sent, the num- 
ber of inclosures, and the date and hour of mailing. The dispatch 
clerk makes a press copy of all letters signed by the Chief of Engi- 
neers and his assistants. The letters are then placed in addressed 
envelopes, together with any inclosures which may have been sent 
to his desk, and sent to the folding room, where they are placed in 
a leather pouch marked " Chief of Engineers," which is then locked 
and turned over to the War Department wagon and taken direct to 
the city post office. The dispatch clerk arranges the carbons nu- 
merically, one being sent to the document file clerk for file and a per- 
forated carbon copy, together witii the document, to a record clerk, 
the third copy, if any, having been inclosed with the original letter. 

Recording. — A recording clerk divides the perforated carbon into 
three parts 2>l by 8 inches, and places it with the docinnent. The 
documents are then arranged in numerical order. A temporary list, 
bearing the date, is made in pencil and sent to the record file clerk, 
who withdraws from the files the record cards bearing corresponding 
numbers. The record cards are then placed on the desk of a record 
clerk, who assembles the cards and documents, arranging them 



OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF EIsTGINEEES. 



491 



numerically, after which they are separated into groups and placed 
on the desk to which they pertain. After action taken has been en- 
tered on the record card the document is sent to the file clerk for filing. 

Indexing. — The record card and carbons are handed to the chief 
indexer, who withdraws the necessary index cards and places them 
with the record cards, together with a memoranda indicating what 
new index cards are to be made, on the desk of an index clerk. The 
index clerk makes the necessary entry on the index cards, sends the 
record card and the carbon to the record card clerk for examination, 
pasting, and file. The index cards are placed in a distributing case and 
at 3 o'clock each day are placed in the index file by two index clerks. 

Files.— VvioT to 1890 the index to and record of cases were made in 
books. For the years 1890, 1891, and 1892 records of cases were 
made on cards and filed in universal file cases. From January 1, 
1893, to the present date, cards 3^ by 8 inches have been used both 
for record and index and are filed in document files. All orig-inal doc- 
uments are folded 3^ by 8 inches and are also filed in document files. 

Filing space. — The following statement shows approximately^ the 
number cubic feet in the wooden file cases in rooms 117, 119, 121, 123, 
563, and 19, containing record books, record and index cards, and 
documents pertaining to the correspondence of this office. 

Number of file cases and number of cubic feet of space in files in 
each room: 





Num- 
ber of 

file 
cases. 


Size of cases. 


Number 
of cubic 

feet. 


Room No. 117 


2 
1 
1 

1 
1 
2 
1 
1 
2 
2 
1 
1 
3 
2 
1 
10 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 


Feet. 
12 by 14 


336 




11 by 14 


154 




14 by 19 


266 


Room No. 119 


2 by 2 by 5 

9 by 14. . . . 


20 

126 




12 bv 14 . 


336 


Room No. 121 


4 by 8 


32 




8 by 14 


112 




12 by 14 


336 


Room No. 123 


4 by 9 


72 




7 by 14 


98 




12 by 14 


168 


Room No. 563 


6 by 8 


144 




10 by 8 


160 




4 by 8 


32 


Room No. 19 


llj by 10 


1,360 




13Jby7 

8Jby 10 


94.5 
185 




17 by 10 


170 




14 by 10 by 2 

3 by 10 


18 
30 




3 by 7 


21 








Total .' 


38 


4, 270. 5 









492 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Distribution. — The various papers and documents are distributed 
as follows: 

Koom 123 — 570 boxes of document files, 14 boxes of mailing lists, 
and 39 boxes of miscellaneous papers and memoranda. 

Koom 121 — 929 boxes of document files and 108 boxes of miscel- 
laneous files. 

Eoom 119 — 558 boxes of document files, 198 boxes of monthly- 
reports of operations, 991 boxes of universal file cases containing 
record cards, and 210 book records. 

Koom 117 — 369 boxes of record cards, 314 boxes of index cards, and 
2 shelves containing 154 book records. 

Koom 19 — 107 boxes of index cards to universal-card system 
(1890-1892) ; 11 boxes of index cards to records from January 1, 
1893, to June 30, 1894; 2 large shelves of annual reports; 27 press 
copy books (since 1910) ; 33 boxes of records pertaining to surveys, 
etc.; 1,428 boxes of documents; 605 boxes of monthly reports of 
operations ; 4 cases, 12 by 12, containing miscellaneous papers ; 18 
shelves containing bulky packages; 1 large cabinet containing rolls 
of maps, etc., awaiting action; 2 large cabinets containing documents 
of fortifications ; and 1 case containing 10 boxes of survey reports. 

Koom 563 — 416 boxes of records (river and harbor, from 1882 to 
1889) ; 344 boxes of record files, from 1869 to 1881, inclusive; 32 
boxes of lake survey records ; 25 boxes of lake survey report records ; 
and 36 boxes of records (river and harbor, 1869). 

Seven separate files are maintained: 

1. Record card. — This card is used for the purpose of keeping a 
synopsis of all action with reference to a particular person or project, 
and is filed under an arbitrary serial number. When the space on a 
card is filled an additional or fellow sheet is attached. When any 
group of cards reaches the thickness of about three-eighths of an 
inch it is marked on its fact Part I, and a second part marked on its 
face Part II is begun. The division into parts is continued as cir- 
cumstances may require, each part having about the thickness men- 
tioned. Two clerks are engaged in filing and withdrawing these 
cards. 

2. Index or cross reference. — This card is used for the purpose of 
indexing the action noted on the record card above mentioned, and 
is filed alphabetically by names and subjects. For convenience, the 
index cards most frequently in use are kept in a revolving case con- 
taining 64 files. The others are filed on permanent shelves in 250 
files on the west side of room 117. These cards are filed and with- 
drawn by the clerks who are engaged on index work. 

When the space on a cross-reference or index card is filled the 
procedure is the same as that described on the record card. From 
four to thirty index cards are made for every record card. 



OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEEKS. 



493 



3. Permanent documents. — Only papers and documents on which 
action is final and complete are placed in these files. One clerk is 
engaged in filing and withdrawing such documents. 

4. Bulky packages. — All bulky packages, which will not admit of 
folding, are filed on numbered shelves. A memorandum card is placed 
in the regular document files indicating the number of the shelf on. 
which the package is filed. 

5. Temporary or " held-wp " documents. — All papers and docu- 
ments are placed in this file until final action, when they are trans- 
ferred to the permanent document files. When papers or documents 
are filed in the " held-up " file a blue slip is pasted to the face of the 
record or index card for recording thereon any instructions or in- 
formation for guidance when a subject comes up again for action.. 
Those attached to the record card are also used for the notations 
showing what papers are in the " held-up " file. 

6. Suspension. — When a paper has been forwarded with orders or 
recommendations for action to be taken on a certain date, a suspension 
slip is made showing the number of the case, the date on which action 
is to be taken and filed by dates. The principal object in maintaining 
this file is to insure that replies are made to communications received 
and sent. Each day the slips for that date are taken from the files,. 
and if the respective records do not show that action has been taken,, 
the cards are sent to the executive officer or clerks for consideration. 

7. Personnel. — This file contains a card for each civil employee in 
the office, giving complete record of the dates of appointment, promo- 
tion, demotion, leaves of absence, discharge, or death. Nothing rela- 
tive to efficiency is contained on this card. 

Clerical cost. 





Per- 
centage 
of time. 


Salary. 


Cost. 


Administration: 


100 

100 
50 
100 
50 
100 
100 
100 


$1,900 

1,600 
1,600 
1,400 
1,400 
1,200 
1,000 
900 


81,900 

3,200 
800 


Indexing, searching, and filing index cards: 

2 clerks 


1 clerk 


2 clerks 


2,800 


1 clerk 


700 




2,400 


1 clerk 


1,000 
900 


1 clerk 






10 Total 


11,800; 


Recording and searching: 

2 clerks 


100 
100 
50 
100 


1,800 
1,600 
1,600 
1,400 


3,600 


1 clerk 


1,600- 
800 


1 clerk 


2 clerks 


2,800 



494 KEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Clerical cost — Continued. 





Per 
centage 
of time. 


Salary. 


Cost. 


Eecording and searching— Continued. 


60 
100 
100 
100 


»1,400 

1,200 

1,000 

900 


' $700 


2 Clerks 


2,400 
3,000 
1,800 


3 clerks 


2 clerks 




14 Total 


16,700 
1,800 
1,000 
1,400 


Filing and witli drawing record cards: 

2 clerks 


100 

100 

100 



900 
1,000 
1,400 


Filing and withdrawing documents: 

1 clerk 


Dispatching outgoing mail: 

1 clerk 




Total 


34,600 







III. Ckitical Comment and Constructive E-ecommendations Per- 
taining TO THE Mail and Record Division. 

As is shown above, 27 clerks are allotted to this division, with 
annual salaries aggregating $34,600. These clerks are engaged in 
recording, indexing, filing, withdrawing, forwarding for action, and 
mailing correspondence. About 65,000 pieces of incoming and 50,000 
pieces of outgoing mail pass through this division annually. The 
clerical cost is out of all proportion to the volume of correspondence. 
This is not due to lack of efficiency or diligence on the part of the 
employees, but to the methods employed in handling the mail which 
are fully described in the descriptive report on this division. If the 
recommendations of the commission are adopted, a conservative 
estimate of the net annual saving in salaries would be $18,320 and, 
without providing additional space, the crowded condition of the 
clerks, and the congested condition of the files would be relieved. 

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS. 

To the end that this may be considered in relation to the specific 
changes which it is thought should be effected, the commission recom- 
mends : 

1. That the head of division should be given the rank and designa- 
tion of " chief of division." 

2. That all incoming correspondence should have the office stamp 
imprinted thereon by a messenger in the chief clerk's room. 

3. That all correspondence should be filed flat, and by subjects, 
under a system which will be self -indexing. 

4. That unimportant and routine correspondence should be pre- 
pared in this division. 



OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEEES. 495 

5. That the practice of making record cards should be discontinued. 

6. That the practice of making index cards should be discontinued. 
T. That the use of a perforated carbon copy should be discontinued. 

8. That the practice of press copying letters in press copy books 
should be discontinued. 

9. That the practice of making a list of outgoing letters should be 
discontinued. 

10. That the files should be rearranged and useless papers de- 
stroyed. 

11. That the files in rooms 117, 119, 121, and 123 should be re- 
arranged. 

12. That the record cards now filed in universal filing cases should 
be bound. 

13. That documents in the " held up " file should be placed in the 
regular files. 

14. That ceiling lights should be placed in all workrooms. 

15. That the rooms should have proper care by the char force. 

16. That the suspension file should be discontinued. 

17. That a messenger boy should be added to the force of this 
division. 

ADMINISTRATION. 

1. Under the present conditions the responsibility for the adminis- 
tration of this division is divided between the chief clerk of the office 
and a clerk who is designated as " clerk in clerical charge." The 
entire personnel of this office, with the exception of the Division of 
Accounts, is engaged almost entirely on correspondence, and the Mail 
and Record Division is the center around which all this work re- 
volves. It is therefore necessary that the work performed in this 
division be promptly, intelligently and accurately performed, other- 
wise the work of the entire office will be seriously affected. The work 
of this division is of such importance that the man in charge should 
have the rank of a " chief of division," and be held entirely responsi- 
ble for the proper performance of the work. Under the present sys- 
tem of divided responsibility, the clerks naturally do not have the 
respect for orders issued by the " clerk in clerical charge " that they 
would if he were a chief of division and responsible to the head 
of the office. It is therefore recommended that the designation of 
the head of this division be changed from " clerk in clerical charge " 
to " chief of division," and that he be given full authority over the 
work performed. 

OFFICE STAMP. 

2. Under the present system, the office stamp is not placed on the 
papers until the clerk in the record room is ready to make the entry 
on the record card, and it not infrequently happens that the corre- 



496 KEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

spondence is kept on the desk of the clerk for one, sometimes two or 
three days, before being stamped. In such cases the date of the stamp 
must be changed, which requires time, and it is liable to lead to error. 
To be of any importance at all, this stamp should show accurately the 
date on which each communication is received, and the time of a 
high-priced clerk should not be taken up with the mechanical opera- 
tion of stamping papers. It is recommended that the office stamp be 
imprinted on the communication by a messenger as soon as received 
in the chief clerk's room. 

SELT-INDEXING AND FLAT FIUNG. 

3. It is recommended that correspondence be filed by subjects 
under a system which would be self-indexing. Such a system, and 
every possible objection thereto, is fully discussed in Circular No. 
21, issued by the commission under date of February 13, 1912, and 
in the commission's report on the Office of The Adjutant General 
of the Army, dated November 25, 1912. It is therefore unnecessary 
to enter into details as to this recommendation in this report. The 
correspondence of this office would readily lend itself to subjective 
classification and flat filing. The commission does not insist on, 
or recommend, any particular classification, but, if desired, repre- 
sentatives from the commission will cooperate with the office in 
working out the details of a satisfactory classification. 

"UNIMPORTANT AND ROUTINE CORRESPONDENCE. 

4. It is estimated that 25 per cent of the correspondence passing 
through this division is merely routine matter, the answer to which 
requires no discretion or examination other than that performed in 
the record room. The answer to such correspondence could and 
should be prepared in this division. It is therefore recommended 
that in correspondence of this character the answer be prepared 
by the clerks in the record division. 

RECORD CARD. 

5. It is claimed that the record card is used as the basis of cor- 
respondence and that it is not necessary to withdraw the original 
correspondence from the files. It was admitted, however, that no 
important action would be taken on any case by the Chief of Engi- 
neers or his assistants without having the original document before 
him. In many instances more time is consumed in the preparation 
of this card than would be required to answer the communication 
and file the correspondence. Twelve clerks devote their entire 
time, and two clerks 50 per cent of their time, to the work of pre- 



OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS. 



497 



paring and searching these records, at a clerical cost of $16,700 
annually, as follows : 



Percent- 
age of 
time. 



Salary. 



Cost. 



2 clerks, class 4. . 

1 clerk, class 3 . . 

Do 

2 clerks, class 2.. 

1 clerk, class 2 . . 

2 clerks, class L. 

3 clerks, class E. 
2 clerks, class D. 

Total 



100 
100 

50 
100 

50 
100 
100 
100 



$1,800 
1,G00 
800 
1,400 
1,400 
1,200 
1,000 
900 



$3,600 
1,600 

800 
2,800 

700 
2,400 
3,000 
1,800 



16,700 



If this recommendation with reference to filing is adopted, this 
record card would be entirely unnecessary, as the original correspond- 
ence would be as readily accessible as the record card, and would be 
much more reliable. It would, of course, be necessary to retain the 
record cards already made, and for a time continual reference would 
have to be made to these records. 

INDEX CARD. 

6. A system has grown up with reference to indexing the record 
card, which oftentimes requires as many as 30 index cards, and never 
less than four for a single case. An index card is made for every 
possible conceivable subject. A vast number of purely arbitrary in- 
dex cards are made, which serve no useful purpose. They take up 
space in the files, and are of no material aid in the identification of 
records and papers. Seven clerks devote their entire time and two 
clerks 50 per cent of their time to the work of indexing, searching, 
and filing index cards, at a clerical cost of $11,800 annuallyj as fol- 
lows: 



Percent- 
age of 
time. 




Cost. 



2 clerks, class 3. 

1 clerk, class 3 . . 

2 clerks, class 2. 

1 clerk, class 2 . . 

2 clerks, class 1. 
1 clerk, class E . . 
1 clerk, class D . 

Total 



100 
50 
100 
50 
100 
100 
100 



$1,600 
1,600 
1,400 
1,400 
1,200 
1,000 
900 



$3,200 

800 

2,800 

700 

2,400 

1,000 

90U 



11,800 



72734°— H. Doc. 12.52, 62-3- 



498 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

As has been said with reference to the record card, it would be 
unnecessary to continue the preparation of this card if the self- 
indexing system is adopted, but it would be necessary to retain the 
index cards, which have already been made, for reference in cases 
filed under the present system. With the elimination of the record 
and index cards and the adoption of a self -indexing system for corre- 
spondence, it is conservatively estimated that the annual saving in 
salaries would be $17,620, as follows : 

1 clerk, class 4, at $1,800 : $1, 800 

3 clerks, class 3, at $1,600 4, 800 

3 clerks, class 2, at $1,400 4,200 

4 clerks, at $1,000 4,000 

3 clerks, at $900 2, 700 

One-half the time of 1 clerk, class 2, at $1,400 700 

Total IS, 200 

Less amount added for chief of division $100 

Messenger boy 480 

580 

Tbtal 17,620 

PERFORATED CARBON COPY. 

7. The perforated carbon copy now prepared is used in connection 
with the record card, and if the record card is abolished, as recom- 
mended, this copy would serve no purpose and should be discon- 
tinued. 

PRESS COPY. 

8. It is asserted that the primary reason for making a press copy 
of letters and indorsements is to enable the Chief of Engineers to 
familiarize himself with work which may have been done during 
his absence by going over the correspondence in the press-copy book. 
As these books are not indexed, the carbon of a particular letter could 
be obtained more readily than the copy in the letter book, and the 
only possible reason for continuing this work is the one above stated, 
and inasmuch as it was stated that the letter book was seldom used 
for this purpose it is not thought that the expense connected with 
the work is warranted. It requires about one and one-half hours 
daily of the dispatch clerk's time to do this work, and the dispatch of 
correspondence is thereby necessarily delayed. It is recommended 
that the practice of making press copies be discontinued. 

MAILING LIST. 

9. At least two hours daily of the dispatch clerk's time is consumed 
in the preparation of the mailing list. These lists have been filed 
daily since 1895 and now occupy 14 file boxes 3^ by 10| by 12 inches. 
The only reason assigned for maintaining this file is that they are 



OFFICE OP THE CHIEF OF ENGINEEES. 499 

enabled to determine conclusively that a letter was mailed at a cer- 
tain hour on a certain date. The fact that a letter is recorded on one 
of these lists is an indication that under the system the letter has 
been mailed, but it is no more conclusive that the actual physical act 
of mailing has been performed than the carbon copy in the files 
would be if these carbons were uniformly filed under a definite sj^s- 
tem. If it is necessary or desirable to have a record showing the 
actual time of mailing, such a record could be maintained by stamp- 
ing the date and hour of mailing on the carbon with a dating stamp. 
The accumulation of dust in these boxes is sufficient evidence that 
these lists serve no useful purpose. If the time of the dispatch clerk, 
now devoted to the preparation of these lists, were devoted to the 
actual preparation of correspondence for the mails, the mail could be 
dispatched on the same day on which it is written, which, under 
present conditions, is not done. It is therefore recommended that 
the preparation of these lists be discontinued. 

USELESS PAPERS. 

10. Many useless papers and documents are stored in this division. 
As an example of papers that might be removed from the active 
files and placed in storage, and possibly destroyed, mention might 
be made of the monthly report of operations of engineer officers, long 
since dead or retired, showing monthly operations of projects which 
were completed years ago, and the necessary details of which have 
been carried from time to time in the annual reports and money 
statements of the office. It is recommended that a committee of com- 
petent clerks in the office be designated to go through these files with 
the view of removing all papers which have no further active use- 
fulness. It is estimated that the files now located in rooms 117, 119, 
121, 123, and 19 could be reduced by at least one-half. 

BINDING RECORDS. 

11, The card records for 1890, 1891, and 1892 now filed in "uni- 
versal file cases" are in a deplorable condition. Many of the boxes 
are broken and held together with rubber bands ; they are covered 
with dust; the papers have been disarranged, and in their present 
condition a satisfactory examination can not be made. It is rec- 
ommended that these cards be arranged numerically and bound. 
The index would not have to be disturbed, as the page number in the 
bound volume could be made to correspond with the number on the 
index card. The cost of binding would be a mere trifle. If this 
recommendation is carried out, it will result in a saving of two- 
thirds of the filing space now occupied by these records, and will 
further result in a saving of time, which can not be estimated in 
money value, now occupied in searching these records. 



500 EEPOETS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 
REARRANGEMENT OF FILES. 

12. The present arrangement of files in rooms 117, 119, 121, and 
123 is not only inconvenient, but is actually dangerous. As has 
been stated, the cases are 14 feet in height, and when it becomes nec- 
essary to remove a heavy box of cards from the top of these cases the 
process is not only tedious, but dangerous, and results in the loss of 
time by clerks in the room. It was observed that whenever it be- 
came necessary to remove a box from a high shelf in the vicinity of 
a clerk's desk, he invariably left the desk until the box had been 
removed and replaced. It is recommended that the files be rear- 
ranged when the new system is put into operation and that rooms 
117 and 119 be used for the current files under the new system, and 
that the active records under the present system be filed in rooms 121 
and 123 in cases not to exceed 10 feet in height, using cross sections, 
if necessary. 

'° HELD -UP ■' FILES. 

13. It has been found that a large number of drawings that long 
since should have been filed in the map files are tied up with papers 
in the Mail and Eecord Division and placed on shelves and in cabi- 
nets designated as " held-up " files. These papers and drawings 
come to the Record Division with a note attached, " to be held up 
until called up." It is recommended that this system be discontinued 
and that papers on which action is not completed be placed in the 
regular files, and when they are again needed they can be more readily 
found than by the present " held-up " system. 

SUSPENSION FILES. 

14. The duty of calling up pa^Ders on a predetermined date should 
devolve upon the section of the office that determines such date and 
not upon the Mail and Record Division. Likewise, the work of de- 
termining whether or not replies have been received to communica- 
tions emanating from the office should rest with the respective 
divisions or sections of the office calling for records, information, 
etc. It is, therefore, recommended that the suspension file be dis- 
continued. 

CROWDED CONDITIONS. 

15. The four rooms allotted to this division for the clerical force 
have 1,645 square feet of floor space. Permanent shelving, 12 inches 
deep and 14 feet high, has been built in all the available wall space, 
thus reducing the actual available space to about 1,500 square feet. 
Twenty-six desks, eight tables, one letterpress, one dictionary stand, 
three wardrobes, one large distributing table, and one large revolv- 
ing filing case are crowded into these four rooms, which are perma- 
nently occupied by 27 clerks. As has been previously stated in this 



OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF EiSTGIlSTEEES. 501 

report, this crowded condition will be considerably relieved, if not 
altogether eliminated, if the recommendations in this report are 
adopted. 

LIGHT. 

16. Rooms Nos. 123, 121, and 119 each hare two windows, and room 
117 has three. All of the windows are on the east side of the rooms, 
facing the court. On clear days the natural light is sufficient. Each 
room has one large gas chandelier in the center of the room, but gas 
is not now used, temporary arrangement having been made for the 
use of electricity. The electric lights are temporary drop-lights, 16- 
candlepower carbon filaments, and are not so arranged as to furnish 
sufficient light even for the desks of the clerks, and on a dark day 
it is almost impossible to read the numbers on the file boxes occupy- 
ing the higher shelves. It is recommended that modern wiring and 
lighting be installed and that 150-w^att tungsten lamps, with Holo- 
phane reflectors, be placed in the center of the structural arches in 
each of these rooms. This recommendation applies with equal force 
to all workrooms in the office. 

CARE OF ROOMS. 

17. All the rooms occupied by this division are apparently neg- 
lected by the char force. The window casings and sills are covered 
with dust and dirt, and in room 19 and room 563 the condition is 
such that a clerk should not be required to make even an occasional 
visit until the rooms are cleaned. There is no messenger force at all 
assigned to this division, and the only attention given to the rooms 
and furniture is the work performed b}^ the blue-print operator, who 
is required to perform certain cleaning up in this division between 
8 and 9 o'clock in the morning, although he is attached to another 
division. The commission is preparing a report on the char work in 
the State, War, and Navy Building which will contain a further 
discussion of this subject. 

]\rESSSNGEK BOY. 

18. There is no messenger service, other than the pony express, 
provided for this division. The messenger work is being performed 
by high-grade clerks, and it is not unusual for a clerk drawing a 
salary of $1,800 per annum to be called to a room, far removed from 
the record room, merely for the purpose of receiving from an officer 
in charge of the correspondence a document to be filed. It is un- 
necessary to present argument to show that messenger work should 
not be performed by high-grade clerks. One active messenger boy 
could perform the messenger work of this division. It is recom- 
mended that a messenger boy be added to the force of the division. 
If this recommendation is adopted, the annual saving in salarj^ 
while hard to estimate in money value, would be considerable. 



502 KEPOETS OF COMMISSION 01^ ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

CONCLUSIONS. 

The system of handling mail in this division is admittedly clmnsy 
and antiquated, and in the endeavor to provide against every possible 
conceivable emergency, however remote the emergency may be, a sys- 
tem has gradually grown up which is so intricate that it requires as 
much or more time to keep track of the various papers prepared in the 
division for the purpose of locating original documents as would be 
required in handling the documents themselves if filed under a 
modern system. The primary object to be attained by any system of 
filing correspondence should be the ability to locate any particular 
paper within the shortest possible time. It is admitted that under 
the present system all papers can be eventually found, but the process 
is bunglesome and expensive. Manj?^ hours are spent each day in 
locating index cards which, for various reasons, have been taken from 
the files, and in many instances they have not been made at all, as it 
is not unusual for a record card to remain on a clerk's desk for several 
days before being indexed, not because of any indifference on the part 
of the clerk, but because of his inability to get certain index cards 
which, under the system, may be in use by another clerk in connection 
with other record cards. As has been stated elsewhere in this report, 
the total number of pieces of incoming and outgoing mail is only 
420 daily, an average of 15 pieces for each clerk in the division. If 
the recommendations herein made are adopted, it is thought that the 
following force would be adequate to handle the correspondence now 
requiring the time of 27 clerks at a cost of $34,600, and that it would 
be handled in a much more satisfactory manner than at present : 

1 cMef of division, at $2.000 $2,000 

1 clerk, class 4, at $1.800 1, 800 

1 clerk, class 3, at $1,600 1,600 

2 clerks, class 2, at $1.400 2, 800 

4 clerks, class 1. at $1.200 4, 800 

1 clerk, at $1,000 1, 000 

2 clerks, at $900 1,800 

1 messenger boy, at $480 480 

Total ]6, 280 

Thus making a total saving of $18,320, or more than one-half of the 
present cost. In making this estimate due consideration has been 
given to the work that would have to be performed in connection with 
the present records ; and in addition to the work now performed, this 
force could prepare the routine correspondence mentioned in the report 
and relieve to this extent the pressure of work in other divisions. 
Respectfully submitted. 

F. A. Cleveland, 
Walter W. Warwick, 
M. O. Chance, 

C ommissioners. 



THE HANDLING AND FILING OF COR- 
RESPONDENCE AND THE DOING OF 
STATISTICAL WORK IN THE BUREAU 
OF INSULAR AFFAIRS. 



503 



THE HANDLING AND FILING OF CORRESPONDENCE AND THE 
DOING OF STATISTICAL WORK IN THE BUREAU OF INSULAR 
AFFAIRS. 



Introductory, 
a summary of recommendatioxs, conclusions, and estimated 

SAVINGS. 

As a result of the inquiry into the business methods of the Bureau 
of Insular xVffairs, War Department, the commission has arrived at 
the following conclusions and recommendations: 

1. General administrative tcork. — It is recommended that the 
Correspondence and Administrative and the Miscellaneous Divisions 
of the bureau be reorganized, so that the former will take over certain 
of the functions now devolving upon the latter. 

2. Compilation of commercial statistics. — It is recommended that 
the compilation of commercial statistics by the Bureau of Insular 
Affairs be discontinued, and that the Division of Statistics be 
abolished. 

3. Handling and filing correspondence. — It is recommended : 

( a) That the present practice of folding papers and filing them in 
document files be discontinued, substituting therefor flat filing. 

(5) That the original papers and documents be filed on a sub- 
jective classification, thereby rendering the files self -indexing, in 
keeping with a logical arrangement of numbers. 

(c) That the preparation of record cards be discontinued, involv- 
ing the substantial elimination of auxiliary correspondence records. 

4. Distrihation of supplies. — It is recommended that the present 
independent supply and stationery room of the Bureau of Insular 
Affairs be discontinued and that the requisitions of the bureau and 
its several divisions be drawn upon the Central Supply Division of 
the War Department. 

5. Storage of Cuban and PliUippine records.- — It is recommended 
that the Cuban and Philippine records be transferred to the Bureau 
of Insular Affairs Annex, as hereinafter outlined. 

("). C oinpilatlon of financicd statistics. — It is recommended that the 
keeping of general and detailed ledger accounts, used in the compila- 
tion of statistics by the section of the Purchasing, Disbursing, and 
Accounting Division, located in the Bureau Annex Building, be 
discontinued, 

505 



506 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

In addition to the foregoing this report contains critical comment 
of a general nature on organization and methods and specific recom- 
mendations of a less important character. 

ESTIMATED SAVINGS, 

If the recommendations of this report are put into effect, the fol- 
lowing economies will be accomplished : 

1. Abolishment of Statistical Division : 

1 clerk $1, 800 

1 clerk 1,400 

5 clerks at $1,000 5,000 

$8, 200 

2. Hauclliug and filing correspondence (Record Division) : 

1 clerk 1,400 

2 clerks at $1,200 2,400 

5 clerks at $1,000 5,000 

8, 800 

3. Miscellaneous work, estimated saving S. 800 

4. Transfer of Cuban and Philippine records, estimated annual rent 1, 250 

5. Simplification of work involved in compilation of financial statistics : 

2 clerks at $1,000 2, 000 

- Total 29, 050 

(b) General statement of functions of 'bureau. 

The Bureau of Insular Affairs has charge of matters relating to the 
civil government of the insular possessions under the jurisdiction of 
the War Department, representing those possessions before Congress 
and the executive departments of the United States. At present, the 
administrative work of this bureau relates principally to the Philip- 
pine Islands. 

The principal functions of the bureau may be classified as follows: 

1. Care and custody of the civil records of the Philippine Islands 
and Porto Rico and of Cuba for the period during which the govern- 
ment of that island was maintained by the United States. 

2. The preparation, compilation, and arrangement for publication 
of executive documents relating to the affairs of the Philippine 
Islands and Porto Rico. 

3. Purchase of supplies in the United States for the government 
of the Philij)pine Islands and Porto Rico, the making of disburse- 
ments therefor, and the arrangement for the shipj^ing of such supplies 
to Manila and San Juan. 

4. Review of the receipts and exiDenditures of the Philippine Gov- 
ernment and the compilation of financial statistics. 

5. Charge of certain administrative details involved in the appoint- 
ment of persons in the United States to the civil service of the Philip- 
pine Islands and Porto Rico, and the arrangement of transportation 



BUREAU OF INSULAR AFFAIRS. 507 

to those islands of new appointees and other oiRcials and employees re- 
turning to the islands from leave of absence in the United States. 

6. Collection, compilation, and publication of imports, exports, and 
immigration of the Philippine Islands. 

The Bureau of Insular Affairs, subject to the direction of the Sec- 
retary of State, exercises for the receivership of the Republic of 
Santo Domingo practically the same functions as it does for the 
insular possessions (with the administration of which it is con 
cerned), particularly with respect to the custody of records, the 
preparation and dissemination of statistics and other information, 
the purchase of supplies, the appointment of employees, and the 
transportation of supplies and appointees. 

(c) General statement of organization and personnel. 

The chief administrative officer of the bureau is the chief of 
bureau, who is an Army officer, with the rank of brigadier general. 
The assistants to the chief of the bureau are also Armj^ officers. The 
appropriation act for 1912-13 makes provision for the following 
civilian personnel : 

Law officer ; $4, 50(» 

Chief clerk 2, 000 

10 clerks (class 4) 18,000 

3 clerks (class 3) 4,800 

10 clerks (class 2) 14,000 

19 clerks (class 1) 22,800 

18 clerks ($1,000 eacli) IS. OOO 

3 messengers ($720 encli) 2,160 

2 assistant messengers ($660 eacla) 1,320 

5 laborers ($660 each) 3,300 

2 cliarwomeu ($480 each) — 960 

91, 840 

The chief clerk exercises control and supervision over the clerical 
force, which, for administrative convenience, is organized into 
divisions, as follows : 

(1) Correspondence and Administrative Division; (2) Record 
Division; (3) Purchasing, Disbursing, and Accounting Division; 
(4) Miscellaneous Division ; (5) Statistical Division. 

The present inquirjr is limited to the foregoing divisions, embrac- 
ing a consideration of the general administrative work (Correspond- 
ence and Administrative Division), compilation of reports and mis- 
cellaneous work (Miscellaneous Division), compilation of commer- 
cial statistics (Statistical Division), and the compilation of financial 
statistics (Disbursing, Purchasing, and Accounting Divison). The 
inquirj'- embraces a consideration of the organization through which 
the functions of the bureau are discharged. 



508 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

In the course of the inquiry descriptive statements of organization 
and methods were prepared and submitted to the Bureau of Insular 
Affairs for correction and approval. The purpose of these descrip- 
tive statements was to furnish a basis for an examination and anal- 
ysis of the present organization and procedure in order to deter- 
mine to what extent existing organization and methods should be 
changed to produce more economical and efficient results. 

To the end that the facts on which the conclusions and recommen- 
dations herein submited are based may be available, the descriptive 
statements will be found in Appendix I of this report. A full dis- 
cussion of the several conclusions and recommendations reached will 
be found in Section II (critical and constructive suggestions per- 
taining to this present organization) and Section III (critical and 
constructive suggestions pertaining to methods and procedure). 

In the course of the inquiry inspections were made of the annex 
building b}'^ officials of the District of Columbia, who were detailed 
at the request of the commission, to determine the general sanitary 
condition, lighting facilities, fire risks, etc., of the building. The con- 
clusions and recommendations of the commission, based upon the 
findings of the several inspectors and the observation of the commis- 
sion's representatives, are contained in a separate report on the hous- 
ing problem of the War Department. 

CRITICAL AND CONSTRUCTIVE SUGGESTIONS PERTAINING TO PRESENT 

ORGANIZATION. 

(a) General. 

The important unit of the organization of the bureau (not per- 
forming technical work) is the Correspondence and Administrative 
Division. This division is directly under the control and supervision 
o£ the chief clerk of the bureau. The general scheme of the bureau's 
organization contemplates that in this division should be centralized 
all of the administrative work, and detailed work related thereto, 
which does not assume a technical nature, such as accounting, com- 
pilation of statistics, etc. In the rapid expansion and growth of the 
bureau, however, the work of a less important character which could 
not, because of inadequate office space, be handled properly by the 
office proper of the chief clerk (the latter really including the Cor- 
respondence .and Administrative Division inasmuch as the chief 
clerk's supervision and control of this division is very direct) was re- 
ferred as occasion demanded to the Compilation and Translation 
Division. The result of this evolution was that the Compilation and 
Translation Division lost its identity as such and became a unit of the 
bureau's organization in which certain phases of administrative and 
clerical work closely related to and dependent upon the work of the 
Correspondence and Administrative Division were assigned. The 



BUEEAU OF INSULAR AFFAIRS. 509 

name of the Compilation and Translation Division was changed, by- 
recent order, to the Miscellaneous Division. It is against this de- 
centralization of closelj^ related administrative and miscellaneous de- 
tail work, maintaining two separate and distinct units of organization 
therefor, one being more or less auxiliary to the other, that criticism 
is directed. The commission is mindful of the fact that this de- 
centralization is the result of circumstances over which the bureau 
had no control, being unable to get adequate office space in the State, 
War, and Navy Building. Eecently, however, the bureau has ob- 
tained an additional room which accommodates some 10 or 12 clerks 
and it is thought that with this and an additional room which may 
be available in the near future the reorganization may be effected 
agreeably to the suggestions of this report. 

The report submitted to this commission by the Bureau of Insular 
Affairs shows that the Miscellaneous Division maintains 17 clerks, at 
an annual expense of $21,600; that the Correspondence and Adminis- 
trative Division maintains 15 clerks, at an annual expense of $18,160. 
The extent to which these two divisions are engaged in related or 
parallel lines of work is shown in the following classification of 
functions and work: 

The work and functions of the Correspondence and Administra- 
tive Division may be classified as follows: 

1. Appointments (handling of administrative details in the ap- 
pointment of employees to the insular service) . 

2. Transportation (arrangement of transportation for employees 
of the insular service). 

3. Cable work (conduct of cable correspondence with the insular 
possessions). 

4. Documents and publications (handling requests for documents 
and publications of the insular possesions). 

5. Opening correspondence. 

6. Dispatch of correspondence. 

7. General correspondence (conduct of, the furnishing and dis- 
tribution of information). 

The work and functions of the Miscellaneous Division, in addition 
to the compilation of reports and the maintenance of the insular 
library which is incidental thereto (a feature of the work which 
earlier in the history of the bureau assumed larger proportions and 
for which it was named), embraces the following: 
1. Translation : 

(a) Translation of Spanish publications and correspond- 
ence as directed by the administrative officers of the 
bureau. 
(5) Regular review of Spanish newspaper publications to 
segregate items of importance to the bureau. 



510 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

2. Review of Congressional Records, bills, hearings, etc. 

3. Review of English publications. 

4. Distribution and custody of documents and publications. (Re- 

quests for which are handled by the Correspondence and 
Administrative Division.) 

5. Maintenance of bureau supply and stationery room. 

6. Multigraph work. 

7. Miscellaneous. 

It is admitted that the present decentralization has rendered im- 
possible a proper coordination of related lines of work and an effec- 
tive administrative supervision to the extent that such work has been 
delegated to the Miscellaneous Division. The lack of this supervi- 
sion has been considerably enhanced owing to the fact that the Mis- 
cellaneous Division is located outside of the State, War, and Navy 
Building. It is the thought of the commission that the Miscellaneous 
Division, as an independent unit of organization, should be restricted 
in its work to the following principal functions : 

(a) Compilation of reports; (b) maintenance of library ; (c) cus- 
tody and supervision of Cuban and Philippine insurgent documents. 

This suggestion contemplates that the scope of the Correspondence 
and Administrative Division should be enlarged to embrace those 
lines of work that are related to and dependent upon its own work. 
It is thought that the following subjects should be transferred to 
the Correspondence and Administrative Division: 

1. Handling of requisitions for supplies and maintenance of prop- 
erty records.^ 

2. Translation of Spanish publications and correspondence as 
directed by the administrative officers of the bureau. 

3. Review of Spanish newspapers. 

4. Custody and distribution of free and salable documents of 
insular possessions. 

5. Multigraph work. 

It is suggested that the review of Congressional Records, etc., be 
returned to the Record Division located in the main building. 

The transfer of the foregoing subjects to the Correspondence and 
Administrative Division — thus placing such functions (and the 
personnel engaged in their discharge) under the jurisdiction of the 
administration unit which is primarily engaged in the discharge of 
related functions — will effect, first, the proper coordination of the 
several phases of administration and related detail work, which 
now devolve upon two distinct units or organization; second, in- 
creased ability upon the part of the clerical force maintained to 
cooperate on relief or rush work. 

1 In another part of this report is recommended the abolishment of the independent 
supply and stationery room. 



BUEEAU OF INSULAR AFFAIRS. 511 

To illustrate the former, under the present arrangement the han- 
dling of requests for documents and the determination of what docu- 
ments shall be furnished is referred to the Administrative and Cor- 
respondence Division, where it belongs. Supervision of the actual 
distribution and handling of such documents has been placed in the 
Miscellaneous Division, despite the fact that the rooms in which 
such documents are stored is within easier access to the Correspond- 
ence and Administrative Division than to the Miscellaneous Division. 

The recommendation of this report contemplates that the super- 
vision and maintenance of the document room be transferred to the 
Correspondence and Administrative Division. Again, the transla- 
tion work involves the handling of correspondence; hence, it should 
be done under the immediate direction of the division charged with 
the preparation and conduct of such correspondence (i. e.. Corre- 
spondence and Administrative Division or central administrative 
officers), rather than by an isolated or auxiliary division, which is 
not charged with any administrative action on such correspondence; 
likewise the translation and the review of publications, newspapers, 
etc., in Spanish should be conducted so as to promote tlie closest 
cooperation of the officers who handle the material segregated, etc. 

The second result to be obtained from the contemplated reorganiza- 
tion, vizj increased ability on the part of the available clerical force 
to cooperate on relief or rush work, is of great importance. The 
volume of miscellaneous detail work which this office performs for 
Congress and the public fluctuates greatly. During the season of 
greatest activity the central administrative office (comprising the 
Correspondence and Administrative Division) is compelled to refer 
rush work to the Miscellaneous Division. In fact, the recently ap- 
pointed Chief of the Miscellaneous Division (who was formerly con- 
nected with the Correspondence Division) states that the object " of 
the new organization is to coordinate and knit the regular work of 
the division so closely with the current work of the bureau that in 
every way it will afford relief on rush work." The reference of the 
relief or utility work from the Correspondence and Administrative 
Division, which is not only concerned in but charged with the respon- 
sibility for its performance, to another unit the organization of 
which is so completely segregated physically from its own personnel 
as to render impossible any efficient cooperation has greatly increased 
the expense of such administrative and related work, retarded its 
dispatch, and produced other undesirable results. 

The transfer of the foregoing subjects, with the personnel required 
to handle them,, to the Correspondence and Administrative Division 
will correct the present conditions. The regular or current work on 
these subjects requires but a small portion of the time of the clerks 
assisned thereto. The balance of the time of the several clerks is. 



512 REPORTS OF COMMISSIOjST ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

available for miscellaneous assignments, representing relief work for 
the central office. The organization of the Correspondence and Ad- 
ministrative Division, thus enlarged, will therefore be capable of 
discharging the increa^.i miscellaneous detail work which devolves 
upon it from time to time without invoking the aid of the Miscel- 
laneous Division. Such will make for the maximum dispatch of this 
work and increased economy in its execution. It is admitted that 
the reference of such assignments from the division Avhich is pri- 
marily charged with their handling to another division, the two being 
so completely separated as to prevent any etfectual cooperation^ has 
greatly added to the expense of such work. The thought underlying 
the recommendation of this report is that the administrative and 
related detail work originates in the central office and its discharge 
should be centralized in one division immediately under the control 
and supervision of the central administrative officers. 

The recommendation recited above contemplates that the Corre- 
spondence and Adminintrative Division discharge the functions indi- 
cated in the following outline : 

1. Appointments. 

2. Transportation. 

3. Cable work. 

4. Documents (insular, free and salable) : 

(a) Handling requests for. 

(b) Supervision of document room.^ 

5. Eequisitions and propertj^ records: 

(a) Handling requisitions.^ 

(&) Maintenance of property records."" 

6. Translation:^ 

(a) Translation of correspondence.^ 

(h) Translation of printed documents, etc.^ 

(c) Review of Spanish newspapers and translation inci- 

dental thereto.^ 

7. Statistics : Supervision of distribution of statistical publications 
furnished by the Philippine Government and the segregation of 
material therefrom for the current use of the bureau.^ 

8. Opening correspondence. 

9. Dispatch of correspondence. 

10. General correspondence. 

Certain definite economies will result from the proposed reorgani- 
zation of the units engaged in the performance of the several phases 
of related detail and general work. These savings will flow from: 

First. A proper coordination and correlation in one administrative 
unit (the Administrative and Correspondence Division) of work 

1 To be transferred from Miscellaneous Division. 

2 Independent supply room (Miscellaneous Division) to be abolished. 

3 To be transferred from Division of Statistics to be abolished. 



BUEEATJ OF^NSULAK AFFAIES. 513 

which is now segregated and handled by two administrative units, the 
one being so isolated and separated from the other as to prevent any- 
effectual cooperation, r 

Second. Increased efficiency of operation. It is thought that the 
organization and procedure of the Miscellaneous Division has not 
been efficient, for which reason the force there maintained has been 
out of proportion to the work discharged. A close examination of the 
work of the Miscellaneous Division justifies the conclusion that under 
proper administrative control and supervision 70 per cent of the 
force maintained by this division could have performed the work 
which has devolved upon it and with the same or increased efficiency. 

Third. Reduction of work resulting from changes in procedure 
hereinafter suggested. 

The last mentioned has reference to the (a) abandonment of the 
independent supply and stationery room, (5) discontinuance of the 
review of English publications, etc. 
(b) Suggested readjustment of salaries. 

It is suggested that a slight reclassification of the personnel of 
this bureau be had looking toward a more equitable adjustment of 
salaries of the work performed. In several instances the highest 
clerical positions (i. e., class 4, of which the appropriation act 
provides but 10) are held hj clerks who are performing compara- 
tively unimportant work, while clerks engaged on work of a more 
responsible and important character receive compensation which is 
not commensurate with their services. The efficiency of the office 
makes imperative the removal of such conditions. The readjust- 
ment of salaries should contemplate making provision for two addi- 
tional positions of class 4 in the Correspondence and Administra- 
tive Division. This division, the work of which is highly im- 
portant, has but one $1,800 position; under the reorganization here- 
inafter outlined, it should be provided with three positions of class 
4 and a similar number of positions of class 3. 

In this connection attention is called to the fact that the chief 
clerk and disbursing clerk receive, in addition to their salaries of 
$2,000 and $1,800, respectively, from the United States Government, 
certain compensation from the insular government, the total com- 
pensation of the former aggregating $3,000 and the latter $4,000. 
In the light of the responsibility which devolves upon these officers 
it is not thought that the compensation is excessive. Such an ar- 
rangement, however, permitting an officer to receive compensation 
from several sources is unusual and not generally regarded as good 
practice, for which reason reference thereto is here made. 

72734°— H. Doe. 1252, 62-3 38 



514 REPORTS OP COMMISSIOlSr ON ECOISrOMY AiS^^D EFFICIENCY. 
SUGGESTED ABOLITION OP STATISTICAL DIVISION. 

It is recommended that the co7Yhpilation of commercial statistics hy 
the Bureau of Insular Affairs he discontinued^ and that the Divi- 
sion of Statistics^ maintained for this purpose, he abolished. 

There is a patent and admitted duplication of work in the com- 
pilation of commercial statistics by the Statistical Division, Bureau 
of Insular Affairs, published principally in the form of semiannual 
summaries showing the import and export trade of the Philippine 
Islands to the United States and foreign countries.^ 

The bureau of customs, department of finance and justice, of the 
Philippine Islands maintains a statistical division which is engaged 
in the compilation and distribution of commercial statistics show- 
ing the import and export trade in the Philippine Islands with 
the United States and foreign countries. These statistics are pub- 
lished in the form of an annual report, hereinafter described, sup- 
ported by summaries, which annual report is supplemented by 
monthly memoranda of imports and exports prepared in manuscript 
form. 

The basis of these statistics are the "general statements of mer- 
chandise " prepared for the several customs districts of the Philip- 
pine Islands by the Bureau of Customs. These statements are 
prepared in keeping with the classification of commodities, im- 
ported and exported, suggested and devised by the Bureau of Insu- 
lar Affairs, and afterwards adopted by the Philippine Government. 
(Duplicates of the monthly statements are forwarded to the Bureau 
of Insular Affairs and constitute the basis of the statistical in- 
formation compiled in the Bureau of Insular Affairs, as hereinafter 
described.) 

SCOPE or STATISTICS COMPILED BY THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT. 

The statistics prepared by the bureau of Customs, Department of 
Finance and Justice (Philippine Islands), are published in the 
annual report of the Insular Collector of Customs.^ Most of the 
report proper is devoted to a discussion of the commercial condi- 
tions in the Philippine Islands for the fiscal year, compared with 
previous years, and to a careful analysis of the Philippine import 
and export trade. To the report proper are appended certain sta- 
tistical summaries of statements of imports and exports, immigra- 
tion, and other work performed by the bureau. 

1 The summaries include certain statistics on immigration, but these are printed in the 
form in which they are furnished ; i. e., no compilation work is involved in their publi- 
cation. 

2 A brief statistical memorandum is published monthly in manuscript form. 



BUEEAU OF IISTSULAE AFFAIRS. 515 

The report proper for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1911 — ■ 
which, in its scope, is representative of the annual publication of 
the bureau of customs, Philippine Islands, contains trade analyses 
under the following captions : 

1. General trade conditions : 

(a) Balance of trade (with comparative figures). 

(b) Trade with United States (export to; import from). 

(c) Trade with foreign countries (export to; import from). 

(d) Discouraging importation. 

(e) Opium. 

2. Import: 

(a) General origin. 

(b) Principal classes (of merchandise imported 1910-11). 

(c) Cotton goods (comparative, 1904 to 1911). 

(d) Rice (comparative, 1899 to 1911). 
8. Export : 

(a) Destination (countries, 1910, 1911), 

(b) Flour. 

(c) Hemp (1899 to 1911).. 

(d) Copra (1899 to 1911). 

(e) Sugar (1899 to 1911). 

(f) Cigars (1899 to 1911). 

(g) Cigarettes (1899 to 1911). 

(h) All other tobacco (1899 to 1911). 

(i) Other exports. 

(j) Limited exports to United States. 

(k) Foreign carrying service. 
To the foregoing report are appended numerous supporting state- 
ments or statistical summaries, the nature and scope of which aro 
indicated by the several titles, as follows : 

Appendix. 

Statement No. 1. — Table No. 1 : Total receipts and expenditures of the Bureau 
of Customs at all ports of entry, by fiscal years, since the establishment of the 
Philippine customs service under American administration, to and including 
June 30, 1911. 

Table No. 2 : Receipts of the Bureau of Customs, by ports and fiscal years, 
since thg establishment of the Philippine customs service under American ad- 
ministration, to and including June 30, 1911. 

Table No. 3: Expenditures of the Bureau of Customs, by ports and fiscal 
years, since the establishment of the Philippine customs service under American 
administration, to and including June 30, 1911. 

Statement No. 2. — Total receipts of the Bureau of Customs at all entry ports 
in the Philippine Islands, separately and collectively, during the fiscal years 
1908 to 1911, inclusive, by general sources: 

Table No. 1: Fiscal year 1908. 

Table No. 2 : Fiscal year 1909. 

Table: No. 3 : Fiscal year 1910. 

Table No. 4: Fiscal year 1911. 



516 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Statement No. 3. — Total receipts of tlie Bureau of Customs at all entry ports 
in the Philippine Islands, by ports and by sources, for the fiscal years 1907 to 
1911, inclusive, showing also total revenues accruing to the Government of the 
Philippine Islands and to the government of the Moro Province : 

Table No. 1 : By ports. 

Table No. 2 : By sources. 

Statement No. 4- — Total and net revenues collected on account of the Govern- 
ment of the Philippine Islands during the fiscal year 1911. 

Statement No. 5. — Total expenditures of the Bureau of Customs at all entry 
ports in the Philippine Islands, by ports, and by purposes, during the fiscal 
years 1907 to 1911, inclusive, also total expenditures made on account of the 
Government of the Philippine Islands and the government of the Moro Province 
for maintenance of the customs service: 

Table No. 1 : By ports. 

Table No. 2: By purposes. 

Statement No. 6. — Values of principal groups of commodities imported into 
the Philippine Islands from the United States and from all other countries, by 
fiscal years, 1903 to 1911, inclusive. 

Statement No. 7. — Values and quantities of the principal products exported 
from the Philippine Islands to the United States and to all other countries, by 
fiscal years, 1903 to 1911, inclusive. 

Statement No. S. — Values of principal commodities imported into the Philip- 
pine Islands during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1911, by ports. 

Statement No. 9. — Values of principal products exported through the various 
ports of the Philippine Islands during the fiscal year 1911. 

Statement No. 10. — Values of imports into the Philippine Islands from 
the United States and all other countries during the five fiscal years ended 
June 30, 1911, by ports. 

Statement No. 11. — ^Values of exports from the Philippine Islands to the 
United States and to all other countries during the five fiscal years ended 
June 30, 1911, by ports. 

Statement No. 12. — Values of imported merchandise entered free of duty, by 
ports, and by countries of origin, during the five fiscal years ended June 30, 
1911. 

Statement No. 13. — Quantities, values, and classes of supplies and construc- 
tion material imported free of duty under acts Nos. 1510 and 1566 of the Philip- 
pine Commission by the Manila Railroad Co. and the Philippine Railway Co. 
during the fiscal year 1911. 

Statement No. I4. — Values of, and duties collected on, imports into the Philip- 
pine Islands, by countries, during the five fiscal years ended June 30, 1911. 

Statement No. 15. — Values of exports from the Philippine Islands, by coun- 
tries, during the five fiscal years ended June 30, 1911. 

Statement No. 16. — Values of merchandise imported into the Philippine 
Islands during the fiscal year 1911, distributed according to the country of 
origin and the nationality of the vessel in which carried. 

Statement No. 17. — Values of merchandise exported from the Philippine 
Islands during the fiscal year 1911, distributed according to the conn cry of 
destination and the nationality of the vessel in which shipped. 

Statement No. i8.— Values of imports and exports during the five fiscal years 
ended June 30, 1911, distributed according to nationality of carrying vessel. 

Statement No. 19. — Origin, quantities, and values of, and duties collected on, 
comniodities imported into the Philippine Islands during the fiscal years 1910 
and 1911. 



BUEEAU OF INSULAR AFFAIES. 517 

Statement No. 20.— Destination , quantities, and values of, and duties and 
wliarfage collected on, domestic products from ttie Philippine Islands during 
the fiscal years 1910 and 1911. 

Statement No. 21. — Origin and values of foreign merchandise exported from 
the Philippine Islands during the fiscal years 1910 and 1911. 

Statement No. 22. — Values of merchandise imported from the United States 
free of duty by the Army, Navy, and the Government of the Philippine Islands, 
during the fiscal year 1911. 

Statement No. 23. — Imports and exports of gold and silver, in ore, bullion, and 
coin, for the fiscal years 1910 and 1911, by countries. 

Statement No. 24- — Number and tonnage of vessels engaged in the foreign 
and the coastwise carrying trade of the Philippine Islands during the four fiscal 
years ended June 30, 1911 : 

Table No. 1 : Foreign carrying trade. 

Table No. 2: Coastwise carrying trade. 

Statement No. 25. — Number and tonnage of foreign vessels entered and cleared 
at the various ports in the Philippine Islands during the fiscal year 1911. 

Statements jSTo, 19 (Origin, quantities, and values of and duty col- 
lected on commodities imported into the Philippine Islands during 
the fiscal years 1910 and 1911) and No. 20 (Destination, quantities, 
and values of and duties and wharfage collected on domestic products 
exported from the Philippine Islands during the fiscal years 1910 
and 1911), are the principal supporting summaries, classifying by 
articles and countries all commodities imported into and exported 
from the Philippine Islands during the fiscal years 1910 and 1911. 
They correspond to the important summaries of imports and exports, 
by articles and countries, published in the semiannual summaries 
of commerce of the islands by the Bureau of Insular Affairs. A 
comparison of these summaries reveals that whereas the Philippine 
Government has not carried the classification quite as far as the 
Bureau of Insular Affairs, yet the same information is compiled and 
i:«resented, and in the same form, being based upon the schedules 
which have been adopted agreeably to the suggestion of the Bureau 
of Insular Affairs. 

SCOPE OF SEMIANNUAL SUMMARIES OF FOREIGN COMMERCE OF THE 
PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. 

The summaries of commerce of the Philippine Islands, prepared 
by the Statistical Division, Bureau of Insular Affairs, semiannually 
(based upon duplicates of the monthly statements which furnish the 
basis of the statistics compiled in the Philippine Islands), contain 
the following statistical information: 

General review of Philippine commerce for the year ending June 30, 1911. 

Summary. 

Imports and exports, total values : By ports of entry ; by countries. 

Statement of carrying trade and tonnage movement. 

Imports, by principal classes of commodities. 



618 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY, 

Imports, by articles and countries. 
Exports, by articles and countries. 
Imports and exports, by countries and articles. 

Imports, free of duty, from tbe United States by the Army, Navy, and Insular 
Government. 
Eailway free entries. 
Imports and exports of gold and silver. 
Immigration and emigration. 

In addition to the foregoing printed statistical publication, both 
the bureau of customs, Philippine Islands, and the Bureau of Insular 
Affairs, United States, prepare a monthly memorandum, in manu- 
script form, summarizing the import and export trade of the Philip- 
pine Islands. 

The memorandum of the Philippine Government is a monthly 
comparative statement of imports and exports, the preceding month 
compared with the same month in the preceding year. It contains: 

(a) Values of principal imports (24), 1910, 1911. 

(6) Principal exports, 1910, 1911. 

(c) Imports, exports, and total trade by countries. 

((?) Comparison of total values of imports and exports, and total trade for 
the fiscal years 1913 and 1912. 

(e) Trade with the United States, 1911 and 1912. 

(/) Comparison of total imports and exports, by ports, fiscal years 1911 and 
1912. 

The memorandum of the Bureau of Insular Affairs covers the 
preceding 12 months (the 12 months being shown in one total) as 
compared with the 12 months of the preceding year. It is a summary 
of the imports and exports, showing the total trade and the trade 
with the United States by the principal classes of commodities. 

The bureau of customs, Philippine Islands, and the Bureau of 
Insular Affairs also publish in their regular publications similar 
statistics of immigration, which are furnished by the former. 

No compilation work is involved in the presentation of these 
statistics. 

The foregoing facts lead to the following conclusions: 

First. That the Philippine and United States Governments main- 
tain distinct statistical organizations engaged in the compilation and 
publication of commercial statistics of the Philippine Islands. 

Second. The statistics compiled by the Bureau of Insular Affairs 
are based upon the general statements of merchandise furnished by 
the bureau of customs, Philippine Government, upon which are also 
based the statistics compiled and published by the latter. 

Third. That the statistics furnished by the Philippine Government 
are substantially the same as the statistics furnished by the Bureau 
of Insular Affairs and would answer every purpose now served by 
the statistics compiled and published by the latter. In fact, the 
statistical reports published annually by the Philippine Government 



BTJEEAU OF INSULAR AFFAIRS. 519 

are broader in tlieir scope than those of the Bureau of Insular Affairs 
in that the former contains valuable analyses of trade conditions 
which are not contained in the latter. 

It is important to note that inasmuch as dependence is placed by 
the Bureau of Insular Affairs upon the general statement furnished 
by the bureau of customs, Philippine Islands, for the compilation 
of its statistics, the statistical report furnished by the Philippine 
Islands could be forwarded to the United States and be available to 
administrative officers of the Bureau of Insular Affairs, which acts 
as a sort of clearing house for the distribution of this information, 
as soon as the statistical reports now compiled and published by the 
Bureau of Insular Affairs are available. The Bureau of Insular 
Affairs at the present time maintains a mailing list of several hun- 
dred American concerns to whom it regularly distributes its sta- 
tistical publications. In addition thereto it furnishes such informa- 
tion as may be desired from time to time. Under the proposed 
arrangement it is possible for the Philippine Government to send 
the documents direct to the American concerns who now receive the 
publications of the Insular Bureau, or for the Philippine Government 
to furnish the Bureau of Insular Affairs the requisite number of 
publications, the latter distributing them, as under the present prac- 
tice. The former arrangement is more economical and seems pref- 
erable. Under such an arrangement the Bureau of Insular Affairs 
will furnish the Philippine Government with the mailing list. 

The Bureau of Insular Affairs may wish to continue their monthly 
memorandum statement of imports and exports of merchandise in 
the same form as at present. The assistant chief of the division indi- 
cated that it requires but a day or a day and a half of his time to 
assemble the statistics (which are based upon the monthly statement 
of merchandise) for this summary. The Philippine Government 
will, no doubt, cooperate to the extent of furnishing this memo- 
randum in the same form as it is prepared at present by the Bureau 
of Insular Affairs. 

As stated above, the former prepares a monthly memorandum of a 
similar nature and quite as comprehensive in character. The com- 
pilation is slightly different, however, and perhaps would be of less 
value to the latter. 

In order to meet the needs of the Bureau of Insular Affairs and 
the American concerns who are interested in the statistical informa- 
tion gathered it may be advisable from time to time to change slightly 
the form in which the statistics are presented. This is a matter which 
the bureau will be able to determine. 

It should be stated in passing that whereas the continuance of the 
present duplication of statistics is wholly, unwarranted, there was, 
no doubt, sufficient reason for the inauguration of this work early in 



520 EEPOETS OF COMMISSIOlSr ON ECONOMY AXD EFFICIENCY. 

the history of the bureau. There was constant call for such statisti- 
cal information by Congress and the commercial interests throughout 
the country, and the Philippine Government, which had not per- 
fected its organization, was unable to furnish statistics in form to 
meet the needs of the bureau. These reasons, however, are now 
wholly removed, and no sound reason suggests itself why the Bureau 
of Insular Affairs should continue in its present statistical work, 
which constitutes a duplication of statistical work which is per- 
formed and logically should be performed by the Government of 
the Philippine Islands. 

In conclusion, it should be said that if there is anything unsatis- 
factory about the statistics produced by the customs bureau of the 
Philippine Islands which gives color of need for the present dupli- 
cation of work, the remedy therefor should be sought in the correc- 
tion of methods observed and results obtained by the Philippine 
Government, rather than in multiplying organization for doing the 
same thing in a better way. 

Bearing upon the extent of the duplication of statistics by the 
Bureau of Insular Affairs, attention should be called to the fact that 
the Bureau of Domestic and Foreign Commerce, in which is central- 
ized to a large extent the compilation of commercial statistics for 
the United States, publishes in its monthly summary of commerce 
and finance, and in its annual report on navigation, statistics of the 
Philippine Islands with the United States, showing the imports and 
exports of merchandise, by principal classes of commodities. These 
monthly summaries, which are available to American concerns, fur- 
nish adequate statistics as to the trade of the United States with the 
Philippine Islands. Here is an additional duplication on the part 
of the Bureau of Insular Affairs, although it should be noted that 
the statistics published by the Bureau of Domestic and Foreign Com- 
merce are based upon the merchandise statements furnished by the 
collectors of the several ports of the United States ; the statistics fur- 
nished by the Bureau of Insular Affairs being based upon the state- 
ments of merchandise furnished by the customs bureau, Philippine 
Islands. 

The following is a statement of the personnel and pay roll of the 
Statistical Division, Bureau of Insular Affairs : 

1 clerk, class 4 (chief of division) $1,800 

1 clerk, class 3 (assistant chief) 1,600 

1 clerk, class 2 1,400 

4 clerks (bookkeepers), $1,000 4,000 

1 clerk (position temporarilj^ vacant) 1,000 

Total 9, 800 

If the foregoing recommendation of the commission is put into 
effect, the division may be abolished. The suggestion of the commis- 



BUKEAU OF INSULAE AFFAIES. 521 

sion. however, does not contemplate that the Bureau of Insular x\.f- 
fairs will cease to furnish the statistical information which it has 
been called upon to furnish in the past. The suggestion contemplates 
onh^ that the statistics furnished by Ihe customs bureau of the Philip- 
pine Government and the Bureau of Domestic and Foreign Com- 
merce of the United States Government be used as the basis for such 
statistical information instead of the statistics which it now compiles 
independently and in duplication of the statistics above referred to. 

The foregoing suggestion contemplates that the time of one clerk, 
familiar with the statistical work, will be consumed in handling the 
statistical data furnished by the insular government in the form of 
printed summaries and reports. Inquiries received and questions 
arising about trade conditions in the Philippine Islands may neces- 
sitate the preparation of manuscript statements embodying facts 
gathered from one or more of the printed reports furnished. Refer- 
ence is made to requests for comparative statements on certain sub- 
jects which would be based upon the summaries covering a number 
of years. 

The handling of such data should be transferred to the Corre- 
spondence and Administrative Division of the bureau. Assuming 
that a clerk at $1,600 per annum be assigned to this work, the saving 
to be effected by the foregoing recommendation would aggregate 
$8,200. 

Critical and Constructive Suggestions Pertaining to Methods 

AND Procedure. 

handling and filing correspondence (record division). 

Despite the fact that the files of the bureau are very orderly, ren- 
dering the papers and related record cards readily accessible, it is 
thought that a considerable reduction of work can be attained with 
the same or increased efficiency by certain changes in the procedure 
of the Record Division, where the files and auxiliary records are kept. 
Criticism is directed against the following practices which obtain 
in this division in the handling and filing of correspondence : 

(a) The folding of original papers and filing them in old-style 
document file boxes. 

(&) The indirect system of filing original papers, with their related 
record cards, on an arbitrary numerical basis, entailing an elaborate 
system of indexing and cross-indexing the subjects thereof, 

(c) The preparation of card records of correspondence (incoming 
and outgoing) which are maintained independent of the files of 
original papers. 



522 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

To correct or improve the foregoing practices the following recom- 
mendations are submitted : 

1. The discontinuance of the present system of folding papers and 
filing them in document files, substituting therefor fiat filing. 

2. The rearrangement of the files on a self-indexing basis. 

3. The discontinuance of the preparation of record cards, involving 
the substantial elimination of auxiliary correspondence records. 

1. The discontinuance of the present practice of folding po-pers and 

■filing them in document flles^ substituting therefor flat filing. 

Under the present practice the original documents and conmnunica- 
tions of the bureau are folded to document size, approximately 3^ 
by 8 inches in dimension, and placed in old-fashioned wooden docu- 
ment file boxes. This practice is largely discredited both in com- 
mercial institutions and Government circles. It is universally recog- 
nized that under flat filing the papers are more readily accessible, 
the review and examination thereof incidental to the handling of 
later correspondence is greatly facilitated, less filing space is con- 
sumed, and the wear and tear, mutilations, etc., to which folded papers 
are subject are obviated. Further discussion of the relative merits 
of folded and flat filing will not be presented here, inasmuch as the 
bureau is in accord with the recommendations of Circular No. 21, 
urging the adoption of flat filing, and will make this change as soon 
as adequate filing space can be procured in the State, War, and Navy 
Building. 

The recommendation that vertical, flat filing be inaugurated will 
not necessitate the refiling of such documents as have already been 
placed in the files. Certainly with reference to the less important 
correspondence, such as the correspondence relating to personnel, 
it is not suggested as being desirable. In the case of correspondence 
on the more important administrative subjects, however, it is en- 
tirely feasible to refile the papers already disposed of in the event 
the office feels that the advantages to be derived therefrom warrant 
the expense involved. This is a detail to be determined by the office. 
The recommendation contemplates that the bureau inaugurate the 
flat-filing system with the new correspondence only. The operations 
involved in making the transfer of old papers are simple, inasmuch 
as the basic file units — i. e,, the cases — are not disturbed, and the 
work will involve merely the rearrangement of such units according 
to the classification to be devised. 

2. Rearrangement of the files on a self-indexing basis. 

It is recommended that, agreeably to Circular No. 21, the original 
papers and documents be filed on a subjective classification — thereby 
rendering the files practically self-indexing — in keeping with a log- 
ical arrangement of numbers under a decimal or analogous system. 



BUREAU OF INSULAE AFFAIES. 523 

The indirect system of filing obtains in this bureau, based upon the 
arbitrary numerical finding method. This necessitates an elaborate 
system of indexing the subjects of the correspondence (the term sub- 
ject referring to name or subject matter) , which subjects, assembled 
in alphabetical order, furnish the serial numbers determining the lo- 
cation of the cases in the files. The rearrangement of the files on a 
self-indexing basis, as hereinafter outlined, will substantially elimi- 
nate the preparation of index cards. It is true that need will still be 
felt for cross references where the cases are involved (where, for in- 
stance, a communication covers several subjects, etc.) , and it is not the 
idea of the commission to abandon such indexing. But it is also true 
that the primary classification (i. e., the subject designation under 
which the communication is filed) will, in the large majority of cases, 
suffice, and for this reason the arrangement of the files on a logical 
self-indexing basis will render unnecessary the maintenance of sub- 
sidiary indexes. The direct and immediate saving made possible by 
the proposed rearrangement of the file therefor is the substantial 
elimination of the preparation of index cards and the classification 
of correspondence incidental thereto. 

A second argument in favor of the proposed system lies in tiie in- 
creased facility in procuring papers from the files. Inasmuch as 
the proposed system of filing carries the classification of subjects ta 
the files themselves, the same facility is furnished in finding the 
papers in the files that is now furnished in finding the record thereof 
on the auxiliary indexes. The intermediate step of referring to the 
indexes — which is necessary under present system— is therefore elimi- 
nated. A very definite saving in time is thus effected. The proposed 
rearrangement of the files upon a subjective basis assembles the cases 
on the same or allied subjects in the same place or in similar places. 
The advantage of this is real. All the cases (the term case represent- 
ing the basic file unit) on the same general subjects are assembled 
within the same primary division of the file. Within the primary 
division of the files the several cases will be classified showing their 
relation to the primary subjects, i. e., their coordination with or sub- 
ordination to each other. Under the arbitrary numerical system 
which lodges the cases in the files without reference to their nature 
or relation — the location of each case in the file being determined by 
the accidental assignment of a serial number — such a classification 
is impossible. To illustrate : Considerable correspondence is ..con- 
ducted with and relating to the Philippine Kailway Co. An exami- 
nation of the summary or consolidated index card for this subject 
indicated that the correspondence covered a comparatively wide 
range of subjects, embracing as many different cases as there were 
subjects. The consolidated index card for the Philippine Railway 



524 REPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

contained, among others, the following subjects, with the identifying 

jiniTjbers set opposite : 

File No, 

General record 14, 221 

Personnel of 15,058 

Accounts of (audit) ]6, 502 

Land for right of way 15, 800 

Section and test of material for work 15,293 

For loan of money ^ 17,091 

Free entry of material for 1, 596 

The file number identifying each case was, of course, accidentally 
■assigned according to the time when the first communication on the 
subject arose. For this reason, the several file numbers are not only 
different from, but have no relation to, each other. Inasmuch as the 
file number determines the place where the case is lodged in the files, 
the related cases on the foregoing general subject, i. e., Philippine 
Railwaj^ Co., are filed in different and widely separated cases. The 
advantages of having a logical arrangement of numbers which will 
automatically assemble the cases by subjects are, we believe, obvious. 
An outline of the proposed classification is attached to this construc- 
tive report as an exhibit. 

■3. The discontinuance of the preparation of record cards^ involving 
the s-ubstantial elimination of auxiliary correspondence records. 

It is recommended that the present practice of preparing record 
<?ards be discontinued. 

In the development of the filing system of this office there has been 
evolved an elaborate system of preparing record cards of the corre- 
spondence of the office. These cards are filed independent of the 
original papers — although identified by the same file number — being 
placed in document files similar to those used for the original papers. 
They contain, in addition to other items, an abstract of each com- 
munication incoming or outgoing. This abstract consists of a com- 
prehensive digest of the subject matter of the communication re- 
corded. In addition to the digest or abstract of the correspondence 
proper there is incorporated into the record " notes " of newspaper 
items or editorials affecting the bureau, legislation enacted by the 
United States or Insular Government, excerpts from annual and 
special reports of officials in the islands, and similar data from other 
available sources. These records are assembled in chronological 
order. 

Despite the fact that the record card embraces notes on material 
secured from sources other than correspondence proper, it remains 
distinctively a record of correspondence. It is estimated that seven- 
eighths of the recording is of correspondence proper. An examina- 
tion was made of a large number of representative record cards to 



BUEEAU OF INSULAE AFFAIES. 525 

determine the extent to which they constituted a duplication of the 
original papers which were filed in the document files. It was noted 
in the case of short communications (of which some 40 or 50 were 
examined) the record was almost as elaborate and lengthy as the 
original papers; in some instances it was practically a verbatim 
reproduction of the original communication. In the case of longer 
communications the records were condensed, but in all cases they 
were found to be very elaborate analyses of the original communica- 
tions. It should be stated, in passing, that the records are very effi- 
ciently prepared, representing in each case a careful analysis of the 
communication. 

The thought of the bureau underlying the preparation of record cards 
is that the information contained thereon, although a duplication of 
the record contained in the original documents themselves which are 
in the files, furnishes a compact, chronological record, easily reviewed 
by the administrative officers, thus readily assisting such officers in 
the handling of important cases involving precedents, etc. It is 
important to note, however, that in those cases where the previous 
record is consulted the record cards are not used to the exclusion of 
the original papers themselves. In handling a large part of the 
incoming correspondence (and always in the case of important 
communications) it is the practice to consult the original papers 
also. In this, as in most administrative offices, a portion of the in- 
coming correspondence is handled without reference to the previous 
papers or record cards, for which part of the correspondence the 
record cards represent a duplication which has little or no value. 

It is the thought of the commission that the bureau greatly over- 
estimates the value of the record cards in the handling of the bureau 
correspondence. To the extent that the record cards represent the 
correspondence. proper (the originals of which are in the files), this 
operation is not only unnecessary but wholly unwarranted in view 
of the expense entailed. With the original papers filed on a self- 
indexing basis, rendering them easily accessible, and filed flat 
(grouped into cases as at present, the several papers of each case 
being assembled in chronological order) so that they will be easily 
handled and reviewed, the original papers will meet every require- 
ment now served by the records thereof, and a very definite saving- 
will be eflPected by substantially reducing record work. It is thought 
that this economy can be accomplished without impairing the present 
efficiency of the office or in any appreciable degree retarding the dis- 
patch of its correspondence. 

In defense of the practice of preparing record cards it was urged, 
in the first place, that it enabled the administrative officer handling 
a case to check the original papers he desired (thus enabling the 



526 KEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

file room to charge the specific papers withdrawn against the person 
making the withdrawal) , and in the second place, that it furnished, 
in the event of the loss or destruction of a paper, a duplicate history 
or record thereof sufficiently elaborate to prevent embarrassment 
from such loss. These objections, however, are more apparent than 
real. With the papers assembled flat and in chronological order (in 
the same order as the records thereof are maintained) the search for 
particular communications is not appreciably retarded. While it is 
true that individual papers are sometimes called for, it is thought 
that for the most part the entire case is required by the person re- 
viewing the subject ; in any event, the binding of the papers together 
would offer little or no inconvenience to the officer or clerk desiring 
only an individual communication or paper. With the original 
papers assembled in the form of cases, as hereinbefore described, the 
same facility will be furnished in charging out the original papers as 
under the present practice. When it is considered that such original 
communications are always consulted in the event the matter is of 
any importance, and that such papers, instead of remaining in loose 
form as at present, will be bound together, so that the case will at all 
times be intact, it is thought that increased security of the papers will 
be secured. It is the experience of commercial concerns at large 
and other offices of the Government service that original papers 
seldom go astray under a properly organized system. Certainly, the 
contingency of losing original papers is less remote where such 
original papers are bound together in the form of a filing unit, which 
can not be easily misplaced or lost, than under the present practice, 
which folds such papers and places them loose in the files. 

Attention is called to the fact that the record cards of this office 
embrace not only records of correspondence proper, but also working 
memorandum in the form of data collected from outside sources which 
are of value to the office. Newspaper items, legislation affecting the 
bureau or the insular possessions, etc., represent this class of extra- 
neous material. This is incorporated into the record in the form of 
notes. It is estimated that the volume of this material aggregates an 
eighth of the entire recording done. It is admitted that independent 
records of such material should be preserved in those cases where the 
original papers can not be placed in the files in such shape as to 
facilitate review thereof or otherwise made readily available. 

Criticism of the present practice, however, is directed against the 
extent to which such extraneous material is recorded and the methods 
by or form in which it is prepared. At present much material segre- 
gated from outside sources is incorporated in the record which 
would be as available in the files (under flat filing) or in other form 
to illustrate the latter. Special reports on the insular possessions, 



BUEEATJ OF INSULAE AFFAIKS. 527 

published in printed form, are reviewed by record clerks, and elabo- 
rate excerpts from or digests of such reports are made on the record 
cards. A reference on the card to the name of report and page on 
which the article may be found should be adequate, inasmuch as these 
reports can be filed (in a separate file of printed documents) and be 
available for future reference. As to the form in which the present 
record is kept it is suggested that such record be prepared on sheets, 
letter size, and that such record be placed with the original papers 
rather than in a separate file. The material segregated from outside 
sources and other important notes to be used as working memoranda 
should be assembled on letter-size sheets, which should be placed in 
the file in front of the original papers. It is thought that this 
process of preparing that portion of the record which should be con- 
tinued has certain advantages over the present practice. Under the 
present practice this record is prepared on cards of medium weight, 
3^ by 8 inches in dimension. The card is so small that the operation 
of the typewriter is necessarily retarded, due to the frequent shifting 
of the carriage necessary to adjust the card to the machine. The 
process necessarily entails the pasting of cards together, which, under 
the proposed practice, is eliminated. 

The most patent duplication of records is in the handling of cor- 
respondence relating to personnel, which aggregates about one-half 
of the entire volume. The same elaborate record is prepared in the 
case of correspondence with reference to personnel as is the case of 
the more important correspondence relating to administrative sub- 
jects. This duplication of work is wholly unnecessary and unwar- 
ranted in view of the expense entailed inasmuch as the subjects of 
the correspondence are not involved and the oHginal papers are 
easily consulted and reviewed (although such consultation is not 
necessary for the large majority of cases). The chief clerk con- 
curred in this opinion, and steps are already being taken by the office 
to eliminate this duplication of record. Such reduction of work can 
be effected before the whole procedure has been changed, as herein- 
before outlined. It is thought that the present record room — with 
a slight rearrangement of equipment — will accommodate the equip- 
ment necessary to inaugurate flat filing on a self-indexing basis 
(the arrangement of individual cases being alphabetical through- 
out) for the personnel correspondence. 

It is estimated that at least four clerks are engaged in the prepa- 
ration of personnel records and part of the time of one clerk in the 
indexing of such records. The expense thereof is estimated at 
S5,000. A saving in this amount can be effected at once if the fore- 
going suggestion is act«d on. 



528 REPORTS OF COMMISSION OJST ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Summary of savings — Record Division. — The following is a 
statement of the personnel, showing the salary expense thereof : 

;l. clerk (class 4, in charge) at $1,S00 $1, 800 

1 clerk (class 2, supervisory) at $1,400 1,400 

1 clerk (class 2) at $1,400 1,400 

3 clerks (class 1) at $1,200 3,600 

5 clerks (class E) at $1,000 5,000 

1 assistant messenger at 720 

13, 920 

The foregoing is classified by operations as follows : 

Supervisory: 

1 clerk (class 4)^ __^ $1,800 

1 clerk (class 2) 1,400 

Indexing : 

1 clerk (class 1) 1,200 

General record work : 

1 clerk 1, 400 

2 clerks (at $1,200) 2,400 

5 clerks (at $1,000) 5,000 

Filing (documents and record cards) ; searching files: 

1 messenger 720 

13, 920 

The recommendations of this commission will make possible the — 

(a) Substantial elimination of indexing, estimated expense $1,200 

(b) Substantial elimination of recording, estimated expense 8, 800 

If the foregoing recommendations are put into effect the duties of 
the division will be limited to the following : 

(a) Assigning file numbers. 

( b ) Filing, searching files, etc. 

(c) Utility work. 

It is thought that these functions could be discharged efficiently by 
the following force : 

1 clerk (in charge) $1, 800 

1 clerk (utility) 1, 40<) 

1 clerk (utility) 1,200 

1 /iiessenger (filing) 720 

5, 120 

In the two utility clerks ample provision is made for the preserva- 
tion of such records, having no reference to correspondence proper, 
and cross indexes, as should be continued. 

A saving of $8,800 can, therefore, be effected if the recommenda- 
tions of this report are put into effect. 

^ Performs some detail work ; indexing, recording, etc. 



BUEEAU OF INSULAR AFFAIRS. 



529 



(b) general admin ISTEATlVE AND CORRESPONDENCE WORK (CORRE- 
SPONDENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION). 

. At the outset comment should be rnnde on the general excellence of 
the procedure and organization of this division and the efficient and 
economical manner in which its work is administered. Much has 
been done to standardize the use of forms on the conduct of corre- 
spondence. As a result, this phase of its work has been placed on a 
most economical basis. 

Certain changes in organization, enlarging the scope of this di- 
vision's work, have been suggested in another part of this report. 
The only suggested change in the present procedure of the division 
is as follows : 

In the handling of the appointments to the Philippine and Porto 
Eican service, an eligibility list (i. e., for appointment) is prepared 
on cards 3 by 5 inches in dimension which are assembled by register 
and rating. This card register serves as a record of all applicants 
who are eligible for appointment to the insular service, and, when the 
bureau is instructed to make the appointment, serves as the basis for 
the selection. Its purpose, however, is temporary, having been served 
when the selection or appointment is made. At that time an ap- 
pointment record is prepared on cards 4 by 6 inches in dimension. 
The purpose of this card is also temporary, such purpose being served 
when the appointment has been accepted and arrangements made 
for the transportation of the appointee. In other words, these two 
records prepared hj diilerent processes or operations have to do with 
related steps taken preliminary to the actual appointment and ac- 
ceptance thereof. They are but temporary makeshifts or expedients 
to assist the oifice in the administrative details with which it is con- 
cerned. It is suggested that one card, providing designations for 
the entry of all the information now assembled on both cards (the 
two cards being now duplicated in part) serve for both registers. 
The eligibility card has served its purpose when the appointment is 
made; it will then be transferred from the eligibility register to the 
appointment register. At the time of the transfer, and subsequent 
thereto, such additional entries as may be necessary will be made. 

The following form, which the office may wish to modify, is sug- 
gested for the consolidated eligibility and appointment record : 

Salary, $ 



Name- 



Ratinc 



Register - 
Selected by{£|^l|r( 



■^^{s?a° 



Appointed. Oath. To sail 



SaUed. 



Declined. 



Remarks. 



72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 34 



530 KEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

If the suggested consolidation of the eligibility and appointment 
record be put into effect, the record work, incidental to the handling 
of appointments, of which there are a large number annually, would 
be simplified greatly, without impairing in any degree the efficiency 
of the office record. 

(c) compilation and miscellaneous detail work (miscellaneous 

division). 

In another part of this report, it is recommended that the work 
of the Miscellaneous Division be restricted primarily to the following 
functions : 

a. Compilation of reports. 

h. Maintenance of insular library. 

c. Custody and supervision of Cuban, Philippine Insurgent, and 
other records. 

The suggestion, the reasons underlying which having been set forth 
elsewhere, contemplate that the other functions of the Miscellanous 
Division will be transferred to and taken over by the Correspondence 
and Administrative Division. 

Compilation of reports. — Despite the fact that the compilation 
work is not as extensive as earlier in the history of the bureau, it is 
thought the present practice can be somewhat reduced and curtailed. 
It is admitted that the library contains many compilations of value 
to the bureau, some of which would be difficult to obtain through 
other sources. The compilations, however, consist for the most part 
of executive documents printed and published by the United States 
Government which are readily accessible for reference purposes 
through the Congressional Library and other sources. It would seem 
that there is no warrant for the compilation of these documents ex- 
cept where ihew are of constant reference for administrative purposes. 

It is feasible to secure additional copies of official documents of 
the United States which are or may be of interest to the Bureau of 
Insular Affairs. These documents, published in permanent form, 
may be placed in the library for future reference. No justification 
exists, however, for the work and expense involved in the compila- 
tion of many of the official documents (including for each volume 
the separate steps of classification, repagination, the preparation of 
a table of contents, etc.) which are not of great importance to the 
bureau, and which are always to be had through other Government 
sources. 

It is thought, through a more judicious selection of publications, 
the work can be very materially reduced. A saving will be effected 
not only of the salary expense entailed, but the cost of binding, etc. 

Tiie foregoing suggestion, looking toward the reduction of this 
work, has no reference to the various manuscript publications which 



BUREAU OF INSULAR AFFAIES. 531 

the bureau secures from the several executive departments, or the 
manuscript and printed publications of the Insular Government. 

Indexes to publications. — ^Under the present practice indexes are 
kept to the various publications contained in the compilations of the 
library by subject and by executive documents (House or Senate). 
These indexes are prepared by one of the clerks engaged upon the 
actual work of compilation. The indexes are physically located in 
a room adjacent to the library. It is thought that the better practice 
would be to have the indexes kept in the library and the preparation 
thereof deferred until the compilation has been turned over to the 
librarian. It is suggested that the work of preparing the index 
cards be transferred to the librarian. 

Photograph file. — The Miscellaneous Division maintains a file of 
photographs of important places and people of the Philippine 
Islands, as well as other things of interest in the islands. It is sug- 
gested that the custody of these files and the preparation of such 
index cards as are necessary be transferred to the librarian of that 
division. It is thought that the files of photographs should be 
physically located in the library. 

KEVIEW OF ENGLISH PUBLICATIONS. 

[t is recommended that the review of English publications be discon- 
tinued and that reliance be pilaced upon the service of a reliable 
clipping bureau. 

Under the present practice a high-priced clerk (at $1,800 per 
annum) makes a review of the leading English publications to segre- 
gate editorials and other items dealing with the foreign policy of the 
United States Government and other subjects of interest to the 
Bureau of Insular Affairs. It is recommended that this practice 
be discontinued and .that reliance be placed upon a responsible clip- 
ping bureau for the segregation of such items. The Bureau of 
Insular Affairs, of course, is interested only in the expressions of 
the leading publications. An arrangement can be entered into with 
the clipping service, whereby only a limited number of publications 
(the leading newspapers, to be designated by the bureau) will be 
followed. 

The foregoing suggestion, if put into effect, will not only effect 
a more efficient review of such publications, but also result in a 
definite economy. Practically all of the time of the clerk engaged 
in making this review^ should be charged against this assignment, 
making the aggregate cost in excess of $1,500 per annum. The ex- 
pense of clipping bureau service would be insignificant when com- 
pared with the present expense. Under the proposed arrangement 
the clippings will be referred as received to the chief clerk and from 



532 REPORTS OF COMMISSION" ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY, 

him to such administrative officers as are interested in the articles 
segregated. They woiikl be then read}' for the file room. It is inter- 
esting to note in passing that the clerk who makes this review is not 
charged with any administrative action based upon the information 
which he obtains, but merely segregates the items for reference to the 
administrative officers of the bureau. 

MuUigraph loork. — It is suggested that the multigraph work be 
transferred to the jurisdiction of the Correspondence and Adminis- 
trative Division. This work should require but a small portion of 
the time of one clerk and could be performed efficiently by the utility 
clerk who is in charge of the document room. The equipment which 
is used for this purpose could be transferred to the document room. 

Clerk in office of superintendent of Philippine students. — The clerk 
in the office of the superintendent of Philippine students is at present 
under the jurisdiction of the Miscellaneous Division. We suggest 
that this arrangement be continued as long as this office is located in 
the annex building. 

Summary of savings. — The personnel of the Miscellaneous Divi- 
sion is as follows : 

1 clerk (in charge) : $1,800 

1 clerk (class 4) senior translator 1,800 

2 clerks (class 4) - 3, 60d 

1 clerk (class 2) 1,400 

1 clerk (class 1) librarian 1,200 

1 clerk (class 1) document room, main building 1,200 

4 clerks (class 1) 4,800 

1 clerk (class E), superintendent Philippine students 1,000 

3 clerks (class E) 3,000 

Total 19, 800 

In addition to the foregoing, one clerk at $1,800 is assigned to 
work related to the Miscellaneous Division, having his desk in that 
division. Despite the fact that technically he is not in the Mis- 
cellaneous Division, we so consider him for the purpose of analyzing 
the work and organization of that division. This makes a total 
annual expense of $21,600. 

It is thought that the following force will perform the vx^ork de- 
volving upon the Miscellaneous Division, if it is reorganized agree- 
ably to the recommendations contained in this report : 

1 clerk, class 4 (in charge) $1,800 

1 clerk (class 2) 1,400 

1 clerk (librarian) 1,200 

2 clerks (utility) 1,200 

1 clerk (superintendent, Philippine students) 1,000 

6, 600 



BUEEAU OF INSULAE AFFAIES. 533 

The recommendations of this report contemplate that the follow- 
ing force of the division be transferred to the Correspondence and 
Administrative Division to perform the functions taken over by it: 

1 clerk (senior translator) i $1,800 

2 clerks (class 1), translators 2,400 

2 clerks (class 2) 2,000 

Total, 5 clerks 6,200 

A saving, therefore, in the sum of $8,800 it is thought will be 
effected by the suggested changes in organization and procedure. 

The foregoing savings will be accomplished not only through the 
elimination of work (i. e., the discontinuance of the review of English 
publications, abolishment of the independent supplj^^ room, etc.) and 
the transfer of certain functions from the Miscellaneous to the Cor- 
respondence and Administrative Division, where they logically be- 
long, thus facilitating the proper correlation of work, but also by 
obtaining a standard of efficiency which the old organization of this 
division has not secured. It is thought that the importance and 
volume of work performed by the Miscellaneous Division has not 
furnished sufficient warrant for the force there maintained. Criti- 
cism of the work of this division is directed against the lack of 
proper administrative supervision and control. No provision seems 
to have been made to systematize properly the work. Despite the 
fact that there is not the 'same definiteness and permanence to the 
work program of this division as obtains in other divisions, it is 
thought that a large portion of this work could be so classified as to 
admit of definite assignment to several clerks. In the language of 
the chief of the division every clerk is a utility man whose work was 
so varied that it was impossible to accurately describe it. Such an 
observation on the work of a small group of two or three clerks, 
whose assignment Avas of a miscellaneous character, might be justi- 
fied, but when applied to a division of IT clerks, maintained at an 
annual expense of $21,600 (consisting of over one-fifth of the annual 
expense of the bureau), is indicative of loose supervision and admin- 
istrative control. It is felt that the work which has devolved upon 
the Miscellaneous Division could have been performed, with the same 
or increased efficiency, by 70 per cent of the present force. 

The bureau has recognized the need for a thorough overhauling of 
the work of this division, looking toward its reclassification on a 
more systematic basis, and has placed in charge of this division a 
former chief of the Correspondence Division who is endeavoring to 
make its work more effective by a better supervision and by a more 
efficient correlation of this work with the work of the central ad- 
ministrative office. The work of reorganization, however, does not 

1 Now temporarily detailed in Correspondence and Administrative Division. 



534 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

contemplate any changes in organization or elimination of functions. 
The changes in organization greatly restricting the scope of this 
division's work by transferring to the Correspondence and Adminis- 
trative Division certain functions which logically reside there, and 
by the discontinuance of other functions which have been carried 
on by this division are, we think, imperative. 

(d) distribution of supplies (supply room, miscellaneous division). 

It is recommended that the lyresent independent supply and sta- 
tionery room of the Bureau of Insular Affairs he discontinued and 
that requisitions of the hureau and its several divisions for sup- 
plies he draion upon the central supply division of the War De- 
partment. 

The Bureau of Insular Affairs maintains a supply and stationery 
room for the bureau independent of the Supply Division of the 
War Department. This is located in the Annex Building, 1800 F 
Street, NW. Under the present practice the several divisions of 
the bureau refer their requisitions for supplies to the bureau sup- 
ply room, which in turn requisitions the central depot of the War 
Department. The present arrangement entails the complete dupli- 
cation of the steps necessary to distribute supplies. In view of the 
fact that the supplies which are kept on hand represent the ordinary 
office supplies and stationerj'^, all of which can be procured from the 
central supply division with the same dispatch that they can from 
the bureau supply room, no reason can be advanced for the con- 
tinuance of the present arrangement. 

It is strongly urged that the present arrangement be discontinued 
and that the practice in the future be as follows : 

The chiefs of the several divisions will at stated periods (and, of 
course, when an emergency arises) prepare requisitions for th€ sup- 
plies required by their respective divisions on the forms which are 
now used for requisitioning supplies from the bureau supply room; 
these requisitions will be referred to the Correspondence and Admin- 
istrative Division of the bureau. The clerk, who will be designated 
to handle such requisitions, will examine same and prepare a con- 
solidated requisition on the central supply division of the War De- 
partment. When the requisition is filled the messenger of the bureau 
will check up such supplies with the several requisitions furnished by 
the division and distribute such supplies to the respective divisions. 
The requisitions may then be placed in a file similar to the one kept 
at the present time, classified according to the divisions issuing such 
requisitions. 

The aforesaid recommendation will not only effect increased effi- 
ciency and dispatch in the distribution of supplies and stationery 



BUREAU OF INSULAR AFFAJES. 535 

but eliminate entirely the work necessary under the present practice 
to maintain the supply room. The chief of the Miscellaneous Divi- 
sion indicated that most of the time of the property clerk was con- 
sumed in the work involved in requisitioning supplies from the cen- 
tral depot and the distribution to the several divisions of the office. 
In addition to this the property clerk maintains a record of account- 
able property (office furniture, etc.). It is conservatively estimated 
that the saving effected will be equivalent to two-thirds of the time 
of the property clerk, whose salary is $1,200 per annum, making a 
net saving in the sum of $800, It is further important to note that 
the abandonment of the present supply room will make available 
valuable office or storage room. 

Criticism of the present method of maintaining the supply room is 
directed against the loose practice of issuing supplies without in- 
sisting upon the requisitions provided for by the procedure herein- 
before described — the chief of the Miscellaneous Division having indi- 
cated that this was done to save time — and the failure on the part 
of the property clerk to keep any current stock or inventory records 
showing supplies received, disbursed, and on hand. It is the thought 
of the commission that no sound reason whatever can be advanced 
for the maintenance of an independent supply room for this bureau. 
If the practice is continued, however, those records which are abso- 
lutely essential to an efficient check on the disbursement of supplies 
should be kept. 

(e) STORAGE or CUBAN, PHILLIPINE, INSURGENT, AND OTHER RECORDS. 

It is recommended that the storage room now rented hy the Bureau 
of Insular Affairs he abandoned. 

The Bureau of Insular Affairs rents a room for storage purposes 
from the Merchants Transfer & Storage Co., at 920-922 E Street NW. 
The records there stored consist of — 

{a) Cuban records. 

(6) Philippine insurgent records. 

((?) Documents (printed) and records (manuscripts) pertaining to 
the bureau, 

A large portion of the Cuban records (which aggregate over half 
of the total volume of the records stored in this room) have been 
designated as "of historical value only." In a memorandum fur- 
nished by the bureau, the following comment is made : 

The bureau recommended to Congress that authority be given for the disposal 
of these secondary records, but upon recommendations of the Library of Con- 
gress, and after further consideration of the matter by the chief of this bureau. 
Col. Hugh L. Scott, who was designated to examine and consolidate these 
records, and others interested, it was decided to withdraw this recommendation 



536 REPORTS OF COMMISSIOISr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

and to segregate the records of historical value only into a secondary file. The 
actual work of segregation, however, has not been entirely completed. 

Despite the fact that the commission is of the opinion that a con- 
siderable portion of these records should be destroyed, agreeably to 
the earlier recommendation of the bureau, it is unwilling to enter such 
recommendation in opposition to the conclusion reached by the bureau 
Avhen the matter was reconsidered. 

It is conservatively estimated that the material stored in the room 
at the present time could be stored (satisfactorily assembled and ar- 
ranged for reference) in one-third of the floor space of this room. 
Such estimate would make ample provision for reasonable accessions. 

It has been recommended in a separate report addressed to the Sec- 
retary of War that a fireproof storage structure be rented to accom- 
modate the archives and dead files of the War Department. Under 
the present practice such archives and files are stored in a number of 
outlying buildings. The suggested arrangement contemplates that 
the storage of these records be centralized in one file building. 

If the foregoing recommendation is acted on, it is suggested that 
the records of this bureau (i. e., the Cuban and Philippine insurgent 
records) be transferred to the structure so provided for. 

If such recommendation is not put into effect, it is suggested that 
such records be transferred to the bureau annex building. There 
is considerable available storage space in this building. In addition 
thereto, if the recommendations contained elsewhere in this report 
are put into effect, the supply and stationery room and the room 
(double) now occupied by a messenger and his family will be avail- 
able for additional storage space. These two rooms will provide 600 
square feet of floor space. This will adequately accommodate the 
Cuban and Philippine records (including the equipment in which 
they are contained), it being estimated that these records do not 
occupy more than 600 square feet of floor space. It is recommended 
that the Cuban and Philippine records be transferred to these rooms 
which Avill be made available. 

It is urged that at the time of such transfer the segregation of the 
records of historical value only into a secondary file be completed, 
agreeably to the bureau's recommendation of an earlier date. 

It is suggested that the printed documents, etc. (the property of 
the insular government) be removed to the document room and the 
small storage room in the basement of the State, War, and Navy 
Building. 

The present storeroom contains a certain amount of secondary 
or supporting records of the bureau which are of little or no value. 
It is recommended that they be destroyed. 

It is thought that the Cuban and Philippine records could be ade- 
quately accommodated in 600 square feet of floor space. The annual 



BUEEAU OF INSULAE AFFAIES. 537 

expense of such space in a separate file building would be in the 
neighborhood of $250. The difference between this and the j^resent 
rental represents the saving to be effected. In the event centraliza- 
tion of the storage of the archives of the department is not effected, 
the entire rental will be saved by the transfer of the bureau's records 
to the annex building. 

It is thought that the bureau annex building will afford full and 
complete protection to these and other records. It is a substantial 
brick building in which, with additional safeguards, which are rec- 
ommended in a separate report on housing, the fire risk would be 
reduced to the minimum. Under such an arrangement an additional 
convenience and economj'^ will result from the increased facility in 
consulting the records. 

F. COMPILATION OF FINANCIAL STATISTICS (SECTION OF PURCHASING, 
DISBURSING, AND ACCOUNTING DIVISION). 

Sco2)e and imrfose. — A section of the Purchasing, Disbursing, and 
Accounting Division is located in the bureau annex building. The 
work of this section relates chiefl}^ to the insular and provincial ac- 
counts of the Philippine Islands, arising from the collection of 
insular revenues and the expenditure therefrom for administrative 
and other purposes, including specific expenditures of an extraordi- 
nary character (i. e., growing out of bond issues, etc.). 

Under the present practice the auditor of the Philippine Islands 
renders on prescribed forms, styled journals, monthly detailed state- 
ments of receipts and expenditures. The monthl}^ journal contains 
the entries to be carried into the accounts of all officers, covering 
practically every entry on the auditor's books. These entries are 
posted to the ledgers kept by this section, being segregated under 
proper headings and subheadings according to the nature and char- 
acter of the transactions. In this way the information contained in 
the insular auditor's journal is summarized in the ledgers by («) 
bureaus, offices, etc., and -(&) by classes of expenditures. This work 
involves the posting of items to several thousand ledger accounts 
monthly. From the ledger postings is prepared a monthly balance 
sheet of the insular government of the Philippine Islands, showing 
in detail the assets and liabilities and surplus on hand. The balance 
sheet is supported by schedules. 

Similar accounts are kept for the Philippine Provinces. Each 
Province furnishes a monthly trial balance showing the debit and 
credit transactions for the month and an auxiliary journal sheet 
showing in summary form the various revenues. At the end of each 
year this section prepares detailed statements of the income and ex- 
penditures of the several Provinces and a consolidated statement 
thereof. 



538 EEPORTS OF COMMISSIOISr ON" ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

This section also receives certain accounting reports from the 
Dominican Government and Porto Rico which are the bases of 
statistical information furnished by the bureau. The handling of 
these reports consumes very little time. The critical comment of 
this report is limited to the work of the section relating to the Phil- 
ippine Islands. 

The purpose of the work above described is to furnish financial 
statistics of the Philippine Islands which may at any time be avail- 
able to the bureau, Congress, or others interested therein. The ac- 
counting work of this section is not performed in order to develop 
accounting information to be used in the administration of the Insu- 
lar Government, but, as already stated, merely for the purpose of 
developing financial statistics. 

The following statement of information which the bureau fur- 
nished during the 12 months ending October 1, 1912, is indicative of 
the nature and extent of the statistical information which this bureau 
is requested to furnish : 

1. Balance sheets covering the latest figures available of the insular trans- 
actions of the Philippine Islands. 

2. Financial statements covering the account current of the insular treasurer 
and. depositories in which these funds were held. 

3. Statement of the operations under the Friar Land Fund and Friar Land 
Bond Sinking Fund. 

4. Statements covering the expenditures of the insular Government in the 
Government center at Baguio. 

5. Statements covering expenditures on account of Benguet Road from Pub- 
lic Works Bond Fund. 

6. Statements of expenditures for sundry purposes from Public Works and 
Permanent Improvement Bonds under acts subsequent to the first Philippine 
legislature, dated October 7, 1907. 

7. Statements showing total collections and distribution of the receipts of 
the provincial, municipal, and insular Governments of the Philippine Islands 
for the fiscal year 1910. 

8. Statements of expenditures on account of Manila Harbor. 

9. Statements of expenditures for public works under appropriation "Public 
Works from Revenues." • 

10. Statements showing amount of money appropriated each month for 
fiscal year 1911. 

11. Statements of expenditures for public works iinder all insular appropri- 
ations for fiscal year 1911. 

12. Comparative statements by fiscal years of all classes of expenditures made 
under Bureau of Science. 

1.3. S-atements of disbursements account of Philippine census. 

14. Statements showing interest and exchange on Friar Laud Bonds con- 
tracted for by the insular Government, and reimbursement to the insular Gov- 
ernment on account thereof from jjroceeds of rents, judicial fees, and other mis- 
cellaneous receipts, and interest on deferred payments as per act 1749. 

15. Statements showing refunds on hemp exported from the Philippine 
Islands to the United States since the enactment of act of March 8, 1902. 

16. Statements of customs revenues collected during the fiscal year. 



BUEEAU OF INSULAR AFFAIES. 539 

17. Statements of internal revenue collected. 

18. Statements of all income from revenues and expenditures by classes 
therefrom. 

19. Statements of amount of money expended on sewer construction under 
city of Manila Sewer Bond Fund. 

20. Statements of tlie operations under tlie Congressional Relief Fund. 

21. Comparative statements by fiscal years of tlie Gold Standard Fund. 

22. Complete statements, comparative by years, covering expenditures by 
classes as for ports, rivers and harbors, roads and bridges, buildings, etc., under 
Public Works Bond Fund. 

23. Statements of all the issues of bonds, covering the bonded indebtedness of 
the Philippine Islands, viz, Friar Land Bonds, and Sewer and Waterworks 
Bonds. 

24. Comparative statements by fiscal years of the money due from United 
States mints on account of Gold Standard Fund. 

25. Statements of premiums paid to, and claims paid by, surety companies on 
account of employees' bonds. 

26. Statements of appropriations made since new Philippine Legislature, 
October 27, 1907. 

27. A yearly statement for the " Statesmen's Yearbook " of London, covering 
insular, provincial, and city of Manila revenues aud expenditures. 

28. A statement of the value of one Philippine peso, London and New York 
quotations. 

SANTO DOMINGO. 

29. Statements covering the customs service of Santo Domingo for the period 
Qf April 1, 1905, to June 30, 1911. 

30. Monthly press notices covering the customs collections of Santo Domingo, 
by calendar years, to date. 

31. Letters to certain financial institutions, covering the information given 
in the press notices. 

PORTO KICO. 

32. Statement of mileage, and expense of construction, of roads in Porto 
Rico. 

33. A comparative statement of all receipts and disbursements of Porto Rico 
for fiscal years 1911 and 1912. 

34. A comparative statement, by years, of the classified expenditures, as 
between Porto Rico and the 'Philippine Islands, to show the proportion of rev- 
enues from both countries expended for permanent improvements and educa- 
tional purposes. 

The section engaged in the compilation of financial statistics con- 
sists of four clerks, as follows : 

1 clerk (in charge), class 4 $1,800 

1 clerk, class 2 -~_ 1,400 

2 clerks, class E 2,000 

5, 200 

The major portion of the time of the foregoing clerks is consumed 
in the routine bookkeeping work of posting and balancing the ac- 
counts. Only a small part of the time of these men is consumed in 
compiling the statistical information furnished by this section. 



540 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

SUGGESTED CHANGES. 

The commission recommends the discontinuance of the heejnng of 
ge7t£ral and detailed ledger accounts above des-crihed^ and that the 
statistical information requested he compiled from the report of 
the Philippine auditor^ published annucdly^ and from the files of 
the auditor'' s journcd and other accounting reports suhm^itted by 
Mm which are kept in this bureau. 

It is the thought of the commission that furnishing* such statistical 
information as is produced in this section does not justify the keep- 
ing of a set of double entry accounts. The calls for statistical infor- 
mation — the character of which is indicated by the statement above — 
are infrequent, and such information is for the most part readily 
obtained from the printed annual reports of the insular auditor. 

The reports of the auditor for the Philippine Islands are pub- 
lished in three volumes^-Part I pertaining to the fiscal affairs of the 
insular government and the city of Manila, Part II pertaining to 
the fiscal affairs of the provincial governments and the city of 
Baguio, and Part III pertaining to the municipalities. These re- 
ports show the balances and transactions as carried in the general 
and detailed ledger accounts of the insular auditor and furnish 
information more comprehensive in character than that produced 
by the Washington bureau through the duplication of ledger ac- 
counts based upon the journal and accounting reports which are 
furnished b}^ the Philippine Government. It is the belief of the 
commission that reliance to a considerable extent is now placed upon 
the annual reports of the insular auditor for the information which 
the bureau furnishes; certainly the statement of the statistical infor- 
mation requested and furnished, which is recited above, indicates 
that such information is available in these reports. The published 
reports of the auditor are available Avithin a short period after the 
elose of the fiscal year. It is true that the published reports cannot 
contain information for as late a period as is covered by the accounts 
kept in the bureau in Washington, such accounts including entries 
posted from the monthly journals received subsequent to the annual 
report. Onl}^ a small percentage of the requests for statistical infor- 
mation, however, requires information for a period subsequent to 
that covered by the published report. This information can be 
obtained with a very small amount of clerical work from the audi- 
tor's journal and other accounting records maintained in the files 
of the accounting section. In other words, it is recommended by 
the commission that a special compilation be made from the monthly 
journals and other accounting reports whenever necessary, in place 



BUKEAU OF IXSULAR AFFAIES. 541 

of tJie present practice of regularly posting all information con- 
tained in these reports in anticipation of such inquiries. 

The annual salar}^ expense of the section — now located in the 
bureau annex building — engaged in the compilation of financial sta- 
tistics is $5,200. That two-thirds of the Avhole time of the personnel 
of the section is consumed in the posting, balancing of accounts, and 
related detail work incidental to the keeping of accounts from which 
statistical information may be obtained and compiled as occasion 
arises is believed to be a conservative estimate. 

If the recommendation of the commission is put into effect a 
saving of this amount will be accomplished. It is thought by the 
commission that the actual segregation of data and its compilation 
in the form of statistics in respoiise to inquiries addressed to the 
bureau will not require more time under the proposed practice, which 
will place reliance upon the regularly printed annual reports of the 
insular auditor, and the supporting records, which come through 
his office in the form of journals, etc., than under the present practice 
which places reliance in large part upon the accounts which this 
section keeps in duplication of the accounts kept by the insular 
auditor. In other words, the saving to be effected by the foregoing 
suggestion is the salary expense involved in the keeping of the 
accounts by this section. It is thought that two clerks at $1,000 
each can be immediately relieved, and that part of the time of the 
clerk of class 2 will be available for the performance of other work. 

In this connection it is urged that this section be located in the 
offices occupied by the Purchasing, Disbursing, and Accounting Di- 
visions in order that it may be brought immediately under the 
jurisdiction of the disbursing clerk, who is administrative head of 
this division. It is thought that perhaps the offices occupied by this 
division will accommodate two additional clerks. The advantages 
to be derived from such an arrangement are too obvious for comment. 

The commission's conclusions with respect to the work here per- 
formed, and to the purpose for which this work is done, may be 
summarized by stating that the work of this section really involves 
the utilization of accounting reports and does not indicate the keep- 
ing of accounts. The work of this section should therefore be re- 
stricted to presenting in usable form information contained in ac- 
counting reports, and the detailed bookkeeping now performed should 
be eliminated. 

If the recommendations of this report are put into effect it is 
thought that savings aggregating $29,050 annually will be accom- 
plished. A full discussion of the changes effecting these economies 
have been considered elsewhere in this report. It is believed that 



642 EEPOETS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

these economies will be effected with the same or increased efficiency 
in the administration of the work of this bureau. 

In the following appendix to this report is contained a detailed 
description of the organization and procedure of several divisions 
of the bureau. 

In conclusion, the commission desires to express its appreciation of 
the hearty cooperation of the bureau in facilitating this inquiry. 
Respectfully submitted. 

F. A. Cleveland, 
W. W. Warwick, 
Merritt O. Chance, 

Commissioners. 



Appendix. 

ojescription of the organization and procedure oe the several divi- 
sions of the bureatj of insular affairs. 

The divisional organization of the Bureau of Insular Affairs is as follows: 

1. Correspondence and Administrative Division. 

2. Record Division. 

3. Miscellaneous Division. 

4. Purchasing, Disbursing, and Accounting Division. 

5. Statistical Division. 

In the succeeding pages of this report are presented detailed descriptive 
statements of the organization, functions, and procedure of the following divi- 
■sions : 

1. Correspondence and Administrative Division. 

2. Record Division. 

3. Miscellaneous Division. 

A descriptive statement of the procedure of the Statistical Division is not 
<?ontained herein inasmuch as the comment of this report is directed against the 
continuance of this activitiy by the Bureau of Insular Affairs, rather than the 
methods which are followed. A descriptive statement of the procedure of 
the Purchasing, Disbursing, and Accounting Division has been prepared and 
corrected. The accounting system of the War Department is the subject of a 
f^eparate inquiry by this commission. The present report does not embrace 
a consideration of the accounting work, although it comments on the compila- 
tion of certain financial statistics by a section in the Bureau Annex. For 
this reason the descriptive statement of the accounting procedure is not 
submitted here. 

Statement of the Functions, Oeganization, and Methods of the Corre- 
spondence AND Administrative Division, Bureau of Insular Affairs, War 
Department. 

The Correspondence and Administrative Division of the Bureau of Insular 
Affairs is charged with certain- phases of the administrative work which devolve 
upon the bureau and the conduct of correspondence related to such subjects. 

I. FUNCTIONS and WORK. 

The work and functions of this division might be classified as follows : 

1. Appointment. 

This embraces the handling of certain administrative details in the appoint- 
ment of officers and employees under the classified service to the Philippine 
Islands and Porto Rico. While the administrative action, consisting of the 
actual selection or appointment, is taken by the Government (Philippine or 
Porto Rican) for whom the appointment is made, or under the direction of such 
Government to the extent that little or no discretion rests with the Bureau of 

543 



544 EEPOETS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Insular Affairs, all steps conducted preliminary to the actual appointment 
devolve upon the bureau. This work involves the preparation of tlie eligibilitj- 
list, the conduct of correspondence vi^ith and concerning the prospective ap- 
pointee, and other administrative details involved in making the appointment. 

2. Transportation. 

This division arranges and furnishes orders for transportation of appointees 
to and employees of the Philippine and Porto Rican Governments and of tlie 
Dominican Receivership on commercial vessels and the arrangement of similar 
transportation for employees of or appointees to the Philippine civil service, or 
Army transports. It also arranges the transportation of members of families 
of Philippine civil employees, Philippine students, and the employees of the 
United States Coast and Geodetic Survey (which are extended the benefit of the 
Philippine Government transportation contract). 

3. Cahle work. 

This division conducts the cable correspondence of the bureau, involving the 
enciphering and deciphering of cablegrams with the PhilipiJine Islands, Porto 
Rico, and Santo Domingo. This work embraces the preparation and revision of 
codes. 

4. General correspondence. 

This division is charged with the handling of a large volume of informational 
inquiries concerning the insular possessions. 

5. Puhlications. 

This division handles requests made on the bureau for publications ; dis- 
tributes those in its possession (belonging to insular governments) ; issues 
orders as to the disposition of those in the custody of the Superintendent of 
Documents ; and makes distribution of and settlement for the salable documents 
of the insular governments which are in the custody of the bureau. 

6. Opening correspondence. 

7. Dispatch of correspondence. 

II. PERSONNEL AND ORGANIZATION. 

The personnel of the Correspondence and Administrative Division consists of 
13 clerks, a messenger, and assistant messenger. The following is a statement 
of the personnel of the division, showing the salary expense thereof : 



Clerk in charge, class 4 

Clerks, class 3 

Clerks, class 2 

Clerks, class I 

Clerks, class E 

Messenger 

Assistant messenger. . . 

Total 



Number. 



Salary. 



$1,800 
1,600 
1,400 
1,200 
1,000 
840 
720 



Total. 



SI, 800 
3,200 
4,200 
2,400 
5,000 
840 
720 



m,m 



BUEEAU OF INSULAR AFFAIRS. 545 

The formal organization of the Correspondence and Administrative Division 
is not subdivided into sectional units. For administrative convenience, how- 
ever, the assignments of worlv, which are of a more or less permanent nature, 
are made to the individual clerks, or groups, as follows: 

1. Supervision : 

1 clerk, class 4 U,'S<i^ 

2. Appointments: 

• 1 clerk, class 2 (in charge) - 1,406 

1 clerlv, class 1 1,200 

3. Transportation : 

1 clerk, class 3 (transports)* 1,600 

1 clerk, class E 1,000 

4. Cable work : 

1 clerk, class 3 (in charge) 1,600 

1 clerk, class 2 1,400 

5. General correspondence: 

1 clerk.^class 2 (in charge) 1,400 

1 clerk, class 1 1,200 

3 clerks 3,000 

.6. Opening of incoming correspondence : 
1 messenger.^ 

7. Dispatch of outgoing correspondence : 

1 clerk (also engaged in general correspondence and other routine 
work) 1, 000 

III. METHODS. 

Atrpointment. — Examinations for the appointment of teachers or other em- 
ployees under civil service are held several times a year by the Civil Service 
Commission. The appointment section of this division answers that portion of 
the inquiries which are directed to the bureau requesting the dates of suob 
examinations and the conditions under which the examinations are held. The 
conduct of this correspondence is simplified by the use of forms, attached hereto 
as exhibits, which ai'e self-explanatory After the examinations have beera 
held, reference is made to this bureau and section of the examination papers, 
from which is prepared the eligibility list. This list is prepared on white cards, 
3 by 5 inches in dimension, to which cross-references are prepared on blue 
cards. 

The nature of the record prepared on the white card is indicated by the 
printed designations thereon, which are assembled in the following form : 

Rating Name 

Age 

Entered register Address 

Kind of examination Place Date 

Appointed Salary Sailed 

Declined 

Eligibility expired Disposition of examination papers ■ 

These cards are assembled primarily by register, within which they are 
arranged according to the ranking of the Civil Service Commission. It might 
at this point be noted that while the appointment or selection is made by the- 

1 This clerk is also in charge of handling inquiries for publications. 

2 Part of time. 

72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 35 



546 EEPOETS OF COMMISSIOISr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 



Philippine Government, in the taking of which action it is not bound by the 
eivil-service rules, this office is often directed by the Philippine Government to 
make the selection. Under this authority the bureau makes the appointment 
of the eligibles that rank highest in the register from which the appointment 
is to be made. 

Blue cards (cross references) : On the blue cards are entered — 
(a) Name of applicant eligible for appointment. 
(6) Rating of Civil Service Commission, 
(c) Reference to register (i. e., classification of position). 

These cards are assembled in straight alphabetical order and constitute an 
index, by names, of all persons eligible for Philippine appointment. The fore- 
going index is merely a cross reference to the eligibility list which is main- 
tained on the white cards. 

Eligible list of Porto Rico. — The appointment work of this division for Porto 
Rico -is confined almost entirely to the selection of teachers. For this class of 
employees no examination is held. The work of the division consists of the 
conduct of correspondence with applicants or prospective applicants for posi- 
tions, to determine whether or not they comply with the educational and age 
qualifications and the reference of the correspondence and papers of eligibles 
to Porto Rico from time to time. The names of those applicants who have 
complied with the requirements of the Porto Rican service are entered upon 
cards, assembled in alphabetical order, which card index constitutes the eligi- 
bility list for Porto Rico. 

Appointment records. — TTae appointment records are prepared by this section 
on cards 5 by 8 inches in dimensions, white cards being used for the Philippine 
service and yellow for the Porto Rican service. These cards are not prepared 
until the appointment has been made. The nature of the record furnished on 
these cards is indicated by the printed designations, which are arranged in the 
following form : 

Record No. Tendered. Salary. 



Selected by 



Cable 
Letter 



of 



Appointed. 



Oath. 



To sail. 



Orders. 



Sailed. Declined. Remarks 



The file of appointment records is divided in the pending and closed divisions. 
The primary division of each is by register, within which the several cards are 
assembled alphabetically according to the name of the appointee. After an 
appointee has been notified of his appointment and accepted, and the appoint- 
ment closed, the card is removed to the closed file. The appointment clerk pre- 
pares a monthly statement, addressed to the governor of the Philippine Islands, 
regarding the action taken by the bureau during the preceding months, which 
statement recites the names of those appointed to the Philippine service by 
register. This memorandum or notice is prepared in duplicate, a copy of which 
is retained in the record room of the bureau. 

Preliminary to the appointment of teachers to the Philippine service, the 
bureau conducts confidential inquiries with reference to the applicants, who 
through examination have become eligible for appointment. These inquiries are 
directed to the references given by the applicant or to any other sources of 



BUREAU OF INSULAR AFFAIRS. 547 

I'eliable infonuatiou conceruing tlie applicant. This phase of the worlv has been 
simplified greatly by the use of standard forms. 

Reference of the examination papers of applicants for positions as teachers 
in the Philippine service is made to the Philippine Government, with the 
appointment of whom it is charged. For the information of this bureau and 
the representative of the Pliilippine Government (who is at present supervising 
the selection of teachers throughout the United States) an abstract of the 
examination papers of all eligibles for appointment is prepared in the following 
form : 

Name and address: 

Kind of examination and where taken : 

Rating : 

Born : Photo. Single or married and number of dependents : 

Education: (Give schools attended and length of time at each; degrees, if 
any.) 

Experience : (Not to be given in detail, but to include number of years, salary, 
and at what place.) 

Will accept. 

Vouchers : (Give occupation and address of voucher and all written in No. 16.) 

Medical certificate: (Give name, address, and title of doctor, date of certifi- 
cate, weight, height, and answer to No. 23.) 

(Put initial iii upper right-hand corner.) 

IV. SCHEDULE OF EXHIBITS. (APPOINTMENT.) 

The following forms are used in the conduct of correspondence, as outlined 
above, the purpose and disposition of which will for the most part be apparent 
on the face of the forms : 

1. Letter of notification, transmittal, and inquiry. 

2. Card records. 

3. Inclosures. 

1. Letters of notification, transmittal, etc. 

(a) BIA 129. This form used in the conduct of confidential inquiries relative 
to applicants for Philippine teacher service and call for 
inclosure of BIA 91. 

(6) BIA 134. Notifying applicant as to result of examination. Calls for 
inclosure BIA 135. 

(c) BIA 136. Answer to information of inquiry re Philippine teaching serv- 
ice. Calls for inclosure BIA 2, O and A, and Goode article. 

id) BIA 137. Answer to general inquiry re Philippine civil service. Calls 
for inclosure of U. S. Manual, P. C. S. Rules. BIA 135. 

(e) BIA 138. Answer to inquiry re Porto Rican teaching service. Calls for 
inclosures BIA 94, 96, and 105. 

(/) Notice of appointment in Philippine Islands civil service. (Quadrupli- 
cates. 

1. Original to be retained by appointee. 

2. Contract copy to be signed and returned. 

3. Copy for the auditor of the Philippine Islands. 

4. Copy for the bureau of civil service records. 

2. Records. 

(g) Blue card. Eligibility list. 

(h) White card. Eligibility list. 

(i) Appointment card, Philippine' Islands. 

ij) Appointment card. Porto Rico. 



548 KEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

3. Inclosures. 

2. Transportation tcork. 

The Correspondence and Administrative Division is charged with the adminis- 
trative details involved in the arranging of transportation of appointees to and 
employees of the Philippine and Porto Rican Governments on commercial ves- 
sels, and transportation for employees of and appointees to the Philippine Civil 
Service on Army transports. 

The advance of traveling expenses from the United States to the Philippines 
is made nnder the provisions of section 23 (E) and section 29 (a) of act 
No. 1698, which include the cost of transportation, subsistence, and lodging. 
Similar legal authority is provided for the advance of traveling expenses from 
United States to Porto Rico. 

The administrative work assumed by the Bureau of Insular Affairs is per- 
formed under the regulations imposed by the Philippine Government, which 
eventually makes the reimbursement (if any is made) for all funds advanced. 

The appointee to the Philippine Civil Service makes request of the Bureau of 
Insular Affairs for traveling expenses or for transportation. The appointment 
made by the Philippine Government is sufficient authority for the bureau to 
comply with this request, and, after the conduct of such correspondence as is 
necessary to fix the time of sailing and other details, the transportation clerk 
issues request for railroad and steamship transportation upon the general agent 
of such lines. These are forwarded to the person in whose favor they are 
drawn. Copies of such orders are furnished to the disbursing officer of the 
bureau. 

The stub of request for railroad or steamship transportation which is re- 
tained by the bureau, is filled in by the transportation clerk and for each 
request shows the date the request was issued, the points to and from, the name 
of the steamer, and the date of sailing. 

Similar procedure is followed with reference to the furnishing of transporta- 
tion to employees of the Government from the Philippine Islands and for their 
return. Authority, however, must be had from the Philippine Government for 
such action by the bureau. 

The initial request is made by the individual desiring transportation or an 
official of the Philippine Government acting for him. 

A report is made monthly to the Governor General of the Philippine Islands, 
summarizing the action taken by the bureau in the arrangement of transporta- 
tion for appointees to or employees of such islands. This report contains an 
itemized statement of the transportation orders, showing to whom issued, and 
classified according to nature of transportation such as: 

(a) To appointees. 

(&) To employees returning from leave. 

(c) To Philippine transportation rate to steamship lines, for dependent mem- 
bers of families of Government employees. 

(d) Philippine students, etc. 

(e) United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. 

Memorandum record of sailings is prepared by the transportation clerk, 
classified by ports. This shows the several steamships arranged in the order 
of their sailing, the names of the employees in whose favor request for trans- 
portation have been issued being listed under the respective steamships. This 
division furnishes advice to the general agent of the steamship lines, carrying 
insular employees, of the passengers to whom requests for transportation have 
been issued. These advices are forwarded several days before the sailing of 
the vessels on which transportation has been arranged. 



BUEEAU OF INSULAE AFFAIRS. 549 

Tlie procedure with reference to tlie liaucUing of requests for transportation 
to Porto Rico is similar to that with reference to the Philippine Islands. 

Transportation dy Army transports. — It is the practice of the "War Depart- 
ment to cooperate with the Civil Government of the Philippine Islands in the 
furnishing of accommodations via transports, which are used primarily for the 
troops of the United States. Under the present practice, employees of and 
appointees to that service, and dependent members of their families, are entitled 
to transportation ou such transports — if accommodations are available — on the 
payment of subsistence charged. Requests are made upon this ofBce for such 
transportation, which requests are referred to clerk class 3, Miscellaneous Di- 
vision, who in turn assembles such requests, and a sufficient length of time 
before the sailing of such transport (the transports sailing monthly from San 
Francisco) the requests are referred to the chief of the quartermaster corps. 

Advice is furnished the general superintendent of the transport service of 
those who have been furnished with transport accommodations on the several 
steamships. He notifies the Bureau of Insular Affairs of those who do not sail, 
whose names are then transferred to the next list. It is estimated that 15 or 
20 requests for transportation on Army transports are made each month. 

As is obvious from the foregoing statement, this office is not charged with 
the administrative action in the matter of furnishing such transportation (other 
than to determine whether or not the person making application is within the 
group entitled to same) or the maintenance of records relating thereto. It 
merely refers the requests of those employees of the Civil Government (with 
which Government the bureau is concerned) to the branch of the War Depart- 
ment having charge of such transports. 
3. Cable work. 

The principal code used by this office is the War Department code of 1902. 
An important extension of this code was devised by the office, consisting of the 
supplement of 1909. The general scheme of this code (including the supple- 
ment thereto) might be described as follows: 

The pages are numbered, the numbering being continuous, from 100 to 840. 
(The War Department code contains pages 100 to 840; and the supplement 
thereto 840 to 1073.^) Each page carries 100 words or phrases; to each phrase 
is assigned an identifying number — the numbering being continuous from to 
99, inclusive. In other words, the code carries 97,300 different phrases with 
identifying serial numbers from lOOCX) up to 107300. 

With the foregoing as a basisrthe artificial words are constructed as follows: 
A transmuting or translating table for the code is used which contains three- 
letter combinations, differing from each other by at least one letter. Each 
three-letter combination, the initial letter of which is always a consonant, rep- 
resents a page of the War Department's code or supplement in that it is the 
equivalent of that identifying page number. To these three initial letters, which 
constitute the first three letters of the artificially constructed words, are added 
the two letters representing the code equivalent of the number identifying the 
specific words and phrases. In this way is constructed a five-letter artificial 
word. 

Taking the phrase "Reply at once" as a hypothetical case for purposes of 
illustration, the clerk would refer to the above-mentioned code and supplement 
and locate the phrase in question (the English words and phrases being assem- 
bled in alphabetical order). The page on which this phrase is found, which 
we will assume to be 212, is identified by the three-letter combination CAO, 

1 The supplement, still in manuscript form, represents the equivalent of pages 840-1073, 
the several pages now carrying an irregular number of words and phrases. 



550 KBPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

described above. CAC will therefore constitute tlie initial letters of the arti- 
ficially constructed code word. As indicated above, the words or phrases 
assembled on each page require an independent series of numbers ranging from 
to 99, inclusive. We will assume that the phrase " Reply at once " is iden- 
tified by the serial number 53. The code equivalent of 53 is found (by refer- 
ence to the transmuting table) to be AM. AM will therefore constitute the 
final letter of the artificially constructed code word of five letters, the word 
being CACAM. 

Economy in the work of cabling is the practice to combine two of these 5- 
letter words into one 10-letter word. 

Supplement of 1909. — This supplement, representing an extension of the War 
Department code proper, was devised by the office under the direction of Mr, 
Zahn. As the limitations of the original code were discovered, single words 
and phrases found to be useful in the cabling work of this bureau were assem- 
bled, taking permanent final form in the supplement above mentioned. 

In addition to the foregoing code and supplement, which constitute the basis 
of the cabling work, the division, under the direction of Mr. Zahn, has devised 
certain supplementary or additional codes which constitute important adjuncts- 
to the principal code of this bureau. 

Special five-letter code. — This code contains about 10,000 code words of five 
letters each. The several words constituting this code differ from each other 
by at least two letters. The words of the principal code differ from each other 
only by one letter. The general scheme of the artificially constructed words 
constituting this code differs from the principal code in that the initial letters 
of the special five-letter code words is always a vowel, whereas the initial letter 
of the principal code word is always a consonant. 

The special five-letter code embraces primarily a class of words or phrases 
which under the principal code (the words of which differed from each other 
by but one letter) were liable to error in transmission and might not be de- 
tected in the course of deciphering. The days of the month, the numbers, etc., 
are of this class. The safeguard which this code provides grows out of the 
difference of each code word from every other code word by at least two letters. 
An error, therefore, of one letter, in the course of transmission, would not 
confuse the code word used with some other code word. An error in two of 
the five letters, resulting in some other code word, is very rare indeed. 

Employees' code. — This code, as maintained at present, contains artificially 
constructed words of 10 letters each, identifying the names of employees of the 
classified service or who are eligible thereto, with which this bureau has juris- 
diction. At the time an applicant, having passed, an examination, is placed 
upon the eligible list by the appointment clerk of this bureau he is assigned a 
code word which becomes his fixed code word. The words constituting this 
code differ from each other in at least three letters and are so constructed that 
an error in transmission can be detected and corrected without reference to the 
code or requiring the service of the clerk in the work. This is accomplished by 
so alternating the consonants and vowels (the initial letter of. each word being 
a consonant) that there is a progression of vowels and consonants. 

An index to the Identifying code words is kept on cards of standard size, 8 by 
5 inches in dimension. On each card is assembled the name of the employee, or 
applicant eligible for appointment, and his code word. The cross-reference to 
this index containing the code words, with a reference to^he name of the appli- 
cant or employee identified by such word, is at present kept ni book form. 
Under the proposed procedure the cards containing the name and code word 



BUEEAU OF liSTSULAR AFFAIES. 551 

will be made out iii duplicate. One will be filed by reference to tlie name, the 
otliei- by reference to the code word. The one operation will thus serve to pre- 
pare tlie card which will be used as the basis of enciphering and the deciphering. 

Further aid to the cabling work consists of the adaptation of the Philippine 
Official Koster, United States Postal Guide, and the Official Postal and Tele- 
graph Guide of Philippine Islands (as well as other official publications of less 
importance) to the cabling work. This is accomplished by assigning numbers 
to the towns, names, etc. (according to the nature of the publication), and using 
indicators (consisting of artificially constructed five-letter words) referring to 
the respective publications. An artificially constructed word of five letters 
makes up the indicator ; an artificially constructed word of five letters identifies 
the number which in turn identifies the name. The two words are combined 
into one 10-letter word. 

The bureau exchanges telegrams daily (including Sunday) with the Philip- 
pine Islands and Porto Rico and conducts such cable correspondence with Santo 
Domingo as occasion demands. 

DISTRIBITTION OF CABLEGRAMS. 

Incoming cables. — In the neighborhood of 10 copies of the deciphered incom- 
ing cablegrams are prepared by the code clerk. These are generally distributed 
as follows : 

1. Secretary of War. 

2. Office file. 

3. Record room. 

4. Chief of bureau. 

5. Assistant chief. 

6. Chief clerk. 

7. Chief of division. 

8. Appointment clerk. 

9. Law officer (if affected*. 

10. Disbursing clerk (if affected). 

Outgoing caNes. — Four or five copies of the outgoing cablegrams are made— 
or more if necessary — which are generally distributed as follows: 

1. Secretary of War. 

2. Office file. 

3. Record room. 

4. Confirmation by mail. 

5. Distributing clerk (if affected). 

The code section, Administrative and Correspondence Division, consists of 
two clerks: One clerk, at $1,600 per annum, who is in charge of the work, 
and ;i clerk at $1,400 per annum.^ It is important to note that the work of 
this section is so organized that during the seasons of its greatest activity a 
clerk of the office may be detailed to assist in the enciphering and deciphering 
of cablegrams. 

5. Puhlications. 

Requests for official publications relating to the possessions with which this 
bureau is concerned are referred to clerk class 3 (who is also charged with 
the furnishing of accommodations on Army transports). The bureau is con- 

1 Cost of this clerk's time is available for other work. 



552 EEPOETS OF COMMISSIOISr OlSr ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

cerned in the distribution of botli free and salable documents. Tlie latter, 
however, are very limited in number. In the distribution of the free publica- 
tions it has been the practice for the clerk (Mr. McKey) to indicate on the 
margin of request the documents to be furnished. Reference was then made 
ef such requests to the distributing cleric, who complied with the request by 
sending forth the publication desired, stamped the request with the date of 
mailing, and placed the letter in a file in alphabetical order according to the 
aame of the correspondent. A current inventory was kept of the documents 
®n hand by the document clerk. 

Under the centralization of the distribution of documents the procedure will 
he somewhat different, although it has not been definitely decided as to what 
practices will be observed. Inasmuch as the bureau will cover the distri- 
bution of its documents, requests in some form will be referred to the superin- 
tendent of documents and by him filled. 

Distribution of salahle documents. — The bureau maintains a small supply of 
salable documents — consisting chiefly of law books — which are sold by the 
bureau. The check or cash remittances therefor are retained by the clerk 
until the end of the month, at which time the Porto Rican remittances are in- 
dorsed and referred to the secretary of the Supreme Court (the only documents 
being sold for that document being the Supreme Court Reports) and the remit- 
tances for Philippine documents to the disbursing officer of the bureau, Mr. 
Ruan, who makes settlement therefor. The clerk in charge of this work obtains 
an inventory of the salable documents on hand, which is kept current from 
month to month, showing the quantity of salable documents on hand, number 
disposed of preceding month, sale price, and number on hand at close of month. 

6. Dispatch of correspondence. 

The mailing of outgoing correspondence is centralized for the officers of the 
bureau, which are located in the State, War, and Navy Building. 

After the outgoing correspondence is prepared it is referred — with carbon 
iopies and record cards attached — to the mailing clerk. He stamps the date 
of mailing on the carbon copies, assembles the inclosures, which are indicated 
by serial number shown in the lower left-hand corner of the last sheet (a sup- 
ply of the inclosures which are used to any extent being kept in liis desk), folds 
the letter, and places it with the necessary inclosures in envelopes which are 
sealed by the messenger. 

Window envelopes are used as far as possible. A supply of envelopes with 
printed address is kept for tlie purchasing agent and other officers who conduct 
extended correspondence with the bureau. 

It is the practice of the bureau to furnish the Philippine and Porto Rican 
Governments with copies of correspondence conducted by the bureau affecting 
such Governments. Agreeably to this practice the mailing clerk assembles such 
copies, which are dispatched according to the sailing of the vessels for either 
fossession. 

In the conduct of the appointment and transportation work and in the 
answering of general inquiries which are forwarded to the bureau use is made 
©f standard forms to a large extent. These forms, as noted above, are obtained 
by the mailing clerk and assembled by him rather than by the clerk preparing 
the letter. It is estimated that the dispatching correspondence consumes one- 
third of the time of the mailing clerk, whose salary is $1,000 per annum. In 
addition to this work he is available for the performance of corresiwndence or 
such other routine work as may be assigned to him by the chief of the division. 



BUKEAU OF INSULAR AFFAIES. 553 

V. SCHEDULE OF EXHIBITS. (TRANSPORTATION.) 

Tlie following forms are used in the conduct of transportation work, as 
outlined above, the purpose and disposition of which will, for the most part, be 
apparent on the face of the forms. 

(a) BIA 111. Form used in writing the transportation agent with reference 
to steamship accommodations, request for which has been issued. 

(?0 BIA 133. 

a. Letters of transmittal, inclosing orders for transportation with instruc- 

tions as to their use. Issued to original appointee. 

b. Similar form with slight modification which is used in a case of em- 

ployee. 

(c) BIA 109. Form letter written to auditor of the Philippine Islands as to 
transportation, request for which has been furnished. 

(d) BIA 104. Forms of agreement inclosed are sent to applicants for trans- 
portation to be signed, and thus constituting his agreement relathig to the trans- 
portation. 

(e) Oath or affirmation of allegiance, Philippine service. 
(/) Oath of allegiance and office, Porto Rican service. 

(g) Request for railroad transportation to Philippine Islands. 

{/)) Request for steamship transportation to Philippine Islands. 

(0 Certificate furnished dependent members of employee's family. 

(J) Request for steamship transportation to Porto Rico. 

(k) Instructions relative to traveling expenses from United States to Manila. 

(l) Transportation circular. 

Descriptive Statement of the Organization, Functions, and Methods of the 
Miscellaneous Division, Bureau of Insular Affairs, War Department.^ 

The work of the Miscellaneous Division. Bureau of Insular Affairs, is so 
diversified that it does not lend itself easily to classification. There is no 
deflniteness to the program of its work. The primary func'ion. however, Is 
the compilation of reports. The name of the division was changed, by order 
of the chief of bureau, dated September 5. 1912, from the Translation and Com- 
pilation Division to Miscellaneous Division. 

I. FUNCTIONS. 

The work and functions of the Miscellaneous Division might be grouped 
under the following heads : 

(a) Compilation of reports, etc. 

(6) Maintenance of insular library. 

(a) Translation of Spanish letters, documents, etc., as directed, and the 
regular review of Spanish newspaper publications (including translations inci- 
dental thereto). 

{(I) Review of Congressional Records, bills, hearings, etc. 

(e) Maintenance of bureau supply and stationery room. 

(/) Preparation of reports, papers, or other manuscript data. 

(g) Miscellaneous. 

1 This division occupies three rooms on the first floor, one room on the second floor, 
and one on the third floor of the annex of the Insular Bureau, 1800 F Street; two rooms 
In the subbasement of the State, War, and Navy building. 



554 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

(c) Compilation of reports. 

Tliis phase of tlie work embraces the gathering from publications (reports, 
documents, hearings, etc.) of printed matter relating to the noncontiguous ter- 
ritory of tlie United States, including tlie investigation work necessary to the 
segregation of such matter, and the preparation of such segregated material 
for binding. 

(&) Maintenance of insular Ultrary. 

The library of the insular affairs is under the jurisdiction of this division. 
In the volumes of this library, most of which are compiled by the Miscel- 
laneous Division, are assembled the oflBcial publications, as hereinafter de- 
scribed, relating to our insular possessions and other noncontiguous territory. 
The publications thus assembled cover a wide range of subjects. The follow- 
ing is a statement of the publications in the possession of the library Septem- 
ber 4. 1912. classiiied according to the insular possessions and Territories 
affected : 

Philippine Islands 392 

Cuba 187 (a) 

Porto Rico 93 (6) 

China 4 ( c) 

General 215 (d) 

Hawaii 26 ( e) 

Panama 40 (/) 

Alaska 59 (70 

Total volumes 1,016 

{c) Translation. 

The iliscellaneous Division is charged with the translation of Spanish publi- 
cations, as directed by the administrative offices of the bureau, and the regular 
or periodic review of Spanish publications (including the translation incidental 
thereto"). A few documents and papers prepared in Spanish in the insular 
possessions are referred to this division for translation so that the necessary 
administrative action may be taken. Correspondence proper which is re- 
ceived by the bureau in Spanish is also referred to this division for transla- 
tion. The miscellaneous official communications which are referred to this 
division for translation fluctuate somewhat in character. The volume thereof 
is very light. In addition to the translation of miscellaneous communications 
or documents, this division is charged with the review of Spanish newspapers 
and other publications published in the Philippine Islands, Porto Rico, and 
Cuba, in order to discover and segregate articles affecting the insular posses- 
sions. The digests of translations prepared by this division are usually made by 
the Record Division, to which such translations are referred for the office 
record. 

(d) Maintenance of hureau supply and stationery room. 

This division maintains the supply and stationery room for the Washington 
office of the bureau. 

(e) Review of Congressional Records, hills, hearings, etc. 

This' division is charged with the examination of Congressional Records, bills, 
reports, hearings, etc. The purpose of this examination is to keep in touch 
with legislation and congressional debate, hearings, and inquiries affecting 
the insular possessions. Reference is made of such material to the adminis- 
trative offices of the bureau for their review. Record of such material is 
prepared in the Record Division of the bureau. As a part of this work a file 



BUEEAU OF INSULAR AFFATES. 555 

is maintained of additional copies of all bills, documents, and reports affecting 
the Bureau of Insular Affairs, whicli are used for the distribution among the 
bureau officers and, in exceptional cases, to outside sources. 

(/) Preparation of reports, papers, or other manuscript data. 

This represents a phase of the administrative work of the bureau, of a 
miscellaneous and varied character, which is referred to it by the administra- 
tive officers of the bureau. It includes the preparation of sections of the 
annual and other reports, newspaper bulletins, working memoranda for officials, 
material for speeches, etc. 

(g) Miscellaneous. 

This embraces the custody of the records stored at 920 E Street, the super- 
vision of the printing done for the bureau, the reading of proof incidental 
thereto, copy editing of publications issued, multigraphing office forms, form 
letters and circulars, supervision of the Cuban and other records (stored at 
920-22 E Street NW. ), and maintenance of what was formerly the document 
room, now being converted into a utility file room, etc. 

II. METHODS. 

\a) Compilation of reports. 

The methods followed in this division in the compilation of reports, etc.» 
may be described as follows : 

The Bureau of Insular Affairs is on the mailing list of certain bureaus ot 
the Government, through which it secures publications affecting the bureau. 
It also receives similar publications from tlie insular possessions. In addi- 
tion, the Bureau of Insular Affairs is furnished, on its own requisition, two 
copies of the Congressional Record, bills, resolutions, etc. These publications 
are referred to the Miscellaneous Division. They represent the principal sources 
from which the material is segregated and the publications are compiled, as 
hereinafter described. The work of compilation embraces the following steps j 

1. Classification of the documents for publication. 

2. Repagination of documents assembled in each volume. 

3. Preparation of table of contents for each volume. 

The size of the volumes compiled ranges from -500 to 750 pages. Each 
volume contains as many documents as it can conveniently carry. The docu- 
ments are classified by subject, and as far as possible in chronological order. 
This rule is departed from in some instances, as in the case of the publica- 
tions of the Bureau of American Reports, which are compiled without reference 
as to subject, in volumes of convenient size, the several publications being 
assembled in chronological order. In the repagination of the contents of each 
volume the pagination of the first document is observed, the succeeding pages 
being renumbered by a stamping machine. The table of contents is prepared 
by typewriting process on thin sheets of paper, which are made to conform to 
the size of the documents assembled. The table of contents consists merely 
of a collection of the titles of the publications compiled in the order in which 
such documents appear in the volume with reference to the revised pagination. 

(b) insular library. 

The Miscellaneous Division is charged with the maintenance of the insular 
library. In this library are assembled volumes containing publications relat- 
ing to the insular possessions and other noncontiguous territory with which 
the bureau is now or was at one time concerned. The volumes are in large 
measure compiled by the Miscellaneous Division. 

The methods followed in that work have been discussed. 



556 REPORTS OF COMMISSION OlST ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Indexes. — Indexes to the publications are kept on small cards, 3 by 5 inches 
in diameter. These consist of the (a) congressional index and (b) subject 
index. The former is an index of the House and Senate documents contained 
in the volumes of the library. The cards comprising this index contain a 
description of the documents with reference to the volumes of the library 
in which they are compiled. The cards are filed according to their respective 
numbers; in other words, in chronological order. The subject index is an 
alphabetical classification of the subject to which the publication relates. 
This index is also prepared on small cards, 3 by 5 inches in dimensions, which 
are arranged in alphabetical order according to the subject designations. 

The indexes are " complete only as to numbers and titles of bound docu- 
ments (including necessary cross references) ; it is being expanded as oppor- 
tunity permits to include subordinate parts of documents whose subject is 
so different from the document title as to require a separate index card." 

The foregoing indexes are added to from time to time, as additions are made 
to the library. The index cards are prepared by Mr. Wells (clerk, at $1,400). 

Index to maps. — The library has secured a large number of maps relating to 
the insular possessions, which are filed in map drawers or on map rolls. The 
drawers and rolls bear identifying numbers. Reference to these numbers 
are carried on cards, 3 by 5 inches in dimensions, which contain a detailed 
description of the maps. This consists of the following items: Title, country, 
scale, compiled or made by, publisher, date of publication, date of receipt, 
filed in drawer No., map No., and number of sheets. 

The library is under the charge of a clerk (class 1), who acts as librarian. 
Her work as such consumes very little time, and she is used as a utility clerk in 
the division. 

(c) Translation of Spanish puMications, etc. 

The Miscellaneous Division maintains a group of four translators, to whom 
are referred all miscellaneous'oflacial communications, and such other matter as 
the chief of the bnreau may direct. In addition to the miscellaneous transla- 
tion, which at this time is very light, one or more of this group is assigned to 
the examination of the leading Spanish newspapers published in the Philippine 
Islands, Porto Rico, and Cuba, which the bureau receives regularly. Some of 
these publications are unimportant, and are referred, with little or no exami- 
nation, to the file of Spanish publications, as hereinafter described. Others are 
scanned or hurriedly perused, while the third group, consisting of the more im- 
portant publications, are rather carefully reviewed. The following is a state- 
ment of the insular periodicals now currently received : 

PORTO EICO. 

Spanish monthly : Borinquen. 

Spanish weekly : El Estado, Porto Rico Ilustrado, Grafico, Pica-Pica. 
English-Spanish weekly : Porto Rico Review, Porto Rico Progress, Observer. 
Spanish daily : La Correspondencia, El Dia, Boletin Mercantil de Puerto Rico, 
La Democracia, Heraldo Espanol, Gaceta Oficial. 
English-Spanish dally : El Tiempo. 

CUBA. 

Spanish monthly : Cuba. 

Spanish daily : Diario de la Marina, Gaceta Oficial. 

English-Spanish daily : La Lucha. 



BUEEAU OF INSULAR AFFAIRS. 557 

PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. 

Spanish monthly : Boletin Oficial, Boletin de la Camara de Comercio Filipina, 
Philippine Interslaiid Journal and Mercantile Directory. 

Spanish- English monthly : Philippine Director. 

English monthly: Agriculturist and Forester (Phil.), Philippine Education, 
Agricultural Review, College Folio, Philippine Monthly, Far Eastern Review, 

English bimonthly: Journal of Science (also Spanish edition) ; (each edition 
in four parts or sections). 

Spanish-English weekly : Phil. Free Press, Proteccionismo, Official Gazette. 

English weekly : Mindanao Herald, Manila Times. 

Spanish daily: El Mercantil, La Democracia, La Vanguardia, El Comercio 
(Manila). 

Spanish-English daily: Iloilo Enterprise Press. 

Tagalog daily: Teliba. 

English daily : Cebu Chronicle, Manila Daily Times. 

Cable news : American (daily) (English). 

Irregular English: Teachers' Assembly Herald. (During vacation period.) 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

Spanish monthly : La Hacienda. 

English weekly : National Review. 

English daily: Journal of Commerce, New York. 

New York Sun (subscribed for by bureau). 
New York Tribune (subscribed for by bureau). 
New York Herald (subscribed for by bureau). 
Washington Post (subscribed for by bureau). 
Pacific Commercial Advertiser, Honolulu. 

At the present time the following employees (styled translators) are avails 
able for the above work: H. F. Worley (class 4, $1,800), Frank Joaninni (class 
4, $1,800), Jose Macias (class 1, $1,200), Mrs. O. L. Beckwith (class 1, $1,200), 

It is estimated that the volume of Spanish publications to be reviewed and 
translated would require less than the time of one translator if the work were 
evenly distributed over the entire year. Inasmuch as the volume of this work 
fluctuates considerably, requiring at different times (especially at the receipt 
of the Cuban mails) the services of more than one translator; several trans^ 
lators are retained for this work, all of whom are available for other work 
during the greater part of their time. 

The chief of the division reported that the work of translation of Spanish 
publications is not as heavy as earlier in the history of the bureau. This is 
due to the fact that when the occupation of insular possessions (over which 
this bureau has jurisdiction) was undertaken there was an accumulation of 
Spanish reports, documents, codes, etc., of vital interest to the bureau, which 
required translation into English. This work has been completed, and the 
translation which now devolves upon the division represents the current work. 

File of neiospapers. — The Miscellaneous Division maintains a file of periodi- 
cals published in the Philippines, Porto Rico, and Cuba which are received by 
the bureau, including those published in English or Spanish, or both. These are 
kept in improvised filing cabinets, containing shelves bearing the newspaper 
designation. The papers are arranged in chronological order. 

It was formerly the practice to retain the papers for only six months, after 
which they were referred to the Congressional Library. The office contemplates 
changing this practice and maintaining a permanent file of the Spanish newS' 
papers. 



558 EEPOETS OF COMMISSIOlsr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

(d) Revieto of Congressional Records, etc. 

As already indicated, tlie Bureau of Insular Affairs is furnished two copies 
■of tlie Congressional Records, bills, hearings, etc., which are referred to this 
<li vision upon their receipt. These are read by titles, enabling the inspector or 
reader to discard those reports which in no wise pertain to the Bureau of 
Insular Affairs. Those publications which relate to the bureau or any phase 
■of insular affairs are immediately referred to the chief of the bureau or his 
assistant. The balance of the reports are referred to the War Department 
(general supply depot), which makes its own discards of publications which it 
does not care to retain. This office is also on the mailing list of those bureaus 
•of the United States and Insular Governments whose publications may have 
reference to the work of the bureau. 

The work of reviewing the foregoing publications is connected with the com- 
pilation work, inasmuch as it enables the division to keep in touch with the 
documents affecting the bur^au which are published from time to time under 
the direction of Congress. In conjunction with this work this division keeps 
a supply in pamphlet form of laws (general legislation, appropriation acts, 
documents, etc.) for distribution throughout the office. These are kept on file 
in a large cabinet, with compartments which are classified according to the 
nature of the publications filed. 

(e) Maintenance of bureau supply and stationery room. 

The bureau maintains a supply and stationery room independent of the 
t:-entral supply depot of the War Department on which it requisitions its sup- 
plies. The forms used and the procedure followed in the requisitioning of 
supplies from the central supply depot of the War Department for the supply 
room of this bureau and in requisitioning supplies from this room by the 
sections of the bureau, have been described in the descriptive statement of the 
accounting system. (Forms are attached as exhibits.) The former (requi- 
sitions by the bureau on the central supply room) are press copied in a bound 
press-copy book. The latter when filled are filed, classified according to the 
divisions from which the requisitions emanate. 

Stock or inventory records of supplies received (from the central depot) and 
disbursed (to the bureau) are not kept. 

(/) Miscellaneous. 

Other miscellaneous work devolving upon this division might be classified as 
follows : 

A. Supervision of storeroom containing Cuban and other records. 

B. Copy editing and supervision of printing and proof reading incidental 
thereto. 

C. Maintenance of photographic file. 

D. Details of clerks to other divisions of the bureau to duty with insular 
officials in Washington on duty. 

E. Multigraph work. 

F. Maintenance of document or file room. 

A. Supervision of storeroom containing Cuban and other records. 

The Bureau of Insular Affairs, Department of War, rents a room for storage 
purposes from the Merchants Transfer Co., located at 920-922 E Street NW. 
The building is reputed to be fireproof. The room is on the- fifth fioor. The 
annual rental thereof is $1,500. 

Dimensions : The dimensions of this room are 90 by 36 by 10. 

Material stored : The material stored in this room by the Bureau of Insular 
Affairs consists of (a) reserve stock of printed documents, etc., published by 
and at the expense of the Insular Government. These documents, in the distri- 
bution of which the Bureau of Insular Affairs acts as the agent of the Insular 



BUREAU OF INSULAR AFFAIRS. 559 

Government, do not come within the purview of the act centralizing the distri- 
bution of the documents and hence their custody will still remain in the Bureau 
of Insular Affairs. The volume of this class of documents stored is very light; 
(6) records (practically all of which are in manuscript) of Cuba, consisting of 
the records of the several departments of the Government — i. e., customs, 
auditor, etc. — during the military occupation of that island, and of the Philip- 
pines, consisting of insurgent records recovered at the time of the military 
occupation of those islands; (c) miscellaneous manuscript records, such as 
original reports furnished the statistical accounting section and the Division of 
Commerial Statistics, etc.; and (d) miscellaneous printed documents, etc. 

The documents and records described above under (&) represent two-thirds 
of all the material stored in this room. It is important to note that over half 
of class (6) has, by the Bureau of Insular Affairs, been segregated as material 
of historical value only and its destruction recommended to Congress. Owing 
to some objection raised by the Librarian of Congress, authority to destroy was 
not secured. 

Equipment. — This room is equipped with a large number of improvised filing 
cabinets and shelves, aggregating 140 in number, in which the records described 
under (b) were forwarded to the Bureau of Insular Affairs by the insular 
government affected. Fifty of these cases, which are arranged along the west 
wall of the room, are 3 feet 2 inches by 2 feet 3 inches in dimensions (with the 
ordinary depth of filing cabinets). About 65, arranged in rpws, of which there 
are 6 or 7, are located in the northeast corner of the room. These boxes are 3 
feet by 4 feet in dimensions (with the ordinary depth of filing cabinets, about 10 
inches ) . 

The Philippine insurgent records occupy shelves on the east side of the room 
which would be the equivalent of 11 or 12 boxes 3 feet by 4 feet by 10 inches. 

In addition to the foregoing equipment the room contains four or five up-to- 
date filing cabinets (globe, etc.) containing manuscript records similar to those 
above described. 

It is estimated that the filing equipment (consisting of filing cases, shelves, 
boxes, etc.), satisfactorily arranged, could be stored in one-third of the space 
afforded by this room. This estimate provides for a reasonable accession which 
might be made in the course of the next year or two. If the material segre- 
gated and designated as "valuable for liistorical records'' were disposed of, 
agreeably to the recommendation of the Bureau of Insular Affairs, the balance 
could be conveniently stored in one-sixth of the space afforded by this room. 

The estimates of appropriations for 1932-13 indicate that the annual rental 
of $1,500 covers a part of the office on the first floor. The part of the office used 
by the Bureau of Insular Affairs on the first fioor embraces a space about 4 
feet long by 10 inches wide, on which is placed a filing cabinet containing 20 
or 25 drawers in which are filed certain index records to the documents kept 
and handled by the Auditor of Cuba during military occupation. In other 
words, the rental of $1,500 is for the room on the fifth floor above described. 

No one is maintained at the storeroom owing to the fact that the records are 
seldom called for. Whenever a document or record is desired a clerk of the 
Miscellaneous Division (generally Mr. Macias, who is familiar with the records) 
is detailed to procure such records. 

B. Copy editing and supervision of pi-intinQ and proof reading incidental thereto. 
The work involved in the supervision of printing for the bureau, which is 
of more or less routine nature, fluctuates considerably according to the volume 
of publications to be printed. In the case of more important publications, such 
as compilation of laws, etc., the division proof reads sheets of the printer. The 
chief of this division estimated that during the past two years the entire time 
of one clerk had been consumed in this work. 



560 EEPOETS OF COMMISSIOlSr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

C. Maintenance of pliotograpliic file. 

A file is kept ©f photographs of important people, places, and vjirious things 
of interest in the Philippine Islands. Demand is made for these by societies 
throughout the country, magazines, etc. An index of the subjects to which the 
pictures relate is kept. The work involved in keeping this file is almost 
negligible. It is under the supervision of a clerk at $1,200 (Mrs. Beckwith). 

D. Details of clerks to other divisions of the bureau to duty loith insular officials 

in Washington on duty. 
Despite the fact that this division has no clerks who are primarily engaged in 
stenographic or typewriting work, there are several clerks available for such 
assignment, and on emergency perform such services for the administrative 
officers who are located in this building. 

E. Multigraph work,. 

This work is very light, consisting of the multigraphing of office forms, form 
letters, and circulars. In the handling of the large volume of inquiries the 
bureau has standardized the uses of forms. The clerk in charge of this work is 
available for other work during the greater part of his time. 

F. Maintenance of document and file room: 

The United States documents were surrendered to the superintendent of docu- 
ments ; the form and document room is now used for the custody of the official 
publications issued in Washington, Manila, San Juan, and Plawaii ; the acts of 
Philippine legislature, civil and military orders, etc. Part of the salable volumes, 
in the distribution of which the bureau acts as the agent of the insular govern- 
ments, is kept here. 

III. Organization and Peesonnel. 

The Miscellaneous Division is immediately under the direction and super- 
vision of a clerk, whose bureau designation is " Chief of division." His com- 
pensation is $1,800 per annum. He reports to the chief clerk of the bureau. 

The following is a statement of the personnel of this division, which consists 
of 15 clerks, showing the salary expense thereof and the subject to which their 
work chiefly relates: 



Name. 



1. Mr. Woodson.. 

2. Mr. Wilcox 1... 

3. Mr. Speel , 

4. Mr. Woorley... 

5. Mr. Joannini 2. 

6. Mr. Wells 

7. Mr. Macias 

8. Mr. Quigley..., 



Subject. 



Supervision 

Review of English publications 

Copy editing, compiling, research, etc 

Compiling and translating 

Compiling and translating (also stenographer). 

Compiling and utility 

Compiling and translating 

Compiling and utility ." 



9. Mr. Singleton In charge of former document room . 

10. Mrs. Coles Librarian and utility 

11. Mrs. Beckwith \ Translating and compiling 



Mr. Benson. 
Mr. Piburn. 
Mr. Ebdell. . 



Mr. Faulkner. 
Mr. Cole 



Property clerk 

Utility 

Stenographic — superintendent of Philippine stu- 
dents. 

Compiling and utility 

Multigraphing and utiUty 



Class. 



IV 
IV 
IV 
IV 
IV 
II 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 



Salary. 



$1, 800 
1,800 
1,800 
1,800 
1,800 
1,400 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,000 
1,000 

1,000 
1,200 



21,800 



1 Reported as not belonging to this division, although having his desk in the offices, and 
doing related work. 

2 Temporarily detailed to Correspondence and Administrative. 



BUEEAU OF INSULAR AFFAIES. 



561 



Descriptive Statement of the Orcanization, FuNCxroNs, and Methods of the 
Record Division, Bureau of Insular Affairs, War Departaient.^ 

The work of recording and filing correspondence is centralized in the Record 
Division, where the general correspondence records and files of the bnrean are 
maintained. 

I. organization and personnel. 

The Record Division is immediately nnder the direction and supervision of a 
clerk whose bureau designation is " Chief of division." His compensation is 
$3,800 per annum. He reports to the chief clerk of the bureau. The following 
is a statement of the personnel of the division, which consists of 31 clerks and 1. 
messenger, showing the salary expense thereof: 



Clerk, class 4 (chief of division') 

Clerks, class 2 

Clerks, class 1 

Clerks, class 3 

Messenger 



Number. 



Salary. 



1,400 

1,200 

1,000 

720 



Total. 



2,800 

.3,(500 

5,000 

720 



13, 920 



II. WORK AND FUNCTIONS. 

The work of this division, which is primarily that of the Recording and Filing 
Division, might be classified as follows: (1) Indexing incoming and outgoing 
correspondence; (2) recording incoming and outgoing correspondence ; (3) filing 
of correspondence (incoming and outgoing) ; (4) preparation of bureau's pay 
roll; (5) keeping time records for bureau. 

The filing of incoming correspondence aggregates in the neighborhood of 
50,000 communications annually. This might be classified as follows: 

Personal records (relating to appointment, transportation, etc.) 25,000 

Miscellaneous and administrative 25, 000 

The incoming correspondence with reference to the form in which it is re- 
ceived may be classified as follows: 

Miscellaneous letters 40,000 

Cables and telegrams 6,000 

Printed reports, circulars, and newspapers 4, 000 



III. METHODS or PROCEDURE. 

As indicated, the incoming correspondence passes through the Administrative 
and Correspondence Division, where it is opened by a messenger and the date 
of receipt stamped thereon. It is then referred to the chief clerk for review. 
The correspondence of the bureau, other than requests for publications, is 
referred to the Record Division before action is taken thereon, in order that 
the record cards, hereinafter described, and the original papers may be at- 
tached to the incoming correspondence. The procedure is as follows: 

The incoming correspondence is placed upon the desk of the chief of division, 
who hurriedly examines it and segregates the communications of unusual im- 

^ Occupies room No. 247 of the State, War, and Navy Building. 
72734°— H. Doc. 1252. 62-3 36 



562 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

portance. Tbese he handles personally or refers them to a clerk who is en- 
gaged in supervisory work. The balance of the correspondence is referred to a 
messenger of the division who searches the files for the record cards and 
papers. The work of assembling the record cards involves the examination 
of the subject index, hereinafter described, to determine whether or not there 
are any previous papers in the case. The record cards aud original papers 
(both being identified by the same file number) are procured, at which time the 
incoming correspondence is entered on the record card and indexed where neces- 
sary, and all incoming correspondence with the exception of the communications 
requiring immediate attention is handled by the Recoj'd Division before being 
acted upon by the bureau. 

, A charge slip is prepared for each case withdrawn on which the identifying 
file number and the name of the division or clerk to whom the papers are re- 
ferred are entered, except when disposition is shown by the record cards. 

After the correspondence has been acted upon and the reply letter dispatched 
the record card and original papers, including the incoming communication and 
the carbon copy of the related reply letter, are returned to the Record Division 
for the necessary recording (outgoing correspondence) and filing. 

The foregoing brief statement describes the channel through which th<j 
correspondence generally passes before this division completes its record of 
correspondence. Such procedure, however, is departed from as occasion de- 
mands. It was observed, for instance, that the clerks of the Correspondence 
and Administration Division freely consulted the files in person and removed 
therefrom record cards and papers relating to cases they were handling. 

1. Indexing. — In conjunction with the arbitrary numerical filing system of 
this bureau a general index of subjects, alphabetically assembled, is kept. For 
this purpose a series of progressive numbers is used. To each case is assigned 
a number — the assignment thereof being accidental according to the receipt of 
the first communication of the case — which determines its location in the files. 
A subject once indexed (that is, allotted a separate number) serves for all 
subsequent communications on that subject. 

The subjects of the cases are indexed on thin cards 3i by 8 inches in dimen- 
sion. These cards are assembled in alphabetical order according to the names 
of the individual or subject and constitute the general index to the files. 

The " case " constitutes the basis unit of the file, embracing all correspond- 
ence — incoming and outgoing^relating to a given subject. The term " subject," 
as used here, refers to subject matter (i. e., adrninistrative or miscellaneous 
subject) or name (of personnel concerning whom the correspondence is con- 
ducted). In other words, the indexing falls into two well-defined groups or 
classes: (a) Personnel, (.&) subject. 

No segregation, however, is made of the two subjects, one series of numbers 
serving for the entire correspondence of the bureau. An examination of 1,000 
index cards disclosed that 425 were indexes to the personal or personnel records 
and papers; that is, indexes of applicants for, appointees to, or employees of, 
the insular service. In addition, there were a large number of cards carrying 
cross reference to such personal records. These were filed under the names of 
individuals making inquiries about, or recommendations of, the individuals 
indexed. It is estimated that at least one-half of the volume of indexing relates 
to personnel. 

Summary and, cross-reference indece card. — In order to render accessible all 
the cases relating to one subject it is the practice to prepare summary or con- 
solidated index cards, in addition to which an elaborate system of cross indexing 
is maintained. The consolidated index card is an index to a general or primary 
subject, such primary subject being subdivided into secondary subjects, to each 
of which is assigned a distinct case. On such consolidated index card, which 



BUEEAU OF INSULAK AFFAIRS. 563 

is placed in the files according to the designation of the primary subject, the 
several secondary subjects, with their identifying case numbers, are assembled. 
To illustrate, the Philippine Railway Co. has a consolidated or summary index 
card, on which are assembled 14 secondary subjects, among which are the 
following : 

Record No, 

General record ^__ 14221 

Personnel of 15058 

Accounts of (audit, etc.) : 16502 

Land for right of way 15800 

Inspection and test of material for work 15293 

For loan of money 17091 

Free entrj'' of material for 1596 

To the several secondary subjects cross references would be carried under 
the appropriate headings. 

Filing index cards. — Index cards are filed under the alphabetical designation 
of names or subjects. The filing equipment used for this purpose consists of 
wooden file boxes the size of which is designed to accommodate cards 3i by S 
inches in dimensions. The total equipment consists of about TO boxes, which 
are arranged along the south wall of the room. Each box will conveniently 
carry 2,000 cards — the present contents ranging from 1,000 to 1,500 cards. 

Equipment. — The filing equipment used for the indexes consists of 70 small 
document filing boxes. The indexes cover 14 years' operations of the bureau. 

2. Recording.- — According to the practice which prevails in this division, each 
communication, incoming or outgoing, is recorded on thin cards, 3^ by 8 inches 
in dimensions. The record, which is typewritten, contains the following items : 
(1) Filing number (entered but once for each case). (2) Date of the letter. 

(3) Name of the correspondent (to whom addressed, or from whom received). 

(4) An abstract of the subject matter of the letter. (5) Number of the 
inclosures. (6) Date received and to whom charged. 

The " abstract " is a very comprehensive digest of the subject matter of the 
communication, varying in size according to the nature of the communication. 
A large number of individual case records were examined (aggregating in the 
neighborhood of 40 or 50) and compared with the original papers on file. In 
the case of short communications (from 40 to 100 words) it was found that the 
abstract contained almost as many words as the communication itself (due, of 
course, to the fact that communications of such brevity are susceptible of little 
abbreviation) ; in some instances it was practically a duplicated record. In the 
case of longer communications the abstract was prepared in more condensed 
form. The digests or abstracts were invariably found to be well thought out 
and constructed, presenting a reliable and accurate analysis of the subject 
matter recorded. 

The records are divided into groups similar to the indexes, namely, personal 
or personnel records and subject records. No physical segregation or division' 
is made, however. The records of the first class, personal records, consist of 
what they purport to be — records of incoming and outgoing correspondence 
relating to applicants for or employees of the insular service. The subject 
records, however, embrace not only the record of correspondence received 
relating to a given subject, but also digests of data not received in the form 
of correspondence proper. This represents, for the most part, action taken 
outside of the bureau relating to such subjects. Such, for instance, might be 
a criticism of the foreign policy with reference to a certain phase of adminis- 
tration, or legislation by either the United States Government or the insular 
government on a particular subject. The original papers from which such 



664 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

niatt^^r is incorporated into the correspondence records are generally retained 
in tlie files of the office. 

Congressional Record, documents, etc.; Spanish and English n&ivspapers. — • 
The foregoing represents a portion of the extraneous matter which is incor- 
porated into the subject record. Under the present practice this emanates 
from the Miscellaneous Division. The procedure of that division in the 
review of the Congressional Record and other public .documents, with the 
newspapers, printed in Spanish and English, published in our insular posses- 
sions, and a few of the leading newspaper organs of America, has been con- 
sidered. The matter which is excerpted or prepared in that division is referred 
to the division, digested, and made a part of the appropriate subject record. 

It is estimated that the volume of this extraneous material recorded would 
not exceed an eighth of the whole volume. 

The communications are recorded iu chronological order and the record 
furnishes or represents a history of the case. Both sides of the record cards 
are used. The cards used iu the recording of a case vary greatly according 
to the volume of correspondence on the subject thereof. The cards constitut- 
ing the record in a case are assembled in chronological order, each card being 
pasted to the preceding card on the upper margin. When the cards of a case — 
the record of a case — become unwieldy another part or section is begun, and a 
summary or consolidated record of the preceding section is prepared and 
prefixed thereto. 

Filing record cards. — Record cards are filed in serial numerical order in 
document file boxes, each box carrying as many cauds as it can conveniently 
cari'y. These boxes are of the same character as the index file boxes referred 
to hereiu. As indicated, when a record card is withdrawn from the files a 
charge slip is made out and placed in a basket in lieu thereof. 

3. Filing {original documents). — Method of filing: 

As already indicated, the record cards and original papers or documentis 
<^both being identified by the same serial number) are filed on an arbitrary 
numerical basis. The method of assigning the arbitrary number has been dis- 
cussed at length. The actual operation of placing the papers in the file is very 
simple, the file (record or document) being arranged in serial numerical order. 

Each case has an independent series of numbers, identifying its inclosures 
and showing their relative position within the case. The term " inclosui*e " is 
used to embrace an incoming communication or document with the related reply- 
letter communication. 

Equipment: The record room is equipped with wooden stacks containing 
standard size document filing boxes. The stocks containing the document 
boxes are arranged along the northeast and south walls, extending to the ceil- 
ing, which is about 15 feet high. With the assistance of a pole, all boxes are 
made available for filing purposes. The document stacks contain in the neigh- 
borhood of 1,300 wooden boxes. 

The documents are folded in jacket or document form 3* by 8 inches in di- 
mensions. The file number— the papers being filed in numerical order — is in- 
serted at the top of the fold. The papers are filed vertically ; that is, standing 
on end. It has been noted that the original documents of the cases take the 
same identifying numbers as the records thereof, so that reference is a direction 
to the other. 

index to files : The general files indexed have been described under the sub- 
ject " indexing." 

Consultation of files: Documents may be withdrawn by any of the bureau's 
personnel. No record or charge of such withdrawal is placed in the files. A 
memorandum charge slip, however, showing the file removed and the person to 
whom charged, is placed in a basket awaiting the return of the papers. 



THE HANDLING AND FILING OF COR- 
RESPONDENCE IN THE OFFICE OF 
THE SURGEON GENERAL. 



565 



THE HANDLING AND FILING OF CORRESPONDENCE IN THE 
OFFICE OF THE SURGEON GENERAL. 

I. Introduction. 

The Office of the Surgeon General of the Army is made up of five 
divisions, as follows : 

Eecord, Correspondence, and Examining Division. 

Supply Division, 

Sanitary Division. 

Personnel Division. 

Museum and Library Division. 

The location, organization, and work of each of these divisions are 
described in Section II of this report. The critical comments of 
the commission and constructive suggestions are set forth in Section 
III, which folloAVs. Briefly stated, the recommendations of the com- 
mission are: 

RELATING TO. THE RECORD, CORRESPONDENCE, AND EXAMINING DIVISION. 

1. That the preparation and maintenance of record and index 
cards be discontinued and the method of filing correspondence be 
changed. 

2. That the preparation of longhand drafts of outgoing communi- 
cations be discontinued. 

3. That the editing of mail as the special function of a clerk 
be discontinued. 

RELATING TO THE SUPPLY DIVISION. 

1. That the recording of requisitions and correspondence on record 
cards be discontinued and that the method of filing same be changed. 

2. That press copying of letters be discontinued, and that form let- 
ters be used for certain correspondence. 

3. That the two sections of the Supply Division be consolidated. 

RELATING TO THE SANITARY DIVISION. 

1. That modern mechanical machines be used for the compilation 
of statistics. 

567 



568 KEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 
RELATING TO THE PERSONNEL DIVISION. 

1. That the further maintenance of personnel records of active offi- 
cers of the Medical Department be discontinued. 

2. That the monthly return to The Adjutant General of officers' 
personnel as now made be discontinued. 

3. That the checking of bimonthly post returns of enlisted men be 
partially discontinued. 

The saving Avhich it is thought may be effected by making these 
changes is $19,150, as shown in this report, by schedule of present and 
proposed organization of divisions affected. 

Section II. Description of the Ix)cation, Work, Methods, Organi- 
zation, AND Salary Expense of the Several Divisions of the 
Office. 

In this, the descriptive portion of the report, the location, Avork, 
methods, organization, and salaiy expense of each of the several 
divisions of the office of Surgeon General is discussed and in the 
order shown : 

1. Record, Correspondence, and Examining Division. 

2. Supply Division. 

3. Sanitary Division. 

4. Personnel Division. 

5. Museum and Libraiy Division. 

The critical comments and constructive recommendations follow in 
Section III. 

Record, Correspondence, and Examining Division, 
location. 

The Record, Correspondence, and Examining Division, and the files 
in its custody, occupy five rooms on the third floor and two rooms on 
the fifth floor of the State, War, and Navy Building, and also occupies 
space in the Army Medical Building, located at Seventh and B Streets 
SW. These "rooms are Xos. 330, 332, 333, 33'4, 335, 337, 517, and 519, 
and are occupied as follows: 

Room 330 10 clerks. 

Room 332 5 clerks. 

Room 333 5 clerks. 

Room 334 Surgeon General's Office. 

Room 335 4 clerks. 

Room 337 i 3 clerks. 

Room 517 

Room 510 

Army Medical Museum I'.uilding T clerks. 

Total 34 ■ 



OFFICE OF THE SUEGEON GEXEEAL. 569 

ITTNCTIONS AND WORK. 

The Record, Correspondence, and Examining Division consists of 
three sections, viz, record section, correspondence section, and exam- 
ining section, the work of these different sections being briefly as 
follows : 

Record section. — Indexing, recording, and filing certain corre- 
spondence of the Surgeon General's Office. 

C orres'pondence section. — General correspondence and general mis- 
cellaneous and administrative work, also special work in connection 
with construction and repair of hospital buildings, etc. 

Ea'amining section. — Examining returns of medical property, and 
examining and recording disbursing accounts and keeping records of 
appropriations, etc. 

AVORK OF RECORD SFX'TION. 

The work of this section consists in the indexing, recording, and 
filing of certain of the correspondence of the Surgeon General's Office. 
Of the approximate number of 140,000 communications received 
annually in the Office of the Surgeon General about 35,000 of such 
communications are indexed, recorded, and filed in this section. The 
functions of the clerks in this section are mainly as follows : 

{a) Indexing.— The giving of received communications or carbon 
copies of outgoing communications a file number, and if same relate 
to new subjects or names not previously indexed, the making out of 
an index card, together with any additional cross index cards con- 
sidered necessary. 

(b) Recording. — Making notation of communication on a relevant 
record card. 

(c) Filing. — Filing index cards under their alphabetical arrange- 
ment of subject, sub-subject, or name in index files; filing record cards 
b}^ serial number in record card files ; and filing received communica- 
tions, or carbon copies of outgoing communications, folded, in docu- 
ment files by serial number, this number being the same as that of 
related record cards. 

METHODS AND PROCEDURE. 

The correspondence that is to be ultimately filed in the files of this 
division comes to the clerks in the record section, who examine same 
and search index files to see whether there is any record card of pre- 
A'ious correspondence on the same subject. These indexes consist of 
index cards arranged alphabetically under subject, subsubject, or 
name, and refer by file numbers to record cards which are filed in 
record card files and previous papers Avhich are filed under the same 



570 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

serial file numbers, but in separate files, known as the document files. 
If upon searching the indexes it is found that correspondence per- 
tains to a subject on which there has been previous correspondence, 
the record card is abstracted from the files and a brief notation and 
purport of received communication is typewritten thereon, and re- 
ceived communication with its relevant record card is then sent to the 
proper division or person for attention. If, however, a received com- 
munication is a new case — i. e., if indexes show that there has been no 
previous correspondence about matter contained therein — a record 
card is made out and given a serial file number, this record card con- 
taining a brief purport of received communication. In addition to 
this a general index card, together with as many cross-reference 
cards as may be considered necessary to fully index such received 
communication, are made out and filed under alphabetical designa- 
tion of subject, subsubject, or name in index files. The record card is 
then sent with received communication to the proper division or per- 
son charged with its attention. When a record card is taken out of 
files to be sent to a division or person for reference or notation 
purposes, a charge card is made out and filed in numerical place of 
such record card. This charge card shows person or division to whom 
record card has been sent, and when such record card is returned to 
the files charge card is abstracted and destroyed. 

Received communications of a prior case after being duly recorded 
on record cards are given a sequence notation, either alphabetical or 
numerical, which shows the sequence of the communication on record 
card and in document files. When a letter which has been recorded 
in this section has received proper attention, the same is returned 
to this section and filed in document files under its given file number, 
and its related record card (on which has been typewritten a copy 
of reply or a notation of attention) is also returned to record-card 
files, being filed in the order of its file number. A copy of outgoing 
communication is typewritten on record card, or a notation of action 
taken is noted thereon, so that the record card of a subject contains 
a histor}^ or copy, in a more or less condensed form, of correspond- 
ence. 

In this section there is an approximate number of 25,000 new rec- 
ord and index cards made annually in recording and indexing cor- 
respondence. A schedule of the clerks engaged in the section is 
shown under organization and salarj?- expense of this division. 

WORK or CORRESPONDENCE (ADMINISTRATIVE) SECTION. 

The correspondence section occupies room 332 and part of room 
330 and also space in the Army Medical Museum at Seventh and B 
Streets SW. While this section is designated as the correspondence 
section, correspondence forms only a comparatively small part of the 



OFEICE OF THE SURGEON GENERAL. 



571 



whole work pertaining to the section. The main work of the corre- 
spondence section is as follows : 

1. Administrative work, and miscellaneous clerical work common 
to the office of the Surgeon General. 

2. Typewriting work, principally making copies of outgoing com- 
munications on record cards, and making needed copies of letters 
and papers and writing letters from prepared drafts. 

3. Stenographic and correspondence work. 

4. Special work in the construction and repair of hospitals, being 
practically architectural work. 

5. The filling of requisitions for blanks and publications for the 
Surgeon General's Office and the Medical Corps at large, and the 
mailing of current medical and scientific periodicals to certain officers 
of the corps. 

METHODS AND PROCEDURE. 

1. Administrative and imiscellaneous work. — The chief clerk is 
located in this section, and is in charge of general work of an admin- 
istrative nature. All mail is received in this section and is opened 
by certain clerks therein, and sent to the record section, or direct to 
other divisions. The incoming mail received in this section com- 
prises all of the mail of the office of the Surgeon General,, and is 
approximately as follows: 



Class. 



Personnel 1 

Medical property 

Artificial limbs and trusses 

Circulating library and blanks 

Report, age, nativity, etc 

Medical and surgical reports 

Hospital fund statements 

Hospital Corps returns, bimonthly 

Construction and repair of hospital and quarters, sergeants, First Hospital Corps 

Salary reports 

Sick and wounded returns 

Purchase and issue medical supplies 

Miscellaneous letters. 

Total 



Number, 

31,000 

25,000 

4,000 

12,000 

3,300 

7,300 

2,500 

1,300 

3.300 

2,400 

2,700 

12,000 

33,200 



140,000 



This mail is opened by three clerks, the morning mail usually being 
o]3ened before 9 a. m. There are two clerks of this section engaged 
upon miscellaneous work, which is mainly as follows: Issuing per- 
mits to destitute patients in Washington for entrance to Providence 
Hospital, forwarding blank applications, and issuing permits for en- 
trance to the Army and Xavy Hospital, Hot Springs, Ark., auditing 



572 EEPOETS OF COMMISSIOlSr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

statements of hospital funds, keeping time records of the office em- 
ployees, examming- pay rolls of the office and field force, readine: and 
marking the Congressional Record each morning, examining and 
filing House and Senate bills, and other miscellaneous work of a 
general nature. 

There is also one clerk in this section Avho acts as storekeeper for 
the office, issuing office stationery and blanks upon requisitions and 
making requisitions upon the Government Printing Office for re- 
plenishing supplies. There are approximately 100 requisitions made 
each month for office supplies. 

,2, Typewriting work^ etc. — All outgoing communications except 
in stereotyped routine cases, are copied in full on relative record 
cards. This work, together with making copies of letters or papers, 
occupies the time of two clerivs of this section, and part of the time 
of the clerks engaged in stenographic work. 

3. Stenographic and corre^jondence worh. — ^The stenographic and 
correspondence work of this division consists of the dictation from 
the Surgeon General and the tj^pewriting of letters from pen drafts 
of the Examining Division and miscellaneous copying. There are 
three clerks engaged in this work, one of whom is a clerk detailed 
from the Sanitary Division to fill a vacancj^ in this division. The 
work of dictation is usually taken care of by one clerk, one other 
being engaged chiefly in copying, and the other chiefl}^ engaged in 
editing the outgoing mail of this division. Carbon copies are made 
of outgoing letters, the practice of making press copies having re- 
cently been discontinued by official order. 

4. Special loork in tJie construction and repair of hospitals. — This 
work consists in the preparation of plans, specifications, and blue 
prints for construction, alteration, and repair of military hospitals 
and adjuncts, and the supervision and adjusting of all estimates for 
repairs, etc., to the various buildings coming under the supervision 
of the Surgeon General, and in addition to this charts and maps are 
made of microscopical, pathological, and bacteriological specimens. 
There are four clerks now engaged in this work, who are located in 
the Army Medical Museum Building, three of such clerks performing 
the work of architectural draftsmen, the particular Avork upon which 
they are engaged requiring a knowledge of the art of architecture 
and the specific requirements of modern hospitals. 

5. Filling requisitions for hlanks and puhlications for the Medical 
Corps at large.— There are three clerks attached to this division, who 
are located in the Army Medical Museum Building, and these clerks 
take care of the work incidental to issuing of blanks, publications, 
and periodicals to the Medical Corps at large, and also mailing cur- 
rent books and periodicals of a medical and scientific nature received 
by the Surgeon General to certain officers of the Army Medical Corps. 



OFFICE OF THE SURGEON GENERAL. 573 

Eequisitions for blanks are not recorded, being filed in document 
files by an office serial number, and indexed chronologically in a 
book. An approximate number of 1,300 requisitions are received and 
filled annually. 

WORK OF EXAMINING SECTION. 

The work of this section consists of the examination of claims, the 
keeping of records of public funds under administrative control of 
the Surgeon General, examining and recording disbursing officers' 
accounts and conducting correspondence relative thereto, and the 
examination of returns of medical propertj^ rendered by the various 
medical officers of the Army. There are about 500 such returns ex- 
amined in this section annuall}^ No correspondence is recorded or 
filed in this section, all correspondence being recorded and filed in 
the record section of this division, including all vouchers, bills, etc. 
Correspondence is drafted by the clerks in this division in longhand 
and copied by typists in the record section. There are 11 clerks en- 
gaged in this work, a schedule of same being shown under organiza- 
tion and salary expense of this division. 

ORGANIZATION AND SALARY EXPENSE. 

The Eecord, Correspondence, and Examining Division has 34 
clerks, of the following salary grades : 

1 chief clei-k, at $2.000 ^ .$2,000 

1 law clerk, at $2.000 - 2.000 

6 clerks, at $1,800 10,800 

3 clerks, at $1,600 4,800 

9 clerks, at $1.400— ^ 12,600 

9 clerks, at $1.200 10,800 

4 clerks, at $1,000 4,000 

1 clerk, at $900_- 900 

Total - 47, 900 

The following is a list of such clerks, showing their respective work 
and salaries : 

RECORD SECTION. 



Name. 



Nature of duties. 



Salary. 



W. H. NeiU . , . . . 
William Guilford. 
R. H. Brooke 



David Clopton 

Mrs. Margaret H. Berry. 

Thomas R. Hudsorr 

Alton B. Cusick 



In charge 

Special work 

Searches current mail on index, records, briefs, and indexes 

mail received, answers call upon record room for information 

from the records. 

Files record cards, index cards, and documents 

Records briefs and indexes mail received 

do 

.....do 



$1,800 
1,600 
1,400 



1,200 
1,200 
1,000 
1,000 

9,200 



574 KEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 
CORRESPONDENCE, ADMINISTRATIVE. AND MISCELLANEOUS SECTION. 



Name. 



Clerk 

B. F. Williams.. 
H. H. Wakefield. 
Bessie M. Israel.. 



Marie A. Woelper. . 
Vacancy 

James H. Bessling. 



lohn Pringle . 



.1. S. McFarland. 
Charles. RoUer... 
M.' R.Welsh.... 



S. H. Lilly 

M. W. Bayliss. 
A. M. Hodkins. 
W. C. Daubt... 
A. C. Varela... 



Nature of duties. 



Editing outgoing correspondence of division 

Stenographer 

T3rpe\vriter; principally copying on record cards, copying draft 

letters, and making needed copies. 
do 



Stenographer 

Issuing hospital permits, and forwarding appUcations, marking 

Congressional Record, examining House and Senate bills, 

auditing hospital fund statements. 
Keeping records of the office employees, examining office and 

field pay rolls. 
Keeping and supplying printing and stationery for the office use. 

Issuing publications 

Keeping and issuing forms and publications to the Medical 

Corps at large. 
do 



Architectural draftsman, construction and repairs of hospitals. , 

do 

do 

Clerical work, construction and repair of hospitals 



EXAMINING DIVISION. 



B. B. Thompson. 

C. 0. Coombs 

M. C. Summers . . 



F. P. OUver 

M. D. Spiers 

Elizabeth Edes . 



Paul H. Primm . . 

Samuel Johnston 

Crosby E. Stoddard. . 

Maria Thomas 

Elizabeth B. Preston. 



Total. 



Law clerk in charge 

Assisting in charge , 

Examining and recording disbursing accounts, claims, and 
assisting in keeping record of appropriations. 

Examining and recording disbursing accounts 

do , 



Preparing accounts for payment; examining and recording 

disbursing accounts. 
Preparing accounts for payment; indexing disbursing accounts. . . 

In charge of property accountabiUty 

Assistant and examiner of returns of m.edical property 

Examiner of returns of medical property , 

do ; 



Supply Division. 



LOCATION. 



The Supply Division and the files in its custody occupy two rooms 
and part of another room on the third floor of the State, War, and 
Navy Building. These rooms are Nos. 336, 339, and 342, occupied 
as follows: 

Room 336 (part) , officer in charge of division. 

Room 339, three clerks. 

Boom 342, six clerks. . 



OFFICE OF THE SURGEON GENEEAL. 575 

FUNCTIONS AND WORK. 

The work of the Supply Division consists in the purchase of 
medical and hospital supplies for the Army, and examining requi- 
sitions of the various hospitals of the Army. In addition to this 
the officer in charge of the Supply Division is also the disbursing 
officer for the Surgeon General's Office. The work of keeping the 
accounts of a disbursing officer is taken care of in this division, as 
is also the inspection and supervision of the clerical work in con- 
nection with the issuing of trusses, artificial limbs and appliances 
to disabled pensioners. There are two sections in this division, viz : 
A section engaged in the supply work and a section engaged in the 
accounting work of the disbursing officer, known as the disbursing 
section. This section also attends to the work in connection with 
the issuing of trusses, artificial limbs and appliances, and claims for 
commutation therefor. 

WORK OF SUPPLY AND REQUISITION SECTION. 

The functions of this section are as foUoAvs: 

1. Purchases. — The issuing of form printed letters twice a year 
for each of the three Medical Supply Depots, such form letters being 
the same in detail for each such depot. These form letters are sent 
out to prospective bidders, and an annual approximate number of 
100 awards are made on bids during the year, the awarding being 
made at the Medical Supply Depots. 

2. Requisitions. — The examination, approval, or revision of requi- 
sitions for supplies, which are made annually, semiannually, and 
quarterly, and as emergency. There is a total approximate number 
of 2,600 such requisitions received annually in this division. 

3. Recording, indexing, and ■filing. — Eecording on record cards, 
requisitions and relative correspondence, indexing same, and filing 
cards, requisitions, and relevant correspondence. 

4. Stenographic and correspondence work. — Taking dictation from 
officer in charge, and writing other letters in connection with supply 
and requisition work. 

METHODS AND PROCEDURE. 

Purchases.— Vuvchdi^s are made under the supervision of the 
Supply Division, needed supplies for the maintenance of the Army 
being purchased by awards on bids obtained by a circular of adver- 
tisement, issued twice a year simultaneously in New York, St. Louis, 
and San Francisco, for post medical supplies only. These circulars 
are printed, being identical in detail for each depot. Circulars are 
also issued from these depots from time to time to replenish stock. 



576 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Supplies are also purchased in open market where the time does not 
permit of advertisement. There are about 100 awards for supplies 
made annually. The printed circular form letters are based upon 
approved requisitions for supplies sent in by the surgeon of each 
Army hospital annuallj^, such Army stations being divided into 
groups, certain stations submitting requisitions for supplies in April, 
July, October, and January. This is done to expedite the issue of 
supplies and to avoid congestion in the supply depots. 

An alphabetical card record is maintained of supplies, a card being- 
made out for each different kind of supply on which is recorded a 
history and cost of such supply, each card being filed in alphabetical 
order mider the name of its supply or material. 

Requisitions. — An approximate number of 2,600 requisitions are 
received in this division in duplicate from different surgeons of the 
Army Medical Corps, and these requisitions are examined, approved, 
or revised by the officer in charge of this division, the original requisi- 
tion being then sent to a medical supply depot to be filled from the 
stock of such depot, the duplicate copy being retained in this office 
as a record. 

Recording, indexing, and filing. — Requisitions and correspondence 
relevant thereto are recorded on record cards, a record card being 
maintained or opened for each new subject or post. These record cards 
are filed under serial number, the correspondence being filed folded 
in document files under the same numeral file numbers as relative 
record cards. This record card is the same as used in the Record, 
Correspondence, and Examining Division. An alphabetical card 
index is kept by subject, subsubject, or name on a card. This card 
index is not the same as used in the Record, Correspondence, and 
Examining Division, but serves the same purpose as an index to 
both the record card and the original papers. All requisitions and 
correspondence relative thereto are recorded on record cards, out- 
going letters usually being recorded verbatim. 

Stenographic and correspondence work. — One clerk in this division 
is specially assigned to stenographic and correspondence work, and 
takes dictation from the officer in charge of this division. Apart 
from the correspondence of the officer in charge, the correspondence 
of this division consists to a large extent of certain routine corre- 
spondence relative to requisitions and purchases. No form letters 
are used in this division, all letters being dictated or typewritten 
direct. A special slip is used in some of the correspondence, this 
slip being known as an information slip, and is replied to by indorse- 
ment thereon. 

Loose-leaf press copies are made of all correspondence other than 
information slips, and copies of outgoing correspondence are written 



OFFICE OF THE SUEGEON GENERAL. 577 

upon record cards from same. One carbon copy is made for depart- 
mental letters, this carbon copy being sent with original outgoing 
letter in compliance with a recent regulation. 

Organization. — There are six clerks employed in this section. 

AVORK OF DISBURSING SECTION. 

The functions of this section are as follows : 

1. Payment of accounts and keeping record of disbursements made 
by the disbursing officer of the bureau. 

2. The issuing of orders for trusses, artificial limbs, etc., and pay- 
ment of commutation therefor. 

METHODS AND PROCEDURE. 

An approximate number of 6,000 payments are made annually 
by the disbursing officer of the Surgeon General's Office, vouchers 
and checks being written out in this section and an allotment record 
written up therefrom, this record showing current status of allot- 
ments. Accounts current and abstracts of disbursements are also 
made monthly in this section. 

An annual approximate number of 600 claims for commutation for 
loss of limbs, or use of limbs, are filed in the Surgeon General's 
Office and attended to in this section, verification of each claim being 
made from previous papers or papers from the Pension Office which 
are in document files in this section arranged by name alphabetically. 
Claims as disposed of are also filed therein in alphabetical order. 
Vouchers for payment of fees due examining surgeons for fitting 
and adjusting trusses and surgical appliances, etc., are issued in this 
section, bills for same being recorded in the Eecording, Correspond- 
ence and Examining Division. No correspondence or correspond- 
ence files are maintained in this section. 

ORGANIZATION AND SALARY EXPENSE. 

This division has nine clerks of the following salary grades: 

2 clerks, class 4 $3,600 

1. clerk, class 3 ^ 1,600 

1 clerk, class 2 1,400 

4 clerks, class 1 4,800 

1 clerk at 1,000 

12, 400 

72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 37 



578 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The following- is a list of clerks engaged in this division, showing 
their respective work and salaries : 

SUPPLIES AND REQUISITION SECTION. 



Name. 


Nature of duties. 


Salary. 


AlhftTt. Ci. Dranfi 


Principal clerk, who has general supervision and direction of the 
work of the division. 

Assistant to the principal clerk and acts in his absence. Attends 
to getting up letter of purchase of supplies. Keeps a record of 
cost and miscellaneous duties. 

Records the incoming mail, has supervision of the files and the 
indexing of the division. Is an expert stenographer and type- 
writer and takes dictation from the officer in charge of the divi- 
sion. 

Records the outgoing mail and assists with the correspondence. . 

Expert stenographer and typewriter and general correspondence 
by dictation. 

Expert stenogi'apher and typewriter and index clerk; assisting 
the record clerk; miscellaneous typewriting and correspond- 
ence by dictation. 


$1,800 


H 


H. Fetter 


1,400 


o 


Marvin Green 


1,200 


Tf 


E.Wallace 


1,200 


n 


E. Farley 


1,200 


f\ 


C. Arata ... 


1,000 










7,800 



DISBURSING SECTION. 







$1,800 




Clerical work pertaining to the issue of surgical appliances 

Writes vouchers and keeps record thereof in connection with the 
work of the disbursing officer of the Surgeon General's office. 


1,600 


Susan y. Edgerton 


1,200 




4,600 




12, 400 



Sanitary Division. 



LOCATION. 



The Sanitary Division and the files in its custo'dy occupy three 
rooms on the third floor of the State, War, and Navy Building. 
These rooms are Nos. 338, 343, and 344, and are occupied as follows: 

Eoom 338, 1 clerk. 

Room 343, 5 clerks. 

Eoom 344, 8 clerks. 

Room 330, mail and record room, 1 clerk detailed from this division. 



FUNCTIONS AND A\'ORK. 



The main work of this division consists in examining reports and 
compiling medical statistics which are incorporated annually in the 
Report of the Surgeon General. These statistics are collated and 
compiled from report cards of sickness and injury in the Army, 



OFFICE OF THE SURGEON GENERAL. 579 

which are rendered to this division by the various Army surgeons. -A 
card is used for each admission case, such card showing data from 
which these medical statistics are compiled. These cards are sent 
in monthly to this division, together with a report sheet and a check 
list, all of Avhich are examined in this division as to their accuracy, 
and, where necessary, corrected by correspondence. In addition to 
medical statistics compiled from these cards, annual physical sta- 
tistics are compiled on recruits. The data on which these statistics 
are based are taken from the monthly Reports on Examination of 
Recruits, furnished by The Adjutant General's Office. This division 
also files the monthly sanitary reports received from the different 
organizations and posts of the Army, and also files personal papers 
consisting of individual medical data in certain cases, and keeps a 
record of cases of sickness reported on bills for medical attendance 
of officers and enlisted men in civil hospitals. There are approxi- 
mately 260 stations which send in monthly report sheets and check 
lists, with an annual approximate number of 120,000 report cards of 
sickness and injury, each station also sending in a monthly sanitarj^ 
report. There are about 50,000 cards made out in this division 
showing data on recruits, this data being taken from the monthly 
records in The Adjutant General's Office. A card is made for each 
recruit, the data necessary for compiling statistics being transcribed 
thereon. 

METHODS AND PROCEDURE. 

Medical records. — An approximate number of 260 stations send in a 
monthly report of sick and wounded, together with a check list on 
which is enumerated individual card reports of sickness and injury 
occurring in each particular station. These reports are sent in with 
the report cards of sickness and injury, of which there is an approxi- 
mate number of 120,000 received in this division annually. 

The following is a description of functions of work in the order of 
procedure : 

1. Examining report and check lists. — Report and check lists are 
examined to see that they are in accordance with the report cards 
with which rendered to see that they are correct and in order. 

2. Examining report cards. — Individual report cards are then ex- 
amined to see whether properly filled out and in order. 

3. Classifying report cards. — Report cards are examined in order 
that a numbered classification, in accordance with a prepared sched- 
ule, may be noted thereon. This classification consists of a number 
for cause of admission, a number for how injury was caused, a num- 
ber showing disposition, a subnumber showing disposition used in 
certain cases only. This classification is to facilitate sorting and 
tabulating for statistical tables. 



580 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

4. Compilation of statistics. — Statistics are compiled from record 
report cards in a number of different ways showing various different 
statistical tables and results. The general method of compiling these 
statistics is in the assorting of these cards according to the desired 
result and the posting to prepared sheets in pen. All statistics are 
compiled on a uniform classification of sickness or injury, the num- 
bered classification being used. Adding machines are used for tabu- 
lating these sheets. 

5. Incidental correspondence in regard to cards or reports. — An 
approximate number of 1,200 letters are written annually in this divi- 
sion in respect to report cards and reports. These letters are type- 
written in triplicate on a special form, original and duplicate being 
sent out and the triplicate copy being filed in a jacket under the sta- 
tion, as an index. Replies to these letters are made by an indorse- 
ment thereon, letter being returned to this division duly noted. These 
letters upon return are filed numerically, in accordance with a given 
office number, together with any relevant card or report. 

6. Ratios and charts. — Four Thatcher calculating machines are 
used for working out ratios. Diagrams and charts are made every 
year for the annual report of the Surgeon General, and these ratios 
are used therein. 

RECRUITING STATISTICS. 

An approximate number of 50,000 cards are made out covering data 
on enlistments. The following is a description of the functions in the 
order of procedure: 

1. Making out cards. — Each card shows data used in compiling 
statistics, these cards being made out from the monthly Reports of 
Examinations of Recruits furnished for this purpose from The Ad- 
jutant General's Office. 

2. Compilation of statistics. — These cards are assorted and hand 
tabulated on sheets as made necessary by the requirements of the 
statistical tables desired. 

SANITARY REPORTS. 

Sanitary reports are sent in from an approximate number of 260 
stations, each station rendering a monthly report. In very few cases 
is any action taken thereon or made necessary in this division, ex- 
cept by the officer in charge, other than their filing in jackets, a jacket 
being maintained for each station and a notation check mark being 
made on same for every monthly report filed therein. 

OTHER GENERAL AND FILING WORK. 

Other incidental work of this division is as follows : 
1. '■'■Outside'''' cases. — Making a card report on an approximate 
number of 2,000 cases annually of sickness reported on bills of medi- 



OFFICE OF THE SURGEOJiT GENEEAL. 



581 



cal attendance of officers and men in civil hospitals, these cards being 
arranged alphabetically and used in reporting evidence in pension 
and other calls. 

2. Personal papers. — A file is maintained, arranged by commands 
and alphabetically, of papers, consisting of individual medical data 
and transfer cards. 

3. Index. — A cross-reference book is maintained to index reports 
by military stations. An approximate number of 3,120 reports are 
indexed in this book annually. 

4. Filing reports and cards. — Reports and lists, together with rele- 
vant cards, are filed in the order of their register number by military 
stations. The cards and reports are turned over to The Adjutant 
General's Office every year, after all statistics are compiled therefrom. 

5. General stenographic work. — In the office of the officer in charge 
of this division and the mail and record room on work of this division. 

ORGANIZATION AND SALARY ROLL. 

This division has 15 clerks of the following salary grades : 

2 clerks, at $1,800 $3, 600 

2 clerks, at $1,600 3,200 

4 clerks, at $1,400 5, 600 

6 clerks, at $1,200 7, 200 

1 clerk, at $900 900 

20, 500 

The following is a list of such clerks, showing their respective 
work and salaries: 



Name. 


Nature of duties. 


Salary. 


Degges, W. 
Lattimore, 


H 


Principal clerk 


$1,800- 
1,800 


D. E 


Assistant to clerk in charge; classifying statistical cards, ratios 
for annual report of the Surgeon General, general statistics, 
and miscellaneous. 

Correspondence on reports of sick and wounded, sanitary reports, 
carding cases from vouchers for medical attendance by civilian 
physicians, strength of Army, by ages, length of service, etc., 
and miscellaneous. 

Supervision of reports of sick and wounded and personal papers 
file, ratios for annual report, Surgeon General, general statis- 


Samson, G 


C 


1,600 


Berryman, 


Silas„ 


1,600 


J 




Grifatli, R. 


Examining reports of sick and wounded, special surgical and 
general statistics, classifying statistical cards, and miscella- 
neous. 

Special clerk to the officer in charge of division 


1,400 


Grinnell, A 


. G 


1,400 


Larcombe, 


H. P 


Supervision of statistical sheet work, charts of annual report of 

Surgeon General, and general statistics, 
station book, officers' index, examination reports of sick and 

wounded, general statistics, and miscellaneous. 
General statistics, recruit cards, and rejections and miscellaneous. 


1,400 


Tamier, A . 




1,400 


Blair, R. B 




1,200 



582 EEPORTS OF COMMISSIOl^ ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 



Name. 


Nature of duties. 


Salary. 


Kunkel, F. E 


Stenographer, detailed to Record Correspondence and Exam- 
ining Division. 
General statistics and miscellaneous 


$1,200 

1,200 
1,200 
1 200 


Bray, A. E 


Miner, E. F 


ExaminatioTi of reports and miscpHR.neonR. . . 


Gordon, G. L 


Searching cases, filing personal papers, tabulating, and miscel- 
laneous. 
General statistics and miscellaneous 


Eipley, W. P 


900 








Total 


20,500 









Personnel Division. 



LOCATION. 



The Personnel Division occupies three rooms on the third floor of 
the State, War, and Nav}^ Building, and part of another room on the 
same floor. These rooms are numbers 336, 340, 345, and 345^^, occu- 
pied as follows : 

Room 336 (part of), (officer in charge of division). 

Eoom 340, six clerks. 

Room 345, six clerks. 

Room 345^, superintendent and 1 clerk. 

FUNCTIONS AND WORK. 

The main work of the Personnel Division consists in the keeping of 
records pertaining to the officers, enlisted men, and nurses of the 
Medical Department of the Army, the division being divided into 
three sections, viz, officers' section, enlisted men's section, and Army 
Nurse Corps section, a clerk being in cliarge of each of the first two 
sections, and the superintendent of the corps being in charge of the 
Army Nurse Corps section, the work of each section being separate 
and distinct. 

officers' section. 

The work of this section consists in keeping personnel records of 
officers of the Medical Corps. Medical Reserve Corps (active and in- 
active), Dental Corps, and contract surgeons from the time they 
make application for appointment until their separation from the 
service. The number of officers under the Surgeon General is ap- 
proximately as follows: 

Medical Corps 410 

Medical Reserve Corps (active) i 127 

Dental Corps 40 

Contract surgeons 11 

Medical Reserve Corps (inactive) 1,032 



OFFICE OF THE SUEGEON GENEKAL. 583 

The functions of the clerks in this section are mainly as follows : 

1. Issuing circulars of information as to the Medical Corps; issu- 
ing and examining papers in connection with applications and ex- 
aminations for admittance to the Medical Corps. 

2. Keeping a card record of each officer of the Medical Corps, 
Medical Reserve Corps, Dental Corps, and contract surgeons, which 
shows the record of stations, leaves, special orders, etc., affecting each 
officer, also the keeping of a station book showing under each post 
names of officers serving thereunder, the keeping of an alphabetical 
schedule of inactive officers of the Medical Reserve Corps showing 
names and addresses of such officers, and the keeping of a memo- 
randum record showing the loss and gain, and strength monthly, of 
the officers under the Surgeon General. 

3. The making of a monthly return showing the rank, station, and 
duty of each officer of the Medical Corps, Medical Reserve Corps 
(active). Dental Corps, and contract surgeons, such return being ren- 
dered to The Adjutant General, a copy also being made and filed in 
the Surgeon General's Office. 

METHODS AND PKOCEDUKE. 

Appointments to the Medical Corps, Medical Reserve Corps, 
Dental Corps, and Nurse Corps are made from civil life under various 
acts of Congress and regulations promulgated by the Surgeon General 
of the Army. 

Amplications and appointments. — There are about 4,500 inquiries 
made annually on the Surgeon General's Office for information in 
regard to the Medical Department of the Army. T7pon receipt of 
such inquiries, printed circulars of information are inclosed in en- 
velopes which are sent to persons making such requests for informa- 
tion, no letter being written in these cases except -under special cir- 
cumstances. An approximate number of 1.400 applications for admit- 
tance to the Medical Reserve Corps are made annually, and when 
such applications are received, printed forms of application are sent 
to the applicants to be filled out and returned b}^ them to the Surgeon 
General. Upon receipt of such papers duly and properly filled out 
two or more mimeograph form letters are filled out and sent to a 
member of the profession, or a college requesting information as to 
the applicant's status, ability, and character. Replies to this circu- 
lar letter are treated as confidential and after notation are filed 
separately in this division, under alphabetical designation of appli- 
cant, no record thereof being made on any card or index. Upon 
completed papers of application being received in this division, ap- 
plicant is either invited to appear before an examining board of the 
Medical Department or notified of the nonacceptance of his applica- 
tion. A statistical card is made out for each applicant upon per- 
mission being granted him to take examination. An approximate 



584 KEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

number of 150 commissions in the Medical Reserve Corps are issued 
during the year, a large percentage of the applicants failing to 
appear or to qualify. All correspondence, except inquiries for in- 
formation and confidential references, is recorded in the Record, 
Correspondence, and Examining Division, although the correspond- 
ence itself is filed in this section in document files under alphabetical 
and chronological arrangement. Applicants for the active branches 
of the department, after satisfactory examination, are required to 
attend the Army Medical School for a period of eight months, after 
which upon satisfactory final examination full commissions are 
granted them. 

Personnel reccrds. — A record card is kept for every officer on the 
active list of the department. Such record is made out when com- 
mission is granted and shows record of stations, leaves, sickness, and 
anj'' special information affecting officer during service, and is en- 
tered up from duplicate information slips which are sent in by 
officers showing the information, the original going to The Adjutant 
General, and special orders. In addition to this card, a station card 
is made out and shoAvs only the changes of station and leave taken, 
these cards being forwarded to examination boards upon officers' ex- 
amination for promotion. There are about 40 appointments and 
promotions made annually in the Medical Corps. A record card for 
inactive officers of the Medical Reserve Corps is made out and kept 
separately in alphabetical order. All record cards are filed under a 
branch of the department in alphabetical order, and upon officers' 
retirement from active service, are transferred from active to inactive 
files. 

A post or station book is also maintained, such book showing officers 
serving at each post or station. Current entries are made therein in 
pencil, and changes at each post are noted by erasures and notations. 

A memorandum record is kept showing the loss, gain, and strength 
of officers under the different branches of the department, this book 
being entered up currents. 

A return is made to The Adjutant General every month showing 
the name, rank, station, and duties of every officer of the Medical 
Department on the active list. This return is written in longhand 
and a longhand copy is made for the files of the Surgeon General's 
Office. Miscellaneous sundry records are kept as " follow ups '' for 
the making of examinations of the Medical Department at different 
stations. 

ENLISTED men's SECTION. 

The work of this section consists in keeping records of the en- 
listed men of the Hospital Corps, which is limited to an enrollment 
of 3,500 men, the actual enrolled strength of this corps at present 
approximating this maximum. 



OFFICE OF THE SUEGEON GENERAL. 585 

Upon a man being recruited for this branch of the service, a dupli- 
cate of the descriptive and assignment card comes to this devision, 
from which a record card is made out, together with a jacket, 
certain information as shown by the descriptive and assign- 
ment card being copied on to both the record card and the jacket. 
Information slips are sent to this division whenever a change of 
station, sickness, leave, court-martial, detached or special service of 
any man is involved, such information being noted on record cards. 
Special and general orders issued by the Army, covering changes of 
station and general court-martials, are also sent to this division and 
are noted herein, any information affecting the Hospital Corps be- 
ing noted or checked upon record cards. 

Upon a man being transferred from one post to another an effi- 
cienc}^ report is made out by the officer of the post which the 
man is leaving, and is sent to the officer of the post to which the 
man is transferred. An information slip is also made out and 
sent to this division noting the fact of the man's departure. Upon 
his arrival at the post to which transferred, the officer at that post 
also makes out an information slip noting his arrival and sends 
same to this division, the time of departure and arrival being noted 
on record card. Transference of men is usually covered by special 
order, a copy of which comes to this division and is checked up on 
the record cards. 

A bimonthly report is made out at each post or special detachment 
and sent to this division. This report shows, by name and rank, all 
enlisted men at that post at the time of making report, together with 
full notations of any information affecting men shown thereon, which 
also have been previously covered by information slips. Prior re- 
ports of each post are checked against current reports, as are also all 
information slips received during the bimonthly period, this checking 
being for the purpose of noting correct statement of force of enlisted 
personnel at each post, and noting that all information affecting en- 
listed men has been duly recorded on information slips. Information 
slips are posted on to record cards currently, and are held until the 
receipt of bimonthly reports against which the}^ are to be checked. 
After checking, information slips are filed in proper jackets of 
enlisted men, and usually destroyed after six months. 

A simple card index of enlisted men, arranged alphabetically, is 
kept in this division, showing name and rank of enlisted men and 
whether discharged or in service. Record cards in jackets are kept 
in document files in alphabetical order under rank, and as men are 
discharged, or leave the service, some are transferred to another file, 
so that two files are maintained, one being for enlisted men in active 
service and one for enlisted men who have been discharged or have 
otherwise been lost to the corps. 



586 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

A report of the status of the Hospital Corps is made every month 
to The Adjutant General, such report showing the gain and loss to 
the Hospital Corps by rank and the enrollment by rank at the end 
of the month. Most of the correspondence of this division is made by 
information slips, and pertains to particular men, in which case 
correspondence is filed in this section in jacket files of related case as 
stated, other correspondence, however, being recorded and filed in 
the Record, Correspondence, and Examining Division. 

Examination papers and results for grade of sergeants are kept 
track of and noted in this division. 

HOSPITAL NURSE CORPS. 



The clerical work of this section consists of stenographic work for 
the superintendent of the corps and the keeping of miscellaneous 
records. There is one clerk attached to this section, who performs all 
clerical work pertaining to this oiSice. 

Organization atul salary expense. — There are 13 clerks in this divi- 
sion, at the following salary grades : 

1 clerk, at $1.800 .$1,800 

.2 clerks, at $1,600 3. 200 

4 clerks, at $1,400 5,600 

5 clerks, at $1.200 6,000 

1 clerk at $1,000 1,000 

13 17, 600 

The following is a list of such clerks, showing their respective work 
and salaries: 

OFFICERS' SECTION. 



Name. 


Nature of duties. 


Salary. 


Sherman B. Fowler 


In charge 


SI, 800 


E. McC. Noel 


Keeps record of movement of officers of Medical and Medical Re- 
serve and Dental Corps and contract surgeons. 

Keeps record of examinations, and assists the principal clerk in 
preparing data to answer inquiries. At present engaged in pre- 
paring statement of foreign service of each officer in corps re- 
ferred to above. 

Prepares Return of Medical Officers, one copy of which is sent to 
The Adjutant General. 

Stenographer and typewriter, also works up cases of applicants 
for corps. • 

Stenographer and typewriter, also works up cases of applicants 
for admittance to corps. 


1,600 


Mary C. Gwinn . 


1,400 


M. B. Sturgus 


1,200 


G. H. Van Kirk 


1,200 


Roy R. Heavrin 


1,000 








S,200 



OFFICE OF THE SURGEON GENEEAL. 
ARMY NURSE CORPS SECTION. 



587 



Name. 


Nature of duties. 


Salary. 


Miss Francis M. Durkin 


Stenographer and typewriter, also keeps miscellaneous records 
of the corps. 


$1,400 



ENLISTED MEN'S SECTION. 



R. H. Garrett 

Laura Gorham 

Chas. H. Pennington. 



Francis J. Leary. 
James P. Gaddis. 



R. Raven burg. 



charge correspondence, distribution of Hospital Corps foreign 
vice list, etc. 

Keeping alphabetical tadex and taking care of enlistments, dis- 
charges, and transfers. 

Posting up information slips and orders, on record cards, and 
taking care of Hospital Corps returns (Philippine). 

Stenographer and typewriter 

Posting information as shown on information slips and orders on 
record cards and taking care Hospital Corps returns (U. S.). 

Indefinite leave without pay 



1,600 

1,400 

1,400 

1,200 
1,200 

1,200 



17,600 



Museum and Library Division. 

location. 

This division occupies the Army Medical Museum Building, in 
which is located, under its charge, the Army Medical Museum and 
the Surgeon General's Library. 

FUNCTIONS AND WORK. 

The work of this division is chiefly of a technical nature, entailed 
by the maintenance of the Army Medical Museum and the Library of 
the Surgeon General and medical and scientific research. 

ORGANIZATION AND SALARY EXPENSE. 

This division has 29 technical and nontechnical employees of the 
following salary grades : 

1 at $2,250 $2,250 

1 at $2,000 • 2,000 

5 at $1,800 9,000 

3 at $1,600 4,800 

1 at $1,500 1>500 

7 at $1,400 9> 800 

7 at $1,200 8.400 

4 at $],000 4.000 

29 Total 41, 750 



588 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The following is a list of such employees, showing their respective 
work and salaries : 



Name. 



Nature of duties. 



F. W. Stone 

L. H. Rose 

H. O.Hall 

D.C.Floyd 

A. Alleman 

N.Falls 

F. Neumann 

C. G. Toepper 

B. Israeli 

F. Martin 

G. E.Nichols 

J. J. Beardsley 

Miss H. B. Blackwell 
G. P. Geissler 

F. J. A. Stockman. . . 

Barold Starfcey 

M. McGraw 

R.W.Hardy 

A. Burgess 

S.C.Calvert 

S. W. Brown 

W. B.King 

Eobert Fletcher 

F. H. Garrison 

D. S.Lamb 

E.R.Hodge 

H. R. Watkins 

J. R. Scott 

R. M. Le Comte 



In charge letters sent and received, including orders for books; 
receiving and verifying invoices and preparing accounts for pay- 
ment; noting and shipping books lent and receiving same upon 
their return. 

General supervision of current library work, and proofreading of 
index catalogue. 

In charge of reading room; keeping files of current journals and 
attending to calls made by readers and the return of books to 
the library. 

Correspondence and account in Museum, including letters re- 
ceived and sent, preparing vouchers and all records of matters 
pertaining to the Museum. 

Indexing foreign journals, preparing copy for printer, and proof 
reading on catalogue work. 

Absent; sick, without pay 

Carding books and catalogue work 

In charge of library hall, getting out and returning books called 
for in reading room or to send to borrowers residing out of city. 

Translating, proof reading, indexing Russian, Polish, and Scan- 
dinavian journals. 

Preparing copy for index catalogue, carding books, and indexing 
journals. 

stenographer and typewriter; receiving and checking all jour- 
nals, indexing letters, and assisting in preparing accounts for- 
payment. 

Indexing English and American journals 

Copying and typewriting 

Entering new accessions to the library, inserting accessions to 
card catalogue, and indexing periodicals. 

Indexing German periodicals; assisting Mr. Rose in general de- 
tails of library work. 

Collating, scheduling, and preparing books and journals for 
bindery. 

Indexing Spanish, Italian, and English periodicals 

In charge of public documents 

Chemist's laboratory 

Assistant in Library Hall in issuing books and replacing same. . . 

Indexing medical journals, comparing typewriting titles, etc 

Collating, scheduling, and preparing books and journals for 
bindery. 

Principal assistant librarian. In general charge preparing copy 
and printing of index catalogue; assisting the librarian in ad- 
ministrative details. 

Assistant librarian. Classifying bibliography material of cata- 
logue, supervising preparation of copy; proof reading of index 
catalogue; distribution and record of issues of index catalogue. 

Pathologist 

Chemist 

Assistant chemist 

Anatomist 

Microscopist 



OFFICE OF THE SURGEON GENEEAL. 589 

Section III. Critical Comments and Constructive Suggestions. 

Record, Correspondence, and Examining Division, Office of the 
Surgeon General of the Army. 

handling and filing correspondence in record section. 

In the record section of this division certain correspondence of the 
Surgeon General's Office is recorded on record cards, filed in docu- 
ment files under arbitrary serial numbers, and indexed by index cards 
filed under alphabetical arrangement of subject, subsubject, or name. 
This present method of folding and filing documents and papers in 
document files under serial numerical file numbers, together with the 
making and filing of record and index cards, should, in the opinion 
of the commission, be discontinued in accordance w^ith the following : 

It is recommended that a change be made in the present method of 
recording and filing correspondence in the record section of the 
Surgeon General's Office in general accordance with the recommen- 
dations contained in Circular No. 21 issued by the commission on 
this subject, and which, specifically, are as follows : 

1. That the system of folding correspondence and filing in docu- 
ment files should be discontinued and that all correspondence should, 
be filed flat in vertical files. 

2. That all correspondence, both incoming and copies of outgoing, 
should be filed upon a subjective classification arranged as nearly 
as possible upon a self-indexing basis, and where numbers are re- 
garded as essential that a logical arrangement of numbers under a 
decimal or analogous system should be employed. 

3. That no card record of incoming or outgoing correspondence 
should be made, thus discontinuing the present practice of making 
record and index cards except in certain cases where a cross-reference 
card would seem to be logically necessary. 

While the present system may be efficient, it entails an excessive 
amount of clerical work, and thereby cost, and in the opinion of the 
commission the method advocated herein of filing correspondence in 
flat, vertical files arranged on a self -indexing basis will be more effi- 
cient than the present method and much more economical. The 
essential requirements of the filing system in the approximate order 
of their importance which have been considered in making this 
recommendation may be stated as follows : 

(a) Certainty of obtaining a particular paper or of obtaining all 
the papers relating to a particular subject, and this certainty to be 
independent of the time that has elapsed since the filing of the paper .. 

(b) Eapidity of obtaining a particular paper or of obtaining all 
papers relating to a particular subject, and this rapidity to be only 
slightly affected by the time which has elapsed since filing. 



590 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

(c) Rapidity with which documents may be filed. 

(d) Cheapness of operating the system. 

(e) Simplicity. 

(f ) Eeduction to a minimum of the space required for documents. 

(g) Miscellaneous minor requirements and desirable features, such 
as cross reference, numberings, etc. 

The arrangement of papers themselves, filed chronologically in 
vertical folders, upon a logical self -indexing basis of subjects, or 
names, naturally makes unnecessary the keeping of an index to same 
in the great majority of cases; and where, in the opinion of the filing 
clerks or other people upon whom this duty might devolve, a further 
reference of classification might be desirable a proper cross reference 
might then be made out covering these cases and filed in their proper 
subjective arrangement in the files. The logical arrangement of files 
by subjects or names is found much better than the arbitrary numeri- 
cal system, which places files of papers in juxtaposition without 
regard to their nature or relation and which makes necessary the 
prior- function of referring in all cases to an index before being able 
to procure desired papers. It is also the experience of the commis- 
sion that papers arranged in flat vertical files are more accessible for 
reference than when folded in document files, and that original 
papers so filed serve every purpose of the related record cards, which 
are transcribed therefrom, and where this method is in use in Gov- 
ernment and other offices it has been found most satisfactory in every 
respect. 

The functions of work which would be eliminated by the adoption 
of the method recommended are as follows : 

1. Preparing index cards (except cross-reference cards in a few 
special cases) . 

2. Preparing record cards which show a brief purport of received 
communication and a verbatim copy of outgoing letter. 

S. The consequent filing of index and record cards. 

There are seven clerks engaged in the record section, in addition to 
which practically the full time of two clerks in the correspondence 
section is taken up by the recording of outgoing communications on 
record cards. The adoption of the method recommended would 
eliminate most of the functions of work of the clerks in the record 
section and should, at a conservative estimate, enable the work of the 
section to be performed by three clerks in place of the seven now 
engaged therein, and should also reduce the number of clerks in the 
correspondence section by two, as the equivalent time of two people 
is employed therein in recording copies of outgoing letters on record 
cards. 



OFFICE OF THE SUEGEON GENEEAL. 591 

MAKING LONGHAND DRAFTS OF OUTGOING COMMUNICATIONS AND THE 
USE OF FORM LETTERS. 

The present practice of writing drafts of letters in longhand, from 
which original outgoing correspondence is typed, should, in the 
opinion of the commission, be discontinued. Practically all of the 
correspondence of the examining section is conducted in this manner, 
at a considerable loss of time over that involved by the usual busi- 
ness practice of dictation. Certain correspondence of the section is 
also adapted to the economical use of form letters, and these should 
be used wherever possible. 

EDITING or MAIL AS A SPECIAL FUNCTION OF A CLERK WHO ALSO ACTS AS 
CLERK IN CHARGE OF THREE OTHER CLERKS. 

In this division there is a clerk in charge of the correspondence 
section, which consists of four people, the duty of such clerk in 
charge being chiefly the editing of outgoing mail. It would seem 
that the correspondence is not of such a volume as to make this the 
special function of a clerk, and the work of seeing that outgoing let- 
ters are correctly written before submission to the Surgeon General 
or other officer for signature, could be taken care of by the chief clerk 
or clerk in charge of the examining section or any designated sub- 
ordinate. In view of the fact that under the proposed method of 
handling correspondence the services of two clerks could be dis- 
pensed with in this section, it is recommended that there be no such 
separate section as at present, but that the work thereof should 
be directly under the supervision of the chief clerk. The correspond- 
ence of this division consists of the dictation from the Surgeon 
General, and Col. Gandy, and letters of a general character written 
hj the chief clerk or by the clerk in charge of the examining section, 
the dictation of the division usually being taken assigned to one clerk. 
In this connection it might be remarked that the name of " Record, 
Correspondence, and Examining Division," is more or less of a 
misnomer, in so far as the name of correspondence is concerned, there 
being only a small correspondence section as described above, and a 
much larger force engaged in special and general work of an admin- 
istrative character not coming under any of the three sections, record, 
correspondence, or examining. 

Supply Division, Office of the Surgeon General. 

recording requisitions and relevant correspondence on record 
cards in the supply division. 

The work of the Supply Division in regard to supplies is of a 
supervisory character, all requisitions being sent in to this division 



592 EEPORTS OE COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

for the approval of the officer in charge, who personally notes and 
examines same, the original being marked with approval or change 
and forwarded to a medical supply depot to be filled, the officer mak- 
ing requisition being advised by letter of the approval or change of 
his requisition. It is the present practice to write on a record card 
a notation of requisition received and a verbatim copy of any cor- 
respondence relative thereto, the duplicate requisition being filed 
folded in document files under serial file numbers, together with any 
relative correspondence, both record cards and copies of requisition 
and correspondence being referred to by an alphabetical card index. 

It is recommended that duplicate requisitions, together with any 
related correspondence, be filed flat in vertical folders, a folder being 
maintained for each post or station and these folders arranged in 
vertical files under a self-indexing arrangement, and that indexing 
and recording of same be discontinued. The record card on which 
is noted the requisition and correspondence relative thereto certainly 
serves no purjDOse that the duplicate requisition, with correspondence 
filed chronologically by stations or posts, would not, and as a matter 
of fact the record card would be no more accurate or convenient to 
handle than the original papers from which same is transcribed. ■)■ 

There are six clerks engaged in this section, and, iji the o- l^rx 
of the commission, with most of the clerica-1 work connected with th 
requisitions practically eliminated, the time of at least two clerks 
would be saved thereby. 

PRESS COPYING OF LETTEKS, AND THE USE OF FORM LETTERS. 

Attention is drawn to the fact that letters are press copied in this 
division although an official order has been recently issued by the 
War Department against this practice, which is in accordance with 
the commission's conclusion in this matter; i. e., that press copying 
should be discontinued and carbon copies made in place thereof. 

CONSOLIDATION OF THE TWO SECTIONS OF THE SUPPLY DIVISION UNDER 
ONE CliERK IN CHARGE. 

A clerk is in charge of the disbursing section of the Supply Divi- 
sion, which consists of two clerks under such clerk in charge. It is 
the opinion of the commission that the work pertaining to this section 
can be properly and satisfactorily carried on by two clerks under 
the direct charge of the clerk in charge of the division, and that the 
duties of the clerk in charge of this section should be performed by 
the clerk in charge of the division. 



office of the surgeon" general. 593 

Sanitary Division. Office of the Surgeon General of the Army. 

compilation op statistics. 

A large part of the Avork of this division consists in the compila- 
tion of statistics covering disease and sickness of the officers and 
men of the United States Army, and the compilation of statistics 
covering physical facts of recruits, these statistics being published in 
the annual report of the Surgeon General of the Army, and collated 
for the information of the Surgeon General. There is an approxi- 
mate number of 120,000 individual card reports of sickness and 
injury received in the division annually, and an approximate number 
of 50,000 cards prepared in the division showing certain facts relat- 
ing to men recruited during the year. From a study of the work 
it is estimated that the clerical compilation of these statistics involve 
the time of five clerks. The present method of compiling these 
statistics by posting necessary facts on uniform prepared sheets, and 
the totaling thereof, seems to have been carefully thought out, and 
there is no, criticism of this method, especially as a numerical classi- 
fication ox''''^ickness and disease has been adopted. It is recom- 
mendei;!, however, that electrical and mechanical sorting and tabu- 
lating equipment be installed in this office for the purpose of com- 
piling these statistics. This equipment, known as the " Hollerith " 
sorting and tabulating equipment, is used to a large extent by State 
and municipal departments of health in compiling statistics similar 
to those compiled in this division. Under this method a card would 
be j)repared for each individual case of sickness, or for each recruit 
by means of a mechanical punch. These prepared cards would show 
punched numbers or letters, which, by the arrangement of the card, 
would denote certain facts necessary to the proper compilation of 
the statistics desired. These cards would then be sorted by an elec- 
tric and mechanical tabulating machine to show required results. 
This grouping and tabulating requires but little work on the part 
of a clerk other than the insertion of blocks of cards in the machines 
and the starting and stopping of same by pressing electric buttons. 
The mechanical work of punching cards is a more or less simple 
matter according to the experience of an operator. It is estimated 
that after two months' experience one operator could prepare all 
cards required in this division, as an experienced operator can pre- 
pare 1,000 cards per day, and in this division there would be approxi- 
mately 15,000 required cards each month. The statistics compiled 
in the division are of an extended and diversified character, and one 
great advantage of recommended method is the fact that cards can 
be sorted and tabulated in as many different ways as may be desired 
at a minimum of labor, the original preparation of the cards serving 

72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 38 



594 KEPORTS OF COMMISSIOlSr ON" ECOK'OMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

as the basis for all statistics. The approximate cost of this method, 
including salary expense, is estimated as follows : 

Annual rental of sorting machine . $240 

Annual rental of tabulating machine 410 

Cost of cards 200 

Salary of one clerk at 900 

Salary of one clerk at 1, 400 

3,150 

(Two key punches, purchased at an initial cost of $150.) 
The installation of the equipment, at an approximate annual cost 
of $850, should therefore effect in this division a net saving of $2,750, 
by a reduction of three clerks with an aggregate salary expense of 
$3,600, and would also facilitate the work and enable at any time any 
desired statistical information being collated with comparative ease. 
Two clerks handling this work under this method should be able to 
accomplish same very satisfactorily and have time to collate any 
other desired additional statistical data. 

The alternative suggestion is that punching, sorting, and tabulat- 
ing equipment be constructed of the modified type now being used by 
the Bureau of the Census, which, after the first cost has been made, 
would eliminate the element of rental each j^ear, amounting to $650, 
and reduce the annual cost of cards by at least $100, a total reduc- 
tion in annual cost of $750. 

Personnel Division, Office of the Surgeon General of the Army, 

Officers' Section. 

maintenance of personnel records of active officers of the medi- 
cal department. 

With the exception of the work performed in connection with the 
applications and examinations for admission to the Medical Corps, 
correspondence, and the preparation of the monthly return for The 
Adjutant General of the Army, the work of this section consists in 
the preparation and maintenance of officers' personnel records for the 
information of the Surgeon General. These records consist of : 

1. A card record maintained for each active officer of the Medical 
Corps, Medical Reserve Corps, Dental Corps, and contract surgeons, 
showing the stations, leaves of absence, and special and general or- 
ders affecting each officer or contract surgeon. 

2. A station book showing the personnel at each post or station. 

3. A memorandum record showing the loss and gain and strength 
of the corps. , 

4. An alphabetical card record showing the post-office address of 
the inactive officers of the Medical Reserve Corps. 



OFFICE OF THE SUKGEON GENEEAL. 595 

Inasmuch as full and complete records of active officers of the 
Medical Corps are kept in the Officers' Personnel Division of The 
Adjutant General's Office, from which all information shown on 
records maintained in this section can be readily obtained, it is rec- 
ommended that the maintenance of these records, except as to inac- 
tive officers of the Medical Reserve Corps, be discontinued. It is one 
of the functions of the Officers' Personnel Division of The Adjutant 
General's Office to supply requisite data on officers to other bureaus 
of the War Department, and it is stated by the clerk in charge of the 
division that any such information can be readily and quickly fur- 
nished the office of the Surgeon General, and the keeping of officers' 
personnel records as now kept in the section of the Surgeon General's 
Office is a duplication of functions and work. The equivalent time 
of two clerks is engaged in keeping these records. 

MONTHLY RETURNS OF OFFICERS' PERSONNEL TO THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. 

A monthly return to The Adjutant General of the Army, showing 
the rank, duty, and station of each active officer of the Medical 
Corps, Medical Reserve Corps, Dental Corps, and contract surgeons 
is prepared in longhand in this section. It is recommended that a 
typewritten numerical strength report showing the loss, gain, and 
strength of the Medical Corps, similar to that prepared in the 
enlisted men's section of this division as a return of enlisted enroll- 
ment, be substituted therefor, as the report in its present form does 
not seem to serve any purpose justified by its extent. In any event 
the duplicate copy for the files of the Surgeon General's Office now 
prepared in longhand is unnecessary and should be discontinued at 
once. The fact that this section is 15 months in arrears in prepar- 
ing this return is indicative that the return in its present form is 
not actively necessary, and as a record information shown thereon 
is duplicated by other records kept in the Officers' Personnel Division 
of The Adjutant General's Office. One clerk is wholly occupied in 
making this return, and, as stated, the work is 15 months in arrears. 

ENLISTED men's SECTION. 

Checking of complete post himonthly returns of enlisted men. — A 
bimonthly return is made by each post, station, or detachment, such 
return showing name, grade, and duty of each man. These current 
returns are checked up against prior returns, and information slips 
reporting changes or advice in regard to enlisted men received dur- 
ing bimonthly period are held until receipt of such returns and then 
checked up against same, as a check against t]ie due reporting of 
data. 



596 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

This method appears to be effective and efficient, but in the opinion 
of the commission the work can be materially reduced without affect- 
ing the efficiency thereof by limiting the information on the bi- 
monthly return, except for January and July, to the actual changes 
showing loss or gain, by name, with a numeral recapitulation of 
strength status, and a supplementary statement giving any informa- 
tion affecting the efficiency of the men which may be desired by the 
officer in charge of the division. There is no criticism against as 
full a return being made as may be considered necessary for pur- 
poses of advice and information, but it is considered unnecessary to 
check each prior return as now rendered against the current return 
and the information slips received during the bimonthly period 
against the current return. If each post or station consecutively 
numbers the information slips affecting the personnel of the men, 
the sequence of such numbers will automatically provide a check for 
the division, and the bimonthly return showing the numerical status 
of enlisted personnel with a notation by name of losses and gain 
during the period covered will serve the purpose of the present re- 
turn in so far as a check is concerned. It is estimated that more 
than the equivalent of one clerk's time is engaged by the checking 
of returns, and it is recommended that this checking be reduced in 
accordance with the above. 



Organisation of divisions affected hy recommendations, with proposed organiza- 
tion considered sufficient under adoption thereof. 

RECORD, CORRESPONDENCE, AND EXAMINING DIVISION. 



Present. 



Chief clerk 

Law clerk 

6 clerks, class 4. . . 

3 clerks, class 3... 
9 clerks, class 2... 
9 clerks, class 1... 

4 clerks, at $1,000 
Iclerk 

34 

2 clerks, class 4 

1 clerk, class 3 

1 clerk, class 2 

4 clerks, class 1 

Iclerk 



$2,000 
2,000 

10,800 
4,800 

12,600 

10,800 

4,000 

900 



47,900 



Proposed. 



Chief clerk 

Law clerk 

6 clerks, class 4... 

3 clerks, class 3... 

9 clerks, class 2... 

5 clerks, class 1... 

2 clerks, at $1,000. 

Iclerk 



28. 



$2,000 
2,000 

10,800 
4,800 

12,600 

6,000 

2,000 

900 



41,100 



SUPPLY DIVISION. 



$3,600 
1,600 
1,400 
4,800 
1,000 

12,400 



1 clerk, class 4. . . 
1 clerk, class 3. . . 

1 clerk, class 2. . . 

2 clerks, class 1.. 
Iclerk, at $1,000. 



$1,800 
1,600 
1,400 
2,400 
1,000 

8,200 



OFFICE OF THE SURGEON GENERAL. 597 

Organisation of divisions affected hy recommendations, etc. — Continued. 

SANITARY DIVISION. 



Present. 




Proposed. 




2 clerks, class 4 


S3, 600 

3,200 

5,600 

7,200 

900 


2 clerks, class 4 


S3, 600 


2 clerks, class 3 


2 clerks, class 3 


3,200 


4 clerks, class 2 ... 


4 clerks, class 2 


5,600 


6 clerks, class 1 


3 clerks, class 1 


3,600 


1 clerk, at $900 


1 clerk, at S900 


900 








15 


20,500 


12 


16,900 



PERSONNEL DIVISION. 





11,800 
3,200 
5,600 
6,000 
1,000 


1 clerk, class 4 


SI, 800 






1,600 






4,200 


5 clerks, class 1 


3 clerks, class 1 


3,600 


1 clerk, at S1,000 


1 clerk, at S1,000 


1,000 








13 


17,600 


9 
55 


12,200 


71 Total 


98,400 


78^400 







Salary expense reduction $20, 000 

Less annual approximate cost of statistical equipment recommended — 850 

Prospective saving under adoption of recommendations 19, 150 

Reduction of clerks as follows. 

1 clerk, class 4 $1, 800 

1 clerk, class 3 1,600 

1 clerk, class 2 1,400 

11 clerks, class 1 13, 200 

2 clerks, at $1,000 2,000 



16 



20, 000 



The adoption of the recommendations contained herein will make 
possible a saving of $19,150 in the office of the Surgeon General of 
the Army. Under these recommendations 16 clerks, with an aggre- 
gate salary of $20,000, can be dispensed with, with no impairment 
to the efficiency of the office. Modern mechanical equipment has 
been recommended in the Sanitary Division for compiling medical 
statistics at an approximate cost of $850. 
Respectfully submitted. 

F. A. Cleveland, 
W. W. Warwick, 
Mereitt O. Change, 

Commissioners. 



THE HANDLING AND FILING OF COR- 
RESPONDENCE IN THE OFFICE 
OF THE SIGNAL CORPS. 



599 



THE HANDLING AND FILING OF CORRESPONDENCE IN THE OFFICE 
OF THE SIGNAL CORPS. 



I. Introduction. 

The central office of the Signal Corps of the War Department at 
Washington is made up of four divisions, as follows : 

Administrative Division. 

Electrical and Telegraph Division. 

Disbursing Division. 

Aeronautical Division. 

The location, organization, and work of three of these divisions 
are each described in Section II of this report, the Aeronautical 
Division, on account of its character and size, no civil clerical force 
being engaged therein, involving no description. The critical com- 
ments of the commission and constructive suggestions are set forth 
in Section III, which follows. Briefly stated, the recommendations 
of the commission are : 

1. That in the Administrative Division the preparation and main- 
tenance of record and index cards be discontinued. 

2. That the processes of filing be changed, as is specifically indi- 
cated in Section II of this report. 

The saving which it is thought could be effected by making these 
changes is between 60 and TO per cent of the present cost. 

Description of the Location, Work, Methods, Organization, and 
Salary Expense of the Administrative Division of the Signal 
Corps. 

location. 

The Administrative Division and the files in its custody occupy 
four rooms on the fourth floor of the State, War, and Navy Build- 
ing, and one room on the fifth floor occupied exclusively by old 
files. These rooms are Nos. 436, 438, 442, 498, and 513, occupied as 
follows : 

Room 436, Chief Signal Officer; room 438, assistant to the Chief 
Signal Officer and disbursing officer; room 442, five clerks; room 
498, three clerks; room 513, old files and office supplies. 

Space is also occupied in the Lemon Building, on the southwest 
corner of the fifth floor, by a photostat outfit, operated by an en- 
listed man. 

601 



602 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 
FUNCTIONS AND WOKK. 

The Administrative Division has charge of the routine work of 
the signal office, which rnaj be described as follows : 

1. The receipt and distribution of mail. 

2. General office correspondence. 

3. The preparation of estimates for appropriations by Congress. 

4. The care of all matters affecting the commissioned, enlisted, 
and civilian force of the Signal Corps. 

5. The care and preservation of the office files. 

The care and preservation of the office files is attended to in room 
498, which is known as the mail and record room, the other clerical 
work being attended to in room 442, in which the chief clerk of the 
Signal Office is located. 

The receipt and distribution of mail. — The incoming mail may be 
divided as follows: 

Miscellaneous letters, 66,000; miscellaneous reports, 154,000; an 
approximate number of 220,000, about 80 per cent of which is received 
unopened. The opening and receiving is attended to in the office of 
the chief clerk by one of his assistants, and is distributed as follows : 

General correspondence, to the mail and record section, to be 
stamped with date of receipt, and recorded and indexed. 

Correspondence and reports relating to requisitions and certain 
work of the Electrical and Telegraph Division, to such divisions. 

Correspondence and reports relating to purchase orders, to the 
Disbursing Division. 

Correspondence relating to the commissioned, noncommissioned, 
and civilian employees of the Signal Corps is retained in the chief 
clerk's office. 

The routine, recording, indexing, and filing of general correspond- 
ence. — Of the total number of communications received by the Signal 
Corps annually, about 4,000 letters or papers, after being received 
and opened in the chief clerk's office, are sent to the mail and record 
room to be recorded, indexed, and to have charge cards prepared, 
the balance of the communications going directly to either the Elec- 
trical and Telegraph Division or the Disbursing Division, without 
any action being taken thereon by the Administrative Division, for 
proper attention, such balance being letters or reports relating mainly 
to requisitions, purchases, and supplies of the Signal Corps. 

Mail and record room. — The clerks in the mail and record room 
attend to the recording, indexing, and filing of general correspond- 
ence, and also by means of charge cards keep track of recorded re- 
ceived communications pending their reply or disposition and conse- 
quent return for filing. 



OFFICE OF THE SIGNAL COKPS. 603 

Recording and indexing. — ^Where a communication relates to a 
new subject or case it is given a serial file number, and a record card 
is prepared on the typewriter showing the number, date of receipt, 
subject, who from, and a brief purport of communication. This 
record card is afterwards filed in document files under its numerical 
sequence. In addition to this, index cards and any cross-reference 
cards deemed necessary are prepared on the typewriter and filed in 
index files in alphabetical arrangement of their subsubject or name. 

When a received communication relates to a prior matter or sub- 
ject this communication is given the same file number of such prior 
correspondence, and in addition a sequence number of the paper is 
noted thereon, and an index card is typewritten for this communi- 
cation, together with a carbon copy, the latter being filed under 
serial number in document files with prior record card, and the 
former being filed under its alphabetical arrangement of subject in 
index files and cross-reference cards, where deemed necessary, are 
also prepared and filed in index files under their proper alphabetical 
arrangement of subsubject or name. 

After received communications have been recorded and indexed a 
charge card is prepared on the typewriter for each communication, 
and recorded communications are then sent to the chief clerk's office 
Avitli their corresponding charge cards and any previous papers that 
in the opinion of the mail and record clerks are deemed necessary 
for the proffer consideration of received communication. These 
charge cards are noted by the assistant to the Chief Signal Officer 
as to Avhat officer, person, or division received communications should 
be referred for action and after such notation charge cards are re- 
turned to the mail and record room where they are held in a file 
pending the proper disposition of received communication and its 
return to the mail and record room for filing, upon such return charge 
card being destroyed. These charge cards are for the purpose of 
keeping track of recorded received communications, pending reply or 
attention. 

An index card is typewritten and a carbon copy made for every 
reply to a recorded received communication, the carbon copy being 
filed in document files under its serial number, and the index card 
(cross-reference cards also being made where deemed necessary) filed 
in an index file under alphabetical arrangement of subject, sub- 
subject, or name. 

Document files. — The files used to hold recorded communications 
and replies are document files, being composed of file boxes 11 inches 
in height, 14-| inches in depth, and 5 inches in width, these boxes being 
arranged in racks along the sides of the mail and record room. They 
are arranged to hold folded pap^i\s of the approximate size of 8 inches 



604 KEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

b}^ 3^. In these files, under serial file numbers, received recorded 
communications, replies, and any other papers relating thereto, are 
filed together with carbon copies of record cards and index cards, the 
papers being placed behind such cards, and all being placed in 
jackets. 

Where papers are sent out of the office or where the received com- 
munication is in the nature of a document to be returned a photostat 
copy is made of same and filed in document files in place of recorded 
received communication or reply, a copy of everything that goes 
through the mail and record room being kept in this way. The work 
of making these photostats is done in the Lemon Building by an en- 
listed man. 

Index -files. — Index files are of the same general character as the 
document files and are arranged in alphabetical divisions in which 
record cards and cross-reference cards are filed in their alphabetical 
arrangement of subject, subsubject, or name. 

Outgoing correspondence. — Letters are either dictated to a stenog- 
rapher by an officer, chief clerk, or correspondence clerk in this divi- 
sion or written by the correspondence clerk direct, after which they 
are submitted for signature to the Chief Signal Officer or, in some 
cases, to the chief clerk. Letters are typewritten and carbon copies 
made, except where reply is by indorsement, in which case a copy of 
the communication and reply is made by the photostat. Outgoing 
letters with envelopes and carbon copies are then sent to the mail and 
record room for dispatching, carbon copy being checked as to inclo- 
sures by the mail and record clerks. 

T-he care of matters affecting the convmissioned., enlisted.^ and 
civilian force o-f the Signal Corps. — Correspondence and papers re- 
lating to the personnel of the Signal Corps are filed, without being 
recorded in the mail and record room, in document files in the chief 
clerk's office, a card record being also kept so as to show the record 
of commissioned, enlisted, and civilian force of the corps, separate 
files being maintained for each. The muster rolls of the Signal 
Corps are also filed in this office, after being searched for noting of 
discharges and other information on card records, these card records 
being kept for the information of the Chief Signal Officer or other 
officers of the Signal Corps. 

Organization and salary roll. — This division has eight clerks of 
the following salary grades : 

CWef clerk $2,000 

1 clerk of class 4 1, SOO 

1 clerk of class 2 1,400 

2 clerks of class 1 2, 400 

3 clerks at $1,000 3,000 

10, GOO 



OFFICE OF THE SIGNAL COEPS. 605 

There are also four messengers for the Signal Corps — three at $840 
and one at $720. 

The following is a list of clerks engaged in this division, and shows 
the njiture of the work upon which each is engaged and their salaries : 

Chief clerk's room : 

H. G. Flynn, chief clerk $2. 000 

W. M. Reading:, assistant to chief clerk ; also takes direct charge of 

the personnel work of the Signal Corps 1. 800 

J. J. Mullaney, general work of correspondence, keeping personnel 

records, stenographer 1, 200 

(Jr. K. Fisher, stenographer. Keeps track of civil service cases, etc_ 1, 000 
J. W. Stepp, stenographer ; also assists Chief of Signal Office in com- 
pilation of manuals, etc 1, 000 

Mail and record room: 

P. A. Bacon, in charge of recording, indexing, filing, and dispatching- 1, 400 

Jlrs. Eleanor Duiyea, recording, indexing, filing, and dispatching 1, 200 

J. M. Borochoff, recording, indexing, filing, and dispatching 1, 000 

10, 600 
Description of the Location, Work, Methods, Organization, and 
Expenses of the Office of the Electrical and Telegraph Divi- 
sion of the Signal Corps. 

location. 

This division is located at ITIO Pennsylvania Avenue, all of the 
building being occupied by it, the offices being situated on the upper 
floor. There are 10 clerks employed in this division, and there is also 
one vacancy open. 

The Electrical and Telegraph Division has charge of administra- 
tive matters and records pertaining to the installation of fire control 
at Coast Artillery posts; of the selection of apparatus and devices, 
the preparation and issuing of all specifications and drawings for 
technical equipment and supplies of the Signal Corps and of engi- 
neering circulars and bulletins; of the assignment of serial numbers 
to new instruments, cables, and the records pertaining thereto; of 
requisitions for electrical material; construction of special vehicles, 
and usual signaling apparatus and the recommending on all technical 
matters which may be submitted; also has charge of all matters re- 
lating to the operation, maintenance, and repair of all Signal Corps 
telegraph, telephone, and cable lines; the War Department tele- 
graphic code; printing, blank forms, and the auditing of property 
accounts of persons responsible to the United States for property 
pertaining to the Signal Corps of the Army. 

FUNCTIONS and WORK. 

The main work of the office of this division is as follows: (1) At- 
tending to general correspondence of the divisions; (2) the supervi- 
sion of the construction of electrical installations and the maintenance 



606 KEPOETS OF COMMISSIOlSr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

thereof; (3) the preparation of specifications and drawings or correc- 
tion of same; (4) the devising and developing of new type articles of 
equipment for special purposes.; (5) the auditing of return or accounts 
of Signal Corps property; (6) attending to requisitions for Signal 
Corps property; (T) the keeping of miscellaneous files of records and 
correspondence. 

General correspondence of the division. — The correspondence of 
the division is received by messenger service from the chief clerk's 
office, and consists of : (a) Recorded communications ; (&) unrecorded 
communications. 

Recorded comnvivnications. — All recorded communications, after 
proper notation, are returned to the mail and record room, in the Ad- 
ministrative Division, with any relevant carbon copy of reply, for 
filing, an extra carbon copy being made and filed by the Electrical 
and Telegraph Division in its own files. 

Unrecorded coinmimications. — Unrecorded communications mainly 
consist of correspondence and reports as follows: {a) With commer- 
cial houses relative to supplies and material, catalogues, etc.; (&) 
returns of property accountability officers, and correspondence rela- 
tive thereto; (c) requisitions and correspondence relative thereto; 
{d) miscellaneous correspondence of the division, not deemed neces- 
sary to record in the mail and record room of the Signal Corps. 

Outgoing correspondence. — All correspondence is typewritten, and 
is either dictated to a stenographer in this division or typewritten 
direct by clerk. Carbon copies are made, two in the case of re- 
corded correspondence. Outgoing letters are either signed by the 
acting officer of this division and mailed direct from the division or 
sent to the Administrative Division for the signature of the chief 
signal officer, when, as in all recorded correspondence, it is dispatched 
from the mail and record room in the Administrative Division. 

FUing correspondence. — Unrecorded correspondence, and in some 
instances copies of recorded correspondence, is filed in this division 
in flat vertical files, no recording thereof being made. These files 
are arranged subjectively and alphabetically, the main subjective 
divisions being as follows : Commercial file ; post file ; general subjects 
file. 

Correspondence directly relating to property returns and requisi- 
tions is filed with such returns and requisitions. 

The auditing and filing of property returns. — All property of the 
Signal Corps is kept track of by this division, records being kept as 
to where such property is held and by whom. These records are all 
made outside of the office of this division (excepting in the case of 
the three general supply depots), and the work of this division con- 
sists of the examination and verification of such records, and seeing 
that all property is properly accounted for. Any discrepancies 



OFFICE OF THE SIGNAL CORPS. 607 

found in such reports are, of course, made the subject of correspond- 
ence, and this correspondence is conducted by the same clerks attend- 
ing to the examination, verifying, and filing of records. 

These property records consist of: {a) A monthly abstract show- 
ing property purchased by the different disbursing officers, show- 
ing thereon amount of property purchased and to whom issued, [h) 
a semiannual return made by all persons accountable for Signal 
Corps property, such return being made as at June 30 and December 
31, showing material on hand at beginning of half-yearly period, 
material received and issued during such period, and material 
on hand at end of period. Where any person accountable for 
Signal Corps property is relieved of such accountability, a return is 
made similar to semiannual return, at the time of such relief or trans- 
fer of liability; (c) vouchers filed with such returns showing all 
property used, expended, or lost in period of such return, for which 
credit is taken thereon, receipts for all property turned over or 
transferred to some other person who is to be charged with such 
transferred property ; also invoices of property received, as scheduled 
on returns. 

The above records consist of printed forms which are duly filled 
out, and received by this division for purposes of auditing and filing. 
Property returns as disposed of are filed in document files by divi- 
sions, posts, or persons, and the monthly abstracts of the different dis- 
bursing officers are filed by months. An alphabetical card index and 
record is kept of all officers accountable for property and this record 
is noted with the date of period of accountability, examination of re- 
turns, and final disposition of same. 

The number of returns by persons accountable for property as 
described above is approximately 2,700 per annum, and the number 
of abstracts showing property purchased by the different disbursing 
officers is approximately 200 per annum. 

General supply depots. — There are three general supply depots 
maintained, as follows: Fort Wood, New York Harbor; Fort 
Omaha, Nebr. ; and Fort Mason, Cal., which in place of such semi- 
annual returns send in a daily report of all property received and 
issued, together with corresponding invoices and receipts, also show- 
ing balance on hand of property affected thereby. The property 
accountability clerks in this division enter from these daily reports 
such receipt and issue of property on a stock record card. This rec- 
ord is maintained on cards in four divisions, " Fire control," " Sig- 
nal Service," " Depot equipment," and " War reserve." Cards for 
each division are grouped in files, a card being maintained for each 
kind of material or property, this card being ruled off to show, under 
each general supply depot, the receipt, issue, and balance on hand of 
such material or property. 



608 BEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The invoices or receipts showing receipt or disposition of property 
accompanying daily record cards are checked against same, and are 
then filed under each depot by serial number, pending* receipt of 
semiannual reports or returns from property accountability officers 
to whom such property has been issued, at which time the receipts 
are checked against such returns and the invoices being checked 
against monthly abstracts of disbursing officers. 

The main functions of the clerks in this division attending to work 
of property accounting are as follows : 

Semiannual returns. — (1) Checking forward previous balances of 
property as shown on last return to current return; (2) checking 
certificates of property lost or destroyed, or expended against return, 
to see whether credit is properly taken thereon; (3) checking re- 
ceipts or invoices against returns, to see whether projoerly credited or 
charged thereon, then checking same against corresponding invoices 
or receipts sent by general supply depot or some other property 
accountability officer; (4) notifying propert}^ officers of correctness 
of return (a card form being used) or any errors therein; (5) keep- 
ing alphabetical card index of numbered record card; (6) keeping 
record card of property accountability officers. 

General sufyly depots. — (T) Checking monthly abstract of prop- 
ei'ty purchased and issued to the disbursing officers against invoices 
sent in with general supply depot daily reports or, in some cases, bj^ 
other property accountability officers; (8) checking general supply 
depot daily reports against corresponding invoices and receipts sub- 
mitted therewith; (9) posting on general supply depot stock cards 
receipt and issue of property as shown by daily report. 

Requisitions for property and material. — Eequisitions for property 
or material wanted by the various organizations and posts of the 
Signal Corps are made on printed forms which come after being 
opened direct to this division and are given a sequence number. 
After notation and approval by one of the engineers in this division, 
requisitions are turned over to the requisition clerks who thereupon 
give each requisition a serial number, then checks same off against 
stock cards of the general supply depots, to see whether requisition 
or part of requisition can be profitabl}'' filled from^ the stock of the 
nearest of these depots. If so, a pencil memorandum is made oppo- 
site each item of requisition showing depot from which to be ordered, 
and where the stock of such material is running low in any depot 
from which material is ordered, a pencil notation of the requisition 
number and amount ordered out is made on the general supply depot 
stock card. 

An order is then made on one or more of the three general supply 
depots to furnish property requisitioned and approved to the prop- 
erty accountability' officer making such requisition, and this order 



OFFICE OF THE SIGNAL CORPS. 609 

after being filled by the general supply depot is returned by them 
with a notation of the date of shipment to the property officer making- 
requisition, and how shipped. 

Wliere property or material can not be so filled from the stock of 
any of the general supply depots, an order is made en the Disburs- 
ing Division to purchase property or material and ship via the 
nearest general supply depot or direct to the property officer making 
requisition. 

These orders to the Disbursing Division are typewritten on forms 
by one of the clerks attending to requisition work, a carbon copy 
thereof being made. A photostat copy of all filled orders is sent to 
this division by the Disbursing Division, and these are filed by order 
numbers. Requisitions, carbon copies of orders, and any correspond- 
ence relative thereto, are filed in flat vertical files under divisions of 
organizations and posts in serial order number of requisitions. Cor- 
respondence relative to delivery or concerning settlement of technical 
features of articles on order are filed under the order number. 

When an action has been taken on a requisition a mimeographed 
form letter is filled out and sent to the division headquarters of 
organization or post making requisition, in duplicate, showing the 
receipt and disposition of same. A triplicate carbon copy is filed 
with requisition. 

A quarterly requisition , is made out by each of the three general 
supply depots for the replenishing of needed material and supplies, 
and these requisitions are passed upon in a similar manner as requi- 
sitions from organizations and posts. 

Requisitions are indexed on card indexes by requisition numbers, 
posts, and organizations, and a price-card index is also kept under 
property or material giving prices, manufacturer, and other relative 
data. 

The main functions of the clerks in this division attending to 
requisitions are as follows: (1) Giving requisitions serial numbers, 
checking against general supply stock cards to see whether requisi- 
tion can be filled from general supply stock; (2) making order in 
duplicate on general supply depot for property requisitioned, orig- 
inal being sent to the general supply depot and the duplicate being 
filed by requisition number; (3) or where requisition can not be 
filled from stock at a general supply depot, making a request for 
purchase and delivery in duplicate, sending original to Disbursing 
Division, and filling duplicate under requisition number; (4) send- 
ing form letter of advice in duplicate to the chief signal officer of 
division from which requisition is made, advising as to the maker of 
requisition and how disposed of. triplicate carbon copy being filed 
under requisition number; (5) filing requisitions, orders, and rela- 
tive corespondence, and indexing same; (6) entering in red ink on 

72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 39 



610 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

stock cards of order number, date of delivery, and number of items 
for which orders have been placed in the Disbursing Division. 

MISCELLANEOLTS WORK AND RECORDS OF THE DIVISION. 

The miscellaneous work of the division is as follows : ( a ) Filing 
catalogues of commercial firms and indexing same; (b) filing post- 
telephone installation reports and fire-control installation reports 
under posts, in chronological order; (c) filing plans for installation; 
(d) keeping card records of cable data and codes; (e) making, in- 
dexing, and filing of specifications, drawings, and affiliated records: 
(f ) keeping track of printing and stationery. 

ORGANIZATION AND SALARY ROLL. 

The division has 11 clerks of the following salary grades : 

1 clerjv of class 4 at $1,800 

Jf clerks of class 1 at 3,600 

7 clerks (uicliiding oue vacancy) at : 7,000 

Total salary expense 12, 40^^ 

The following is a list of clerks engaged in this division and shows 
the nature of the work upon which each is engaged, and their respec- 
tive salaries: 
M. W. Perley, principal clerk, general supervision of clerical work and 

records of this division SI, 800 

A. C. WrigM, in charge of work of property accounting 1,200 

J. A. Bethune, assisting in work of property accounting 1,000 

AV. H. Barrett, assisting in work of property accounting 1,000 

J. X. Baxter, in charge of requisition work 1,200 

E. J. Williams, assisting in requisition work 1,000 

Vacancy — assisting in requisition work 1,000 

J. A. Duffy, stenographer for engineers, filing and indexing catalogues— 1, 200 

A. B. Crawford, stenographer 1,000 

S, Rubenstein. in charge of specifications, drawings, and affiliated records- 1, 000 
h. S. Connelly, filing correspondence, carding prices, keeping cable rec- 
ords, stationery, and War Department telegraph codes 1,000 

Total 12,400 

A Description of the Location, Work, Methods, Organization, 
AND Salary Expenses of the Disbursing Dr^sion of the Signal 
Corps. 

location. 

The Disbursing Division occupies room No. 440 on the fourth 
floor of the State, War, and Navy Building, and seven employees 
are engaged in the work of this division, there being also two 
vacancies open and unfilled. 



OFFICE OF THE SIGNAL CORPS. * 611 

• FUNCTIONS AND "WORK. 

The Disbursing Division has charge of the following: (1) The 
procuring of quotations and samples, issuing of advertisements, ab- 
stracting bids, making awards, placing orders, arranging for in- 
spection and shipment of supplies, the giving of notice to consignees, 
the invoicing and proper accounting for such supplies; (2) the pay- 
ment of accounts, the collecting of bills, and all other duties pertain- 
ing to disbursements, and the auditing of accounts of persons respon- 
sible to the United States for money pertaining to the Signal Corps 
of the Army; (3) the keeping of accounts of, making requisitions 
upon, and arranging for transfers to oiRcers from approj)riations. 

Purchases. — Requests for purchases come to this division from the 
Electrical and Telegraph Division and upon approval a form letter 
for quotation requests is sent out to a list of concerns presumably 
interested, a carbon copy being made and noted with the names of 
such firms and filed in suspense until replies are received. When 
the order is placed, request with this carbon copy is filed in document 
files under serial number of quotation request, requisitions from the 
Electrical and Telegraph Division being filed under requisition num- 
ber. Purchases are made in this manner Avhen the amount is under 
$500, or in cases of larger amounts where there is no competition. 

When orders are over $500 an advertisement for proposal for 
supplies or services is sent out to known dealers, being sent and re- 
ceived back in duplicate. Pending return of bids, a carbon copy is 
held in jacket with a notation as to whom same have been sent, the 
jackets being filed under serial proposal number given in this divi- 
sion. The bids themselves are kept under lock and key until date 
of opening, when they are abstracted and awards made to lowest 
responsible bidder. 

All bids are filed in a jacket in serial order of proposal number, 
the accepted bid being afterwards extracted and attached to contract 
or to voucher when paid. 

Upon acceptance of lowest quotation or bid a purchase order is 
issued and photographic copies of this order are made, copies being 
sent to the Electrical and Telegraph Division, consignees, inspecting 
officers, filed with correspondence, and a copy mounted on an order 
card. 

The accepted bid and photostat copj' of purchase order is attached 
to voucher when paid. 

This order card is kept in an alphabetical file as a follow-up for 
proper delivery of orders and as a full record of such order. Upon 
final disposition of order b}^ voucher being paid they are filed in a 
" paid " file, in alphabetical order. 

A price card is kept in order of material for reference purposes. 



612 EEPOETS OF COMMISSIOjST ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Pay7thent of accounts. — Bills are received in duplicate «on prescribed 
forms of the War Department, with invoice form also in dupli- 
cate, usually also with quartermaster's receipt, and, after satisfac- 
tory audit and inspection, are in order for payment. 

A letter of authority is also issued to officers, authorizing disburse- 
ment of funds, to ]3urchase direct or pay services, photo copies being 
made thereof for correspondence file, record card, and the Electrical 
and Telegraph Division. 

Bills are usually paid monthly, on the 5th and 20th, or m the 
interim where discounts may be taken, etc. A printed form is sent 
with all checks, the stub of which is detached by payee and returned 
to the Disbursing Division, and these stubs are filed by check number 
as receipts for checks. 

Books of accounts and record. — Cash book : A columnar cash book 
is kept, ruled ofT by appropriations, under which entries are made of 
the receipts and disbursements of funds, the amounts of checks issued 
being entered in total as affecting appropriations, and not individu- 

ally. 

Appropriation ledger : Accounts are kept in this ledger by appro- 
priations to show current status of same. This book is entered from 
daily transcripts furnished by the Division of Requisitions and 
Accounts of the War Department, and should be in balance with 
accounts in that division. 

Allotment record: Accounts are kept in this record of apropria- 
tions, and under these the allotments under same. This book is 
entered up from authority record cards and order record cards, 
referred to herein, and is kept for the information and guidance of 
the Chief Signal Officer, and to show the current status of allotments. 

Record of disbursements by disbursing officers : Accounts are kept 
in this record with disbursing officers, showing their receipts, dis- 
bursements, and balances, being entered up from accounts current 
rendered by them before being turned over to the Auditor for the 
War Department. 

Record of certificates of deposit: Certificates of deposit, showing 
funds deposited with the United States Treasury to credit of cer- 
tain appropriations, are entered up in this book, as received from 
the Division of Requisitions and Accounts of the War Department, 
under name of officer depositing. 

Register of remittances : This register is entered up from monthly 
statements of remittances forwarded by telegraph operators of the 
Signal Corps to this division. This register is ruled off to show 
operator, station, and amounts under calendar months of the year, 
and is kept for the purpose of checking up the accounts current sub- 
mitted by certain disbursing officers as to moneys received from 
telegraph operators before these accounts are submitted to the Audi- 
tor for the War Department. 



OFFICE OF THE SIGNAL CORPS. 613 

Monthly accounts current and abstracts: Monthly abstracts of 
expenditures are kept as follows: (1) Abstract of articles pur- 
chased; (2) abstract of articles purchased for immediate expendi- 
ture; (3) abstract of expenditures by appropriations. 

A duplicate copy of the abstract of articles purchased and paid 
for is sent monthly to the Electrical and Telegraph Division, show- 
ing thereon to whom such purchases have been issued. Every six 
months receipts covering items shown on these abstracts are sent 
to the Electrical and Telegraph Division, the same being obtained 
from parties receiving materials. Carbon copies of these abstracts 
are retained in this division and filed with copies of accounts cur- 
rent, an account current being made monthly and rendered to the 
Auditor for the War Department, showing all receipts, disburse- 
ments, and balances, by appropriations, being balanced with cash 
book. 

In this division track is kept of property issued to the State 
Militia or other departments or bureaus of the Government for the 
purpose of obtaining proper reimbursement from them to the credit 
of the Signal Corps appropriations. 

Correspondence: All letters are typewritten and sent out from 
this division direct. The clerks attending to certain work usually 
write letters and fill out forms pertaining to such work, and what 
little general correspondence there is that is not filed under order, 
quotation, or requisition number is filed in a flat, vertical, general- 
correspondence file, in alphabetical order. 

Organization and salary roll.— This division has nine clerks of 
the following salary grades : 

1 clerk of class 3 $1,600 

1 clerk of class 2 1,400 

1 clerk of class 1 1,200 

6 clerks, at $1,000 6,000 

Total 10, 200 

The following is a list of such clerks employed in this division 
a,nd shows the nature of the work upon which each is engaged and 
their specific salaries : 
G. I. Rowley, principal clerk, general supervision of clerical work and 

records of this division $1,600 

S. N. Bernhardt, handling reimbursement of funds from the State 

Militia, etc 1, 400 

A. Larviere, examination of disbursing officer's accounts, paying bills, 

and keeping records 1,200 

F. E. Nelson, paying bills and keeping records 1, 000 

C. W. Knight, paying bills and keeping records 1,000 

G. A. Buswell, issuing advertisements, placing orders, and relative vi^ork_ 1, 000 
J. W. Shiferli, issuing advertisements, placing orders, and relative work_ 1, 000 
Two vacancies 2, 000 

10,200 



614 reports of commissiolsr oit economy and efficiency. 
Critical Comment and Constructive Recommendations. 

The conclusions of the commission and its recommendations are 
discussed under the following general captions : 

1. Briefing, recording, indexing, and filing of correspondence in 
the mail and record section of the Administrative Division. 

2. The making out of charge cards for received communications 
in the mail and record section of the Administrative Division. 

3. The use of the daily report cards sent in from general survey 
depots to the Electrical and Telegraph Division. 

4. The location of offices of the Signal Corps. 

briefing, recording, indexing, and filing correspondence in the 
mail and record section of the administrative division of the 
signal corps. - • 

In the mail and record section of the Administrative Division 
certain correspondence of the Signal Corps is given a serial file 
number and is recorded on record and index cards in duplicate, in 
addition to which other index cards are made to further index 
subject matter or names on such received recorded communications 
or replies thereto, and such recorded communications with their 
relevant replies or papers are, upon disposition, filed folded in serial 
numerical order in document files, with the duplicate copies of record 
and index cards, the original record, index, and cross-index cards being 
filed in index files under alphabetical arrangement of subject, sub- 
subject, or name. This present method of folding and filing docu- 
ments and papers in document files under serial numerical file num- 
bers, together with the making and filing of record and index cards, 
should, in the opinion of this commission, be discontinued, in ac- 
cordance with recommendations contained herein. The following 
functions of work, by the adoption of these recommendations, would 
be entirely eliminated : 

1. The making out of a record card in duplicate for every com- 
munication relating to a new subject or case. 

2. The making out of an index card in duplicate for every other 
received communication. 

3. The making out of an index card in duplicate for every reply 
to a received recorded communication. 

4. The consequent filing of original and duplicate index and record 
cards: (a) The filing of original in index files; (5) the filing of 
duplicates in document files wath original papers. 

The following work would also be changed : 

1. The folding and filing of papers or documents in document files 
under serial number. 



OFFICE OF THE SIGNAL CORPS. 615 

2. The making out and filing of cross-refevence cards, except in 
excej)tional cases. 

The filing of correspondence and papers in flat vertical files under 
self -indexing subjective arrangement would make unnecessary the 
functions of work as described above (1-4), and to a large extent 
would also make unnecessary the cross-indexing of correspondence. 

RECOMMENDATIONS. 

It is recommended by this commission that a change be made in 
the methods of filing correspondence now being followed in the mail 
and record room of the Signal Corps, in general accordance with 
the recommendations contained in Circular No. 21 issued by the 
commission on this subject, and which, specifically, are as follows : 

1. That the system of folding correspondence and filing in docu- 
ment files should be discontinued, and that all correspondence should 
be filed flat in vertical files. 

2. That the briefing of correspondence should be discontinued. 

3. That all correspondence, both incoming and copies of outgoing, 
should be filed upon a subjective classification arranged as nearly as 
possible upon a self-indexing basis, and where numbers are regarded 
as essential, that a logical arrangement of numbers under a decimal 
or analogous system should be employed. 

4. That no card record of incoming or outgoing correspondence 
should be made, thus discontinuing the making out of record and 
index cards now being made, excepting in certain cases where a cross- 
I'eference card or index would seem to be logically necessary. 

Attention is drawn to the fact that of the total received communi- 
cations, estimated at an annual approximate number of 220,000, only 
about 4,000 of such communications are affected by the recommenda- 
tions contained herein, this being the estimated number of communi- 
cations which it is at present the duty of the clerks in the mail and 
record section to attend to by indexing, recording, and filing papers 
and cards relative thereto, the remaining balance of communications 
going to other divisions of the Signal Corps to be filed by them in 
their own files. 

The reason for making these recommendations is because of the 
fact that while the present system may be efficient it entails an exces- 
sive amount of clerical work, and thereby cost, and in the opinion of 
this commission the method advocated herein of filing correspondence 
in flat vertical files arranged on a self -indexing basis will be more 
efficient than the present method, and much more economical. 

The essential requirements of the filing system, in the approximate 
order of their importance, which have been considered in making 
these recommendations may be stated as follows: (a) Certainty of 



616 EEPOETS OF COMMISSIOlSr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

obtaining a particular paper or of obtaining all the papers relating 
to a particular subject, and this certainty to be independent of the 
time that has elapsed since the filing of the paper; (b) rapidity of 
obtaining a particular paper or of obtaining all papers relating to a 
particular subject, and this rapidity to be only slightly affected by 
the time which has elapsed since filing; (c) rapidity with which 
documents may be filed; (d) cheapness of operating the system; 
(e) simplicity; (/) reduction to a minimum of the space required 
for documents; (g) miscellaneous minor requirements and desirable 
features, such as cross-references, numbering, etc. 

It is not the idea of this commission to abolish all indexes, the con- 
tention being that arranging the files of papers themselves upon a 
logical, self-indexing basis of subjects or names would naturally 
make unnecessary the keeping of an index to refer thereto in the 
great majority of cases, and where, in the opinion of the filing clerks 
or other people upon whom this duty might devolve, a further refer- 
ence or classification might be desirable, a proper cross reference 
might then be made out covering these cases and filed in their proper 
subjective arrangement in the files. It is believed that the logical 
arr augment of files by subjects or names will be found much better 
than the arbitrary numerical system which places files of papers in 
juxtaposition without regard to their nature or relation, and which 
makes necessary the prior function of referring in all cases to an 
index before being able to procure desired papers. It is also the 
experience of this commission that papers arranged in flat, vertical 
files are more accessible for reference than when folded in document 
files, and where this method is in use in Government and other offices 
it has been found most satisfactory in every respect. 

The following is a list of clerks engaged in the mail and record 
room, and show the nature of the work upon which each is engaged 
and their respective salaries.^ 

P. A. Bacon, in charge of recording, indexing, filing, and dispatching — $1, 400 

Mrs. Eleanor Duryea, recording, indexing, filing, and dispatching 1, 200 

J. M. Borochoff, recording, indexing, filing, and dispatching 1, 000 

3,600 

Practically the entire duty of these employees is in the recording, 
indexing, and filing of some 15 letters a day, with their relevant re- 
plies and papers, and the care of the document and index files of 
such recorded communications. 

In the opinion of this commission the work now being done by 
these three clerks can be adequately and efficiently performed by one 
clerk, the main work of whom would be the custody of the present 
files, the filing of correspondence (now being recorded and filed 
numerically) in flat vertical files arranged under a subjective self- 



OFFICE OF THE SIGNAL CORPS. 617 

indexing classification, and the other work of folding and inclosing 
and checking inclosures incurred in the dispatching of some eight 
letters a day, and the keeping of the stationery stock and record of 
the Signal Office. 

The work incidental to the filing of the approximate number of 
some 15 letters a day would not seem reasonably such as to incur the 
services of three employees, even though the most punctilious care 
and attention be given thereto, even were the number of the com- 
munications handled greatly in excess of what they are, and in the 
opinion of this commission the duties and work devolving upon them 
could readily and carefully be performed by one clerk, who should 
also have considerable time to devote to other duties. 

The per capita work of three clerks in the mail and record section 
in recording, indexing, and filing some 15 letters a day, with their 
relevant replies, is functionally as follows : 

Per capita. — Five communications and five replies. 
Constructive functions: 

1. Numbering 5 received communications. 

2. Briefing 5 received communications. 

3. Typevfriting 5 original record or index cards and making 5 
carbon copies thereof for received communications. 

4. Typewriting 15 original index cards (an approximate number of 
3 per communication) for cross-index purposes. 

5. Typewriting 5 original index cards and making 5 carbon copies 
thereof, for replies to communications. 

Maintenance junctions. 

1. Filing 5 cards (record or index cards of communication) each 
in its individual alphabetical place in index files. 

2. Filing 5 cards (duplicate record or index cards of communica- 
tions) each in its individual numerical order in document files. 

3. Filing 15 cards (index, cross, or additional references) each in 
its individual alphabetical order in index files. 

4. Filing 5 cards (index cards of replies to communications) each 
in its individual alphabetical order in index files. 

5. Filing 5 cards (duplicate index cards of replies to communica- 
tions) each in its individual numerical order in document files. 

6. Filing 5 received communications, each in its individual numeri- 
cal order in document files. 

7. Filing 5 carbon copies of relevant replies thereto, each in its in- 
dividual numerical order in document files. 

Reference functions. 

1. Searching index files for file number of desired papers. 

2. Locating file of papers in document files by serial number. 
Under the proposed method constructive functions 2, 3, 4, 5, as 

enumerated, would be unnecessary, and consequently eliminated (ex- 



618 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION" ON ECONOMY AND EPFICIEN'CY. 

cept that in some instances cross-reference cards would be made out) , 
and this would also eliminate maintenance functions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, as 
enumerated. To a large degree reference function 1, as enumerated, 
would also be found unnecessary. 

Under the proposed method, the other functions enumerated would 
be changed as follows, and would constitute the whole functions of 
such method : 

Constructioe functions (comparative 1). — Classification of re- 
ceived correspondence. 

Maintenance functions (comparative 5). — Filing received com- 
munications in flat vertical self-indexing files in accordance with 
classification; (comparative 6) filing copies of outgoing commu- 
nications in flat vertical self-indexing files in accordance with classifi- 
cation. 

Reference functions (comparative 2). — Locating under character, 
subject or name, in accordance with classification, desired papers. 

Contingent in certain cases would be the following additional func- 
tions : 

Constructive. — Making cross-references. 

Reference. — Reference to classification. 

It will be noticed that of the 14 functions now being performed 
under the present method only 4 will be necessary in most cases, and 
6 in any other, under proposed method. It will also be noticed that 
the functions eliminated comprise the major part of the work, in the 
briefing of every communication and the making out of the approxi- 
mate number of seven auxiliary records for every such communica- 
tion with its related reply, with the subsequent filing of such seven 
records. The functional objective in these eliminated functions is 
the ready reference and location of papers when filed and desired. 
Under the proposed method, as against the present method, these 
functions will not be necessary to attain the same objective, because: 

Briefing will not be necessary, as papers being filed flat the mat- 
ter thereof will show identity and subject. 

Record and index cards will not be necessary, as the original 
papers themselves will be filed under a logical arrangement of sub- 
ject, subsubject, or name, thereby constituting their own indexes, and 
reference to original papers themselves being made in place of any 
reference to record cards. 

Cross-index cards. — The papers themselves being filed under logi- 
cal divisions of main subjects, subdivided thereunder by subsub- 
jects or names, should tend to make cross-indexing unnecessary ex- 
cept in certain cases where two subjects might be referred to in one 
communication in such a way as to make a cross-reference necessary 
to preserve the harmony of the files under an established classifica- 
tion, whereas under the serial numerical system correspondence is 



OFFICE OF THE SIGNAL COEPS. ' 619 

placed in files without regard to subject, subsubject, or names, 
thereby making its after location entirely dependent upon the man- 
ner of its indexing, which is not guided by an established classifica^ 
tion of correlated subjects. 

The nnahmg out of charge cards for received communications in 
the mail and record section is, in the opinion of this commission, con- 
sidered an extreme of care that under ordinary conditions should 
not be necessary. For every received communication now being 
recorded a charge card is made out upon its receipt, and held in a 
suspense file in the mail and record room pending the disposition 
thereof and consequent return for filing. This charge card shows the 
number, date, and a brief purport of communication, and is noted 
with the division or person charged with its proper attention, and 
is destroyed when related communication is returned for filing. This 
seems to be a precaution that could be safely dispensed with by the 
exercise of the usual care being bestowed toward seeing that letters 
are replied to and disposed of as called for by the communication, 
dependence on this being left to the proper people handling corre- 
spondence. If a rule be established that letters pending disposition 
or action be not kept in files or in desks, pending reply or attention 
thereto, it would seem that this dependence upon correspondents in 
the Signal Corps should be sufficient. 

The use of the daily report cards sent in from general supply 
depots to the Electrical and Telegraph Division. — A daily report 
card is sent in by the three general supply depots maintained at Fort 
Wood, New York Harbor; Fort Omaha, Nebr. ; and Fort Mason, 
Cal., showing the daily receipt and issue of certain property and the 
balance on hand of property affected thereby, it being the idea and 
purpose of same that this showing of balances of material as affected 
precludes possibilities of error between the stock cards of these de- 
pots as kept in the office of the Electrical and Telegraph Division 
and those kept at the gelieral supply depots, and also lessens the 
necessity of periodical inventories from the general supply depots to 
check the stock cards kept in this division of their stock. 

The daily report is substantiated with invoices, receipts, or 
vouchers, and at present items as shown thereon are copied on same 
in full. The present procedure of the Electrical and Telegraph Divi- 
sion is to check these invoices, receipts, or vouchers against the ac- 
companying daily report card and then to post from this daily report 
card to general supply depot stock carde, at the same time verifying 
balances of affected material as shown thereon with balances on stock 
cards. 

It is suggested and recommended by this commission that this prac' 
tice be discontinued, as the copying of items on daily report where 



620 REPORTS OF COMMISSION OX ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

they are shown in full on submitted invoices, receipts, or vouchers is 
unnecessary duplication of work. The memorandum notations of 
balances could be made on such invoices, receipts, or vouchers direct, 
and posting" and verifying be made from such invoices, receipts, and 
vouchers, without the use of this intermediate record of the daily 
report. 

A daily report could be sent in from the general suj)ply depots 
showing the numbers of invoices, receipts, or vouchers, with the names 
of the consignors and consignees, this serving as an advice and check 
to the Electrical and Telegraph Division that all invoices, receipts, 
or vouchers sent in by the general supply depots have been duly 
received. It is understood that these invoices and receipts are num- 
bered in serial order by the general supply depots, and this will, of 
course, continue to be the practice. 

It is also suggested and recommended that invoices and receipts 
should be filed under names of consignees and not in serial order 
of their numbers, as is the present practice. In a great many in- 
stances property returns are filed in this office for audit in the 
interim of the semiannual returns called for on June 30 and Decem- 
ber 31, and at present there is no satisfactory check to see that such 
officers duly report all material received. It should also be required 
that all property officers making transfers of material, one to an- 
other, should send in invoices and receipts of transactions at the time 
of such transfer and not with the semiannual return, as is now being 
done. Before clearance certificate is issued there should be a check 
against this file under name of consignee to see that he has properly 
accounted for all material shipped to him. 

These invoices and receipts as checked against property returns 
should be transferred to another file, thus leaving all invoices and 
receipts to be accounted for in one file. 

The effect of putting this recommendation in force will be the 
clerical time saved at the three general supply depots in making out 
daily reports as at present, substituting therefor a brief memorandum 
of advice of invoices, receipts, or vouchers sent in, and the insuring of 
a more accurate audit of property returns sent in during the interim 
between semiannual property returns. 

Location of o-fflces of the Signal Corps. — The fact that the mail and 
record room in the Administrative Division of the Signal Corps is 
at some little distance from the other offices of the Administrative 
Division entails the spending of quite a considerable amount of time 
on the part of clerks and messengers of the Signal Corps in transit 
between, which would not be the case were these offices adjoining. 
This is also the case with the Electrical and Telegraph Division at 
1710 Pennsylvania Avenue. Were the offices of this division situated 



OFFICE OF THE SIGNAL COEPS. 621 

in contiguity to the other divisions of the Signal Corps a great deal 
of time now spent by messengers and. to a lesser degree, by the clerksy 
would be saved in this and other divisions of the Signal Corps. The 
work of the Electrical and Telegraph Division and the Disbursing 
Division in some respects is closely related, and were the offices of 
these two divisions contiguous to each other certain records now being 
kept in one of these divisions could be eliminated, as the same records 
are now being kept in both divisions. This notably is the case with 
the card record of material and prices, and with the photographic 
copies of orders placed by the Disbursing Division, now being sent 
to the Electrical and Telegraph Division. 

Attention is drawn to these existing conditions, but no specific 
recommendation is made, as the matter of- physical location of offices 
is now being separately considered by this commission and will be 
duly reported on. 

The adoption of these recommendations will make possible a sav- 
ing of $2,400 out of the total of $3,600 in salary expense in the Ad- 
ministrative Division of the Signal Corps of the War Department 
and will also save a considerable amount of clerical work at the 
general supply depots of the corps reporting to the Electrical and 
Telegraph Division. 



Eespectfully submitted. 



F. A. Cleveland, 

W. W. Waewick, 
Merritt O. Chance, 

Commissioners^ 



THE HANDLING AND FILING OF COR- 
RESPONDENCE IN THE OFFICE OF 
THE CHIEF OF ORDNANCE. 



62c 



THE HANDLING AND FILING OF CORRESPONDENCE IN THE 
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ORDNANCE. 



Introduction, with Summary of Recommendations of the Com- 
mission. 

The office of the Chief of Ordnance is made up of seven divisions, 
as follows: Mail and Record Division, Administrative Division, 
Small Arms and Equipment Division, Gun Division, Carriage Divi- 
sion, Property Division, Finance Division. 

The location, organization, and work of the Mail and Record Divi- 
sion are described in Section II of this report. Descriptive state- 
ments for the other divisions are not presented in this report, since 
no recommendations on the work of these divisions are made at 
this time. The critical comments and constructive suggestions of 
the commission are set forth in Section III. 

Briefly stated, the recommendations of the commission are: (1) 
That the recording of correspondence be discontinued; (2) that 
correspondence be filed flat, and as nearly as possible on a self- 
indexing basis. 

The saving which it is thought could be effected by making these 
changes is $10,000, or approximately 60 per cent of the present cost. 

II. Description of the Location, Work, Methods, Organization, 
AND Salary Expense of the Mail and Record Division. 

location. 

The Mail and Record Division and the files in its custody occupy 
two rooms and part of a third on the first floor of the State, "War, 
and Navy Building. The rooms are numbers 137, 139, and 141. The 
number of employees in these rooms is as follows : 

Rooms 137 and 139 15 

Room 141 (part) ^ 1 

16 

72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 40 625 



626 KEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 
FUNCTIONS AND WORK. 

Of the total incoming correspondence, estimated at 118,000 pieces 
annually, about 52,235 pieces come to this division for action. This 
incoming correspondence is classified as follows: 

(a) Miscellaneous letters 17, 875 

<&) Letters from ordnance establishments 9,202 

<c) Miscellaneous indorsements 2, 807 

id) Indorsements from ordnance establishments 19,851 

<e) Requisitions for ordnance supplies from colleges 1,000 

<7) Requisitions for blanks, etc., from ordnance establishments and 

militia , 1,500 

52, 235 

The work of the clerks in this division consists of briefing, record- 
ing, indexing, and filing these incoming communications, together 
with the handling and filing of approximately 42,000 relevant out- 
going communications annually. The main processes in handling 
and filing this correspondence may be described as follows : 

1. Briefing. — Typewriting an abstract of received communications 
in certain cases, making one carbon copy thereof. 

2. Recording. — The carbon copy of abstract, described under 
*' Briefing," is utilized as a record card, except where letters are from 
ordnance establishments, which are required to send a duplicate car- 
bon copy, which copy is utilized as a record card. 

3. Indexing. — Giving received communication, together with its 
relevant record card, a subject and serial number, and making out 
mdex cards according] to the character of communication; also 
giving carbon copies of outgoing communications subject and serial 
numbers and preparing index cards where necessary. 

4. Filing. — Filing duplicate copies of received communications or 
carbon copies of abstracts (which serve as record cards) and carbon 
copies of outgoing communications in " record card files," and filing- 
original received communications in " document files." Both files 
are maintained in the same numerical order, the record cards being 
filed flat in chronological order under their specific subject number, 
and the original received communications being filed folded in docu- 
ment files in chronological order under the same subject number. 

This division handles, as stated, an approximate number of 52,235 
incoming communications annually and an approximate number of 
42,000 outgoing communications, which are required to be recorded, 
indexed, and filed. The incoming communications are filed in docu- 
ment files, being folded and filed chronologically under separate file 
numbers. File numbers are given to general subjects, and each com- 
munication is filed under the general subject number to which it 
pertains. In addition to these document files a record-card file is 



OPFICE OF THE CHIEF OF OEDISTANCE. 627 

maintained under the same subject file numbers, and in these files 
duplicate copies of incoming communications or a prepared abstract 
or brief are filed, together with carbon copies of outgoing communi- 
cations. Thus there are two files maintained in the same order cov- 
ering incoming communications, i. e., document files in which are 
filed original received communications, and record-card files in which 
are filed copies or abstracts of the communications. 

One card index serves as an index to both files. General subjects 
have been given a subject file number, and all correspondence pertain- 
ing to a certain subject is filed under a file number according to the 
subject of communication. In addition to the general file number 
each communication and its related record cards (carbon copies or 
abstracts) are given a serial number which shows its consecutive num- 
ber under file number. Eelated matters under a subject file number 
are cross indexed or referred to each other by these serial numbers, a 
notation being made on both the subsequent and prior letters of the 
serial number, in the case of the prior communication the subsequent 
number and in the case of the subsequent communication the prior 
number. A card index is maintained in alphabetical order of general 
subjects, under which a card is prepared and filed for each new case, 
this card showing a brief purport of communication and the file and 
serial numbers. In addition to this index another card index is main- 
tained as a cross or additional index. The second card-index file is 
maintained in alphabetical order of subsubject, or name, with addi- 
tional cards filed thereunder where it is deemed necessary to further 
index correspondence other than by its general subject designation. 
Index cards prepared for this file show a brief purport of communi- 
cation and the file and serial numbers. Where more than one index 
card is prepared for one communication, carbon copies are made of 
the body of the card, the heading under which it is to be indexed be- 
ing separately filled in. There are about 61,000 index and cross-index 
cards prepared annually covering incoming and outgoing correspond- 
ence filed in this division. 

DESCRIPTION or FILES. 

1. General-index -files. — A card index, maintained in alphabetical 
order of subjects, which subjects are numbered. A card, 3^ by 5 
inches, is made out, showing a brief purport of communication and 
the file and serial numbers. One of these cards is filed whenever a 
new subject is opened. 

2. Gross-reference index -files. — A card-index file, maintained in 
alphabetical order of subsubjects or names, the object and intent of 
same being to enable reference to filed correspondence under other 
than general subject. A card, 3^ by 5 inches, shows file and serial 



628 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON" ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

numbers and a brief purport of communication ; as many cards pre- 
pared to cross-index correspondence as may be deemed necessary. 

3. Record-card files. — Duplicate copies of received communications 
or prepared abstracts thereof, together with carbon copies of relevant 
outgoing communications, are filed in these files under a given subject 
file number. Each number is given a folder of the loose-leaf type, in 
which correspondence, as represented by carbon copies, is filed flat in 
chronological order, being given a serial number according to se- 
quence in folder. A cross reference to other relevant correspondence 
in same file is made b}^ a notation on both the prior and subsequent 
communications. 

4. Document files. — Eeceived communications are filed, folded, in 
document files and arranged chronologically according to subject 
numbers, which are the same as in the record-card files. The com- 
munications are given the same serial numbers and are cross referred 
to in the same manner as in the case of related papers in the record- 
card files. 

METHODS AND PROCEDURE. 

The methods of handling correspondence are described under the 
heads of " received communications " and " outgoing communica- 
tions." 

Received communications. — Received communications are given 
general file number, according to the character of such communica- 
tions, this being usually done from the memory of the clerks who are 
familiar with such numbers. Where communications do not come in 
with duplicate carbon copies attached, a brief abstract is made in 
duplicate of the communication, the original being attached to the 
communication as a brief, and the duplicate being filed in the record- 
card files. The letters and indorsements from ordnance establish- 
ments are received in duplicate and in such form that they do not 
require briefing. This is also the case with miscellaneous indorse- 
ments so that only miscellaneous incoming letters and requisitions 
for ordnance supplies from colleges to the approximate number of 
18,875 necessitate the preparation of briefs or abstracts. Upon the 
general file number being ascertained and noted on the received 
communication and its relevant carbon copy of abstract, same are 
referred to a clerk who keeps a card record of subject file numbers 
on which is noted the last serial number of papers thereunder. This 
clerk then refers to the appropriate subject file number on his record, 
and notes on the received communication and its relevant carbon copy 
or abstract the proper serial number, a notation being made on the 
record that this number has been given, so that the subsequent com- 
munication may take the following number. 



OFFICE OP THE CHIEF OF ORDNANCE. 629 

The received communication with its relevant carbon is then turned 
over to the index clerk, who prepares index cards, if necessary, and 
makes notation on papers as to any previous correspondence on the 
same matter as shown by indexes. The received communication is 
then sent for attention or reply to the proper division, either with 
or without a record card according to the needs of the case. The 
relevant carbon copy or abstract is then filed in record-card files. 
For each file number there is a loose-leaf folder, and the carbon copies 
or abstracts are filed flat in chronological order, which is also accord- 
ing to the serial number. A cross reference is made on related com- 
munications of these serial numbers, preceding or subsequent, thus 
enabling reference to be made to related cases in general subject file. 

Upon the return of a received comimunication to this divison for 
filing it is filed in document files according to the file and serial num- 
bers shown thereon, a cross reference to any related case being made 
on the prior communication showing the serial number of the sub- 
sequent letter. 

Outgoing communications. — There are about 42,000 carbon copies 
of outgoing communications filed in this division annually. These 
carbon copies are filed in record-card files, the subject numbers being 
noted thereon, together with their serial numbers. Index cards are 
prepared where deemed necessary. After the carbon copies are 
detached from the outgoing communications the letters are placed in 
envelopes and dispatched. Envelopes are addressed in this division, 
but in about 75 per cent of the cases printed envelopes are used. 

ORGANIZATION AND SALARY ROLL. 

This division has 16 clerks of the following salary grades : 

1 clerk, class 4 . . $1,800 

2 clerks, class 3 3, 200 

1 clerk, class 2 1,400 

10 clerks, class 1 ^ 12, 000 

2 clerks, class E 2,000 

20, 400 
III. Constructive Recommendations. 

This division handles annually in the manner described in the 
preceding section of this report approximately 52,000 incoming com- 
munications, together with about 42,000 outgoing communications. 

The commission recommends that the present method of handling 
and filing correspondence be changed in general accordance with the 
recommendations contained in Circular No. 21, issued by the com- 
mission on this subject and which specifically are as follows : 



630 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

1. That the system of folding correspondence and filing in docu- 
ment files should be discontinued and that all correspondence should 
be filed flat in vertical files. 

2. That all correspondence, both incoming and copies of outgoing, 
should be filed upon a subjective classification arranged as nearly as 
possible upon a self-indexing basis, and where numbers are regarded 
as essential that a logical arrangement of numbers under a decimal 
or analogous system should be employed. 

3. That no card record of incoming or outgoing correspondence 
should be made, thus discontinuing the further maintenance of the 
card record files kept in this division. 

Under the present method two files of correspondence are main- 
tained, namely: 

Document fles. — In which original incoming communications are 
filed folded. 

Record card -files. — In which duplicate carbon copies of incoming 
communications, or abstracts thereof, and carbon copies of outgoing 
communications, are filed flat. 

Under the method recommended but one file of correspondence 
would be maintained, namely : 

Vertical correspondence files. — In which original incoming com- 
munications (or where same are not available, copies thereof) and 
carbon copies of outgoing communications would be filed. 

Briefly, maintenance of record-card files, making out of index 
cards, with the serial numbering of both original communications 
and related record cards and carbon copies of outgoing communica- 
tions, comprise the major part of the work of the clerks in this 
division, and with the practical elimination thereof, as would be the 
case under the proposed method, it is conservatively estimated that 
one-half the present force of 18 clerks could adequately and satis- 
factorily carry on the work of the division, leaving the organization 
of this division as follows : 

Chief clerk, class 4 $1,800 

1 clerk, class 3 1, 600 

1 clerk, class 2 1, 400 

3 clerks, class 1 3,600 

2 clerks, at $1,000 2, 000 

10, 400 

The present salary expense of the division is $20,400, 

Respectfully submitted. 

Frederick A. Cleveland, 
Walter W. Warwick, 
Merritt O. Chance, 

Commissioners. 



THE HANDLING AND FILING OF COR- 
RESPONDENCE IN THE MAIL AND 
RECORD DIVISION OF THE DE- 
PARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 



631 



THE HANDLING AND FILING OF CORRESPONDENCE IN THE MAIL 
AND RECORD DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 



Introduction. 
1. conclusions and recommendations, with summary of estimated 

SAVINGS. 

As a result of the inquiry into the present methods of handling and 
filing correspondence in the Department of Justice the commission 
has arrived at the following conclusions : 

It is recommended : 

1. That the units of the active or current file be segregated in the 
several oflS.ces handling correspondence, the central file being main- 
tained only as the repository of closed cases. 

2. That the correspondence be arranged upon a self -indexing basis, 
in keeping with a uniform subjective classification to be devised for 
the correspondence relating to cases. 

3. That the present practice of recording and indexing corre- 
spondence be substantially discontinued, no indexes being prepared 
except where a cross-reference would seem to be logically necessary. 

4:. That the present practice of press copying correspondence be 
discontinued. 

5. That the departmental docket of cases maintained in the central 
file be discontinued. 

The foregoing recommendations affect the department as a whole ; 
critical comment on the procedure of the several divisions, with rec- 
ommendations of a less important character, are submitted in the 
body of this report. 

Nummary of estimated savings. — The direct and tangible savings 
which will be effected by the changes recommended in the Depart- 
inent of Justice are as follows : 

Division of Mails and Files $13, 820 

1 clerk (class 4) ' $1,800 

1 clerk (class 2) 1,400 

1 clerk (class 1) 1,200 

6 clerks (at $1,000) 6,000 

3 clerks (at $900) 2,700 

1 messenger (at $720) 720 

Bureau defending suits in the Court of Claims 2, 000 

15, 820 
683 



634 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

In addition to the foregoing economy, which can be effected as 
soon as the proposed system is installed, changes are recommended 
which will result in a reduction of work in other offices of this 
department, although the saving of time will not be sufficient to 
reduce the force which is required to discharge the business of the 
several offices affected. The clerks engaged in the work, which will 
be changed or modified If the recommendations of this report are 
put into effect, will be available — to the extent of the saving of time 
effected — for the performance of other duties. 

In conclusion, it is thought that the changes outlined in this report 
will effect the foregoing economies with increased efficiency in han- 
dling and filing correspondence. 

2. GENERAL STATEMENT OF THE SCOPE OF THE INQUIRY. 

The Department of Justice is charged with the direction and 
supervision of the law business of the Federal Government and with 
the administration of penal and reformatory institutions. The work 
which falls on the central office relates primarily to the supervision 
of the officers of the United States courts (including attorneys, mar- 
shals, and clerks) and to the giving of opinions requested by the 
President and the heads of departments. Practically all of the 
business comes before the department in the form of written com- 
munications or correspondence. 

The character of the correspondence handled or prepared in the 
Department of Justice is not easily described or classified. It is dis- 
tinctively legal in character; the subjects covered are as varied as the 
activities of the Government itself. The correspondence embraces 
communications with the President touching the constitutionality 
of measures submitted to him for his approval, and numerous other 
matters, such as allowances of claims in special cases, applications 
for pardons, etc. ; with the executive departments, varying according 
to the work of the department ; with the congressional committees in 
reference to suggested legislation, appointments, etc. ; with the United 
States attorneys and marshals (with the supervision and direction 
of whom the department is charged) ; and with individuals through- 
out the country. The form of the correspondence is equally varied, 
consisting of letters of instruction, reports, opinions, telegrams, mis- 
cellaneous communicationis, etc. 

The present inquiry embraces a consideration, in detail, of the 
methods and practices pursued in the handling and filing correspond- 
ence of this department in order to determine to what extent existing 
methods should be changed to produce more economical and efficient 
results. Such a study should be approached from the viewpoint of 
existing organization. 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 635 

3. ORGANIZATION OF THE DEPARTMENT IN GENERAL OUTLINE. 

The organization of the Department of Justice, as shown by the 
outline prepared by the President's Commission on Economy and 
Efficiency, is as follows : 

Department of Justice : 

1. General administration. 

1. Office proper of the Attorney General. 

2. Chief clerk and superintendent of buildings. 

1. Mail and Files Division. 

2. Supply Division. 

3. Library. 

4. Telegraph and telephone service. 

5. General stenographers. 

6. Mechanical and subclerical force. 

7. Transportation. 

3. Superintendent of prisons. 

4. Bureau of Investigation. 

5. Division of Accounts. 

6. Disbursing clerk. 

7. Appointment clerk. 

8. Committee on promotions. 

2. Group of legal offices. 

1. Solicitor General. 

2. Assistant to the Attorney General. 

3. Assistant Attorney General. 

4. Assistant Attorney General. 

5. Assistant Attorney General. 

6. Assistant Attorney General. 

7. Assistant Attorney General. 
S. Assistant Attorney General. 

9. Public Lands Division. 

10. Attorney in charge of titles. 

11. Attorney in charge of pardons. 

12. Assistant Attorney General for the Department of the Interior. 

13. Assistant Attorney General for the Post Office Department. 

14. Solicitor for the Department of State. 

15. Solicitor for the Department of the Treasury. 

16. Solicitor of Internal Revenue. 

17. Solicitor for the Department of Commerce and Labor. 

18. Commission to investigate the title of the United States to lands 

in the District of Columbia. 

4. CENTRAL ORGANIZATION FOR HANDLING AND FILING CORRESPONDENCE. 

A central departmental j&le has been maintained for a number of 
years in the Division of Mail and Files (office of chief clerk). The 
purpose of this general file is to centralize, as far as possible, the 
filing of the correspondence of this department. Experience, how- 
ever, has demonstrated the inexpediency of centralization beyond a 
certain point. As a consequence subsidiary or segregated files are 



636 BEPOETS OP COMMISSION ON ECOlsrOMY AND EFPICIEISrCY. 

maintained in many of the offices or bureaus of the department. In 
order to retain a central inspection and record of all the correspond- 
ence of the department, the Attorney General issued an order (No. 
148), dated June 1, 1910, to the effect that all mail, except that of 
the Bureau of Investigation, should go through the central file for 
recording, but this order has not been strictly enforced. Further- 
more, the chief of this division reports that in the neighborhood of 
30,000 communications (of the 94,000 which annually pass through 
and are handled by the central file) are not recorded, indicating 
that for this part of the correspondence such central recording is 
either inexpedient or unnecessary. 

5. SUMMART OF REPORTED COST BY BUREAUS AND DIVISIONS. 

In answer to Circular No. 5 of the President's Commission on 
Economy and Efficiency (dated February 1, 1911), the Department 
of Justice submitted data as to the methods followed, and the salary 
cost thereof, based upon the classification of processes outlined in 
that circular. Each office or division of the department handling or 
filing correspondence submitted individual reports. At a later date 
the Chief of the Division of Mail and Files (the central file where 
at least one-half of the entire volume of correspondence for the 
department is briefed, recorded, and filed) indicated that certain 
cost figures, showing classification of expense for the various oper- 
ations as outlined, were incorrect owing to a misunderstanding of 
the terms used in Circular No. 5. A request was made for 
another statement accounting for 100 per cent of each clerk's time 
classified according to the outline of Circular No. 5. 

From the statement submitted by the Division of Mails and Files, 
it is hardly possible to summarize the salary cost of each operation 
in handling and filing the general or departmental correspondence. 
The aggregate salary expense per annum for the maintenance of this 
division, the primary function of which is that of handling, record- 
ing, and filing (but not preparing) correspondence, is $18,940. In 
the neighborhood of $2,000 is expended by this division for the main- 
tenance of the law dockets for the department and approximately 
S750 in the preparation of miscellaneous correspondence. The dif- 
ference between the foregoing and the total salary cost per annum 
represents the annual expense in the handling and filing of corre- 
spondence which is referred to other divisions for action.^ An ex- 
amination of the statement furnished indicates that in the neighbor- 
hood of $1,900 is expended for supervision of the division; $900 in 
the assignment of the mail ; $5,000 in briefing, recording, and index- 

* Although certain smaU items, " Keeping up list of referees in bankruptcy " ($45) 
and " Compilaiton of statistics for annual record" ($300), would seem to have but 
incidental reference to correspondence. 



DEPARTMENT OP JUSTICE. 637 

ing incoming and outgoing correspondence (including the classifica- 
tion of mail and filing cards incidental thereto) ; $2,000 in the filing 
of correspondence; $500 for preparation of mail for signature; and 
$650 for dispatching the mail. The balance of the annual cost of this 
division is expended for miscellaneous operations which, from the 
information furnished, can not intelligently be classified under the 
foregoing operations, although they are for the most part related to 
or a part of such operations,^ 

6. BASIS OF PRESENT REPQET. 

Representatives of the commission made a study in detail of the 
procedure and practices followed in the conduct of this work. In 
the course of the inquiry descriptive statements of organization and 
methods were prepared and submitted to the Department of Justice 
for correction and approval. 

To the end that the facts on which the conclusions and recommen- 
dations herein submitted are based may be available, the descriptive 
statements will be found in the appendix. A full discussion of the 
several conclusions and recommendations will be found in Section II. 

Critical Comment and Constructive Suggestions as to Present 
Methods of Handling and Filing Correspondence. 

The critical and constructive suggestions relative to the methods 
of handling and filing correspondence in the Department of Justice 
will be presented, first, in reference to the general practice and pro- 
cedure affecting the department as a whole, and, second, in reference 
to the local practices and procedure affecting the individual offices, 
bureaus, or divisions where separate files are or should be maintained. 
The former will consider a general scheme of filing for the depart- 
ment, embracing the commission's recommendations relative to cer- 
tain routing operations and processes — such as recording, indexing, 
distributing, and filing, which, in respect to a large portion of the 
correspondence of the department, are centralized in the Division of 
Mails and Files. The latter will embrace those recommendations 
specifically affecting the present methods pursued in the maintenance 
of the local divisional files. 

1. critical comment and recommendations pertaining to the 
department as a whole. 

a. Location of files. 

The units of organization through which the correspondence of the 
Department of Justice is handled — ^reference being made to what 

1 Such as " Classification of involved subjects and supplying requests for papers " 
($900) ; " Changing the form of filing from folded to flat" ($700), etc. 



638 EBPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

might be termed the physical handling of the correspondence — con- 
sist of the central file (Division of Mails and Files) and the segre- 
gated files located in the several offices, divisions, and bureaus of the 
department. The purpose of the central file has been to centralize, 
as far as possible, the physical handling of current correspondence 
and the storing of closed cases. Experience of the department, how- 
ever, has demonstrated the inexpediency of contralization beyond a 
certain point. Contrary to the movement toward centralization, the 
segregation of files is now applied throughout the department except 
in the Division of Accounts, Public Lands Division, Office of Superin- 
tendent of Prisons (in part), and the officers of the several Assistant 
Attorneys General, who, under the direction of the Attorney General, 
are charged with the preparation of the cases which arise from time 
to time. 

The relation of the segregated or subsidiary files to the central 
files varies greatly. In the Bureau of Investigation all the corre- 
sjjondence is received direct and unopened from the chief messenger,, 
and is opened, handled, and filed independently of the central file 
in the Division of Mails and Files. In another office, the superin- 
tendent of prisons, the correspondence, incoming and outgoing, bear- 
ing upon one subject of the division of work (one half of the entire 
volume of the correspondence) is referred for final filing to the 
Division of Mails and Files, whereas the correspondence, incoming 
and outgoing, relating to another subject or division of work is per- 
manently filed in its own files. Again, in the Division of Accounts, 
where the miscellaneous correspondence, incoming and outgoing, is 
referred for permanent filing to the Division of Mails and Files, it is 
iound necessary to maintain a complete file of additional copies of the 
outgoing correspondence. It is our opinion that a complete segrega- 
tion of the active current files would produce more efficient and 
economical results. 

Recommendation 1. It is recoin'mended that the units or divisions 
of the active or current -file he- segregated in the several o-fflces 
handling correspondence^ the central file teing maintained as the 
repository of closed cases. 

A central file, conveniently located, may be desirable where each 
division has equal occasion to call for and refer to the correspondence 
of the other divisions placing reliance on it. Such is not the situa- 
tion in the Department of Justice. One office, bureau, or division 
makes little or no reference to the correspondence handled by or 
prepared in another office or division. It is rare that the files of one 
division are consulted by another division. When such consultation 
is necessary it is based upon an inquiry which in the nature of 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 639 

things must be addressed to the bureau by which the correspondence 
was prepared or handled. To the office or division preparing and 
handling the correspondence, however, the current files constitute 
its working materials. The use of the current file is so constant 
that the most efficient dispatch of business is attained by the physical 
location of the several units of a file in the division or office to which 
they relate. 

The experience of the Government generally and the almost uni- 
versal practice among commercial institutions support this view. 

The experience of the Department of Justice confirms it. The 
central file (Division of Mails and Files) retains the current and 
active file of the general correspondence of the Division of Accounts. 
The volume of this correspondence aggregates in the neighborhood 
of 10,000 communications per annum. The chief of this division 
indicated that reference to its correspondence is so constant that 
reliance upon the central file Avould greatly retard the dispatch of 
business. If the practice contemplated by the present arrangement 
of files were strictly adhered to, it would necessitate sending a mes- 
senger from the Division of Accounts (on the fourth floor) to the 
Division of Mails and Files (on the first floor) each time papers 
of the active files were needed. This would consume the time of 
high-priced officers who have occasion to call for papers from the 
files. To obviate the inconvenience and loss of time entailed by 
such (the present) arrangement the Division of Accounts installed 
and now maintains a complete duplicate file of outgoing correspond- 
ence. And by writing on the margin of the copies retained a short 
brief or abstract of the communication answered the division has 
endeavored to maintain a segregated file as far as possible. In 
this way the division is enabled to determine from its own files what 
action has been taken. Again, in the Division of Public Lands an 
elaborate record of incoming and outgoing correspondence is kept 
on index cards in order that the status of any case may be deter- 
mined without reference to the central file. No more striking illus- 
tration of the inexpediency of the physical centralization of active 
files could be pointed out than the fact that these divisions have been 
compelled to resort to this duplication of work to obviate the loss 
of time and inconvenience necessitated by constant reference to the 
central files. 

Each Assistant Attorney General is assigned a group of subjects, 
representing the several classes of cases with the preparation of 
which he is charged. The same need is felt for having the active 
files of such cases physically located in the offices of the Assistant 
Attorney General to which they are assigned as there is for having 
the location of current files in the several offices of the departmental 
administrative organization. 



640 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Under the present arrangement the time of the Assistant Attor- 
ney General (or other high-priced legal officers, as in the case of the 
Land Division) is necessarily consumed whenever reference is made 
to the central file for papers of a case which has been called up. 
Some idea of the waste of time and inconvenience entailed by this 
arrangement is seen in the report of the Department of Justice, 
that at least 100 calls are made on the current file daily. Ninety-five 
per cent of these relate to current cases, and practically all of them 
emanate from the Assistant Attorneys General, since the administra- 
tive units of the department (with but one partial exception) main- 
tain their own files. As long as cases are pending it is highly desir- 
able that the files be retained in the office of the Assistant Attorneys 
General to whom they are assigned. In fact, the present practice 
among the Assistant Attorneys General of keeping memorandum 
dockets (in duplication of the records and dockets maintained in 
the Division of Mails and Files), records of correspondence, and 
other personal data demonstrates that they have attmpted to relieve 
themselves, to a greater or less extent, of the embarrassment of ref- 
erence to the central file. The duplication of work records would be 
obviated and a better organization of the working materials secured 
by a segregation of the files. 

The work of the several Assistant Attorneys General has such well- 
defined delimitations that confusion in the assignment of subjects 
(upon which the reference and distribution of correspondence de- 
pends) does not occur. The same definiteness of subjects would 
prevail if the segregation of files were applied. Under the segrega- 
tion of the physical units of the file each Assistant Attorney General 
will be assigned those units of the file representing the subjects over 
which he has jurisdiction. Taking a concrete example, to one 
Assistant Attorney General may be assigned the supervision and 
conduct of all cases relating to the enforcement of the Sherman 
antitrust law and the act regulating interstate commerce. All cor- 
respondence bearing on the foregoing subjects will be referred to this 
Assistant Attorney General, by him acted upon and filed in his office, 
agreeably to the plan outlined elsewhere in this report until it has 
been disposed of. When a case has been closed it will be referred to 
the central file for permanent filing, as outlined in another part of 
this report. 

It may be urged by the offices affected that the changes to which 
the assignment of distribution of the work among the several Assist- 
ant Attorneys General is subject present a real difficulty to the segre- 
gation of the files here recommended. The difficulty is, however, 
more apparent than real. It is admitted that a permanence of or- 
ganization and definiteness of assignment of work is necessary to the 
successful segregation of the files. . But this does not exact such a 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 641 

lack of flexibility of organization that correspondence on the same 
subject will always pass through the same channels or be handled 
by the same officers. While the assignments of subjects among the 
Assistant Attorneys General must be subject to change, it is also true 
that such departure . from the regular assignment is not frequent. 
In those isolated cases where the assignment is departed from it 
it would be- a simple matter to transfer the physical location of the 
file units containing correspondence on subjects which have been 
transferred. 

Periodic transfer of files. — The segregation of the current active 
files contemplates the maintenance of the central file as a storage file. 
This necessitates the periodic transfer of closed cases from the segre- 
gated file to the central. Inasmuch as the subjective classification of 
the respective units in the current and storage files coincide, no great 
amount of work is involved in making such a transfer. It is sug- 
gested that the transfer be made every 6 or 12 months, as in the 
judgment of the departmental committee may be deemed advisable. 
The transfer should be made under the direction of the clerk in 
charge of the central file. 

The plan herein outlined contemplates that the central file (Divi- 
sion of Mails and Files) will constitute the repository of closed corre- 
spondence, not only for the law officers (Assistant Attorneys General, 
etc. ) , but also for the files of the administrative officers. The trans- 
fer of correspondence which has been referred to and handled by the 
latter will not be as frequent as that handled by the former. It is 
thought that the period over which the correspondence assigned to 
administrative officers is used to a very appreciable extent is much 
greater than that of the law officers. In the case of the former it is 
ordinarily desirable to have files of correspondence extending over a 
period of two years. In the case of the latter it may safely be re- 
moved to the storage files immediately after the .case is concluded. 
In this connection it is important to note that in several of the ad- 
ministrative offices there is a large volume of routine correspondence 
which is of no importance or value after the business of the current 
year has been closed. At the time of the regular transfer it is sent 
to the central files. It would be feasible to relieve the files to be 
transferred of all such unimportant correspondence in order that 
the central file shall not be burdened with papers which are of no 
permanent value. 

Maintenance of segregated files. — It may be urged that the segre- 
gation of files in the office of the Assistant Attorneys General will 
impose additional work upon these offices. The added filing work 
will not be considerable. It is estimated that the average time con- 
sumed in the numbering and filing of papers will not be more than 

72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 41 



642 REPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EPFICIENCr. 

half an hour a day for each office. On the other hand, this additional 
work will be offset several times by the elimination of miscellaneous 
records and dockets which these officers, not having control and 
possession of their files, are compelled to maintain. 

It is desirable that the secretary, stenographer, or clerk (who, 
under present practice, maintains the miscellaneous records and 
dockets) perform the filing work under the proposed segregation. 
The increased familiarity with the business of the office which 
easy access to and personal handling of the cases over which the 
office has jurisdiction affords is an important result to be attained 
from the proposed rearrangement of the files. 

Supervision. — If the foregoing recommendation is put into effect 
it is suggested that the supervision of the installation of the segre- 
gated files, and the rearrangement of the central file, as hereinafter 
outlined, be placed in the hands of one person. The clerk in charge 
of the Division of Mails and Files is qualified for this work. He 
should personally supervise the installations made and instruct those 
who will have charge of the filing work. Any reclassification of 
subjects should be made only under his direction. 

b. Proposed system of filing. 

Reoom/mendation 'B. It is recommended that the correspondence he re- 
arranged upon a self-indexing hasis, in keeping with a uniform 
subjective classification to be devised for the correspondence relat- 
ing to cases. 

Despite the fact that the correspondence of the Department of 
Justice covers a wide range of subjects, it lends itself easily to classi- 
fication. The correspondence naturally groups itself into cases. 
A case — which includes all the correspondence relating to a given 
inquiry or investigation — constitutes the final or basic unit of the 
file. To this file unit the arbitrary serial number is assigned under 
the present system. It is in the form of a " case " (each case being 
bound into one filing unit) , rather than the individual papers which 
constitute its component parts, that the correspondence of the depart- 
ment is called for and used. Under the proposed rearrangement of 
the file the " case " will not only remain intact, but, as under the 
present system, it will constitute the basic or final filing unit. The 
classification proposed contemplates merely the arrangement of the 
cases under the subjects with which they are easily identified to the 
extent that the files will become self-indexing. 

The proposed classification should be by subjects and judicial dis- 
tricts. It is suggested that the general subjects under which the 
cases fall constitute the primary divisions, the judicial districts of 
the United States constituting the secondary divisions. Under such 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 643 

an arrangement of the files, each primary division (subject) would 
conform with respect to its secondary classification (district) to 
every other division. Within each secondary division the respective 
cases would be assembled in alphabetical order, according to the 
name of the initial defendant. A tentative classification of primary 
subjects, which may be worked out to conform more accurately to 
the correspondence in the department, follows: 

1. Antitrust. 15. Interstate commerce. 

2. Banks and banking. 16. Lands. 

3. Bankruptcy. IT. Live stock. 

4. Civil service. 18. Navigation. 

5. Claims. 19. Opinions. 

6. Coinage. 20. Patents and copyrights. 

7. Contracts. 21. Peonage., 

8. Customs. ' 22. Postal service. 

9. Twenty-eight-hour law. 23. Prisons and prisoners. 

10. Food and drugs act. 04. Rivers and harbors. 

11. Immigration and naturaliza- 25. Tax. 

tion. 26. White slave. 

12. Naturalization. 27. Miscellaneous (civil). 

13. Indians. 28. Miscellaneous (criminal). 

14. Internal revenue. 

The list of the primary subjects under which the cases are divided 
is large, but it will be noticed from the statistics furnished by the 
Department of Justice in its annual report that a large majority of 
cases fall under a very limited number of subjects. The summary 
statement showing the business transacted in the United States cir- 
cuit and district courts during the fiscal year 1911 shows that of the 
7,870 cases pending July 1, 1910, and commenced during the fiscal 
year 1910-11, 5,677 cases, or about three-fourths of the entire num- 
ber, were classified under the following 10 primary subjects: 

Customs 508 

Internal revenue 378 

Post office (classified above as "Postal service") 69 

Safety-appliance act (classified above under "Interstate commerce") 366 

Land laws and timber (classified above as "Lands") 2,634 

Twenty-eigM-hour law 490 

Cancellation, naturalization (classified above as "Naturalization") 387 

Hours of service (classified above under "Interstate commerce") 78 

Forfeiture, food and drugs act 501 

Antitrust 23 

Immigration 143 

A similar statement for the criminal prosecution by the United 
States indicates that of 24,379 cases pending July 1, 1910, and those 



644 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

commenced during the fiscal year 1910-11, considerably over one- 
half fall under the following primary subjects: 

Customs — 661 

Internal revenue 8, 292 

Post office (classified above as "Postal service") 3,016 

Banking act (classified as "Banks and banking") 263 

Land laws and timber (classified above as "Lands") 533 

Naturalization laws 163 

Food and drugs act 767 

Wbite-slave-trafflc act 145 

Antitrust law 34 

Interstate commerce 210 

Counterfeiting laws (classified above under "Coinage") 367 

The primary subjects contained in the classification are capable of 
further subdivision. Interstate commerce might be capable of fur- 
ther subdivision as follows: 

Employers' liability. 

Safety appliance. 

Hours of service. 

Rate, rebates, etc. 

It is not suggested, however, that any divisional arrangement of 
the file be made upon such subsubjects. Owing to the technical 
character of the work of the Department of Justice, it might be diffi- 
cult to determine, during the early stages of an inquiry or investiga- 
tion, the exact phase (subsubject) of the general subject the case 
will assume. The classification, for filing purposes, would be corre- 
spondingly difficult. No difficulty would ever arise in classifying 
correspondence (although it is the initial communication) according 
to its primary subject. Inasmuch as the judicial districts of the 
United States, of which there are 87, represent the secondary divi- 
sions of the file, the number of cases falling within each group will 
be sufficiently limited to render further subdivision wholly unneces- 
sary. 

It is suggested that a logical arrangement of numbers, identifying 
the primary and secondary divisions of the file, be employed. It 
should be noted, however, that the use of numbers is wholly incidental 
to the direct filing system proposed. Its value, however, is apparent. 
It not only identifies the subject of the correspondence, thus direct- 
ing it through the proper channels for action, but also facilitates the 
placing of the correspondence in the file and the charging of papers 
to be removed for consultation. 

A concrete example will serve to illustrate the purpose and value 
of numbers. A communication is received relating to a customs 
fraud perpetrated by J. H. Smith in the southern district of New 
York. This communication will receive the file No. 9.53. The first 



DBPARTMEISTT OF JUSTICE. 645 

division of the file number, " 09," is determined by the nature or 
subject of the case, and indicates that it will be placed in the primary 
division of the file for customs. The second division of the file num- 
ber, " 53," is determined by the district in which it arose,^ and indi- 
cates that the correspondence will be filed in the secondary division 
for judicial district No. 53. The first division of the number identifies 
the subject of the correspondence and determines through what chan- 
nels it shall be referred for action. It is this number " 9 " of the 
foregoing illustration which automatically refers the communication 
to the Assistant Attorney General in charge of customs cases. 

"^'^'Tien an appeal is taken from a district to a circuit court, the case 
will be transferred from the subdivision of the files representing the 
district in which the case arose to the subdivision representing the 
circuit to which appeal was taken. The above practice contemplates 
that for each of the primary divisions of the file, representing the 
general subjects outlined above, secondary divisions, coordinate with 
the divisions for the 87 districts, be provided for each of the nine 
circuits. Owing to the limited number of cases in the Supreme Court 
of the United States, for which a secondary division of the file will 
be provided, no reason is seen for ihaking a subdivision thereof ac- 
cording to subjects. It is suggested that the file for the Supreme 
Court of the United States be alphabetical throughout according to 
the names of the initial defendants. 

It has not been suggested that the cases, grouped under the various 
primary subjects, be further classified into (a) civil and (b) criminal. 
This, however, is thoroughly feasible. Inasmuch as both classes will 
be filed and called for in the same manner (i. e., according to the 
name of initial defendant), it would seem that the simpler arrange- 
ment of the cases (and one affording the maximum facility in search- 
ing the files) would result from grouping both classes within the 
same division. The compilation of statistics may make advisable the 
former, however. This is a detail upon which the department must 
pass. 

It is not the thought of the commission that the classification out- 
lined elsewhere in this report is the only direct (self -indexing) sys- 
tem of filing which will meet the needs of the department. It is 
wholly feasible to organize the files with the judicial districts in 
which cases arise as the primary divisions, in which case the subjects 
will constitute the secondary divisions. 

It is urged that in some instances the communications will fail to 
disclose the information upon which the classification is based. In a 
few isolated cases it may happen that the communication will nbt dis- 

1 The districts may be numbered — ttie numbers being continuous from 1 up according 
to alphabetical arrangement of districts. (See Outlines of Organization, p. 546.) 



646 REPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

close the locus or subject. Such instances will be rare. They will 
never happen with reference to that portion of the correspondence 
(over two-thirds of the whole) which is conducted with the executive 
departments or attorneys and marshals. And it is our opinion that 
it will seldom occur in the correspondence which is styled " Miscel- 
laneous." A representative of this commission reports that during 
his observation, covering a period of two days, he discovered but one 
communication (a telegram) which failed to disclose the locus and 
the subject of the correspondence. A miscellaneous file at large, 
classified alphabetically, may be kept according to the names of the 
correspondents for those communications which fail to disclose the 
essential facts. In this file the correspondence may be retained 
until the additional information called for is received, at which time 
it would be sent through the proper channels for action. This prac- 
tice is not dissimilar from that of other offices. In fact, this is neces- 
sarily the present practice of the Department of Justice in the han- 
dling of letters failing to disclose the locus and subject, which have 
not become the subject of the case (in which a cross index may be 
kept under the name of the correspondent). For until the subject 
has been determined no classification can be made on the general- 
index cards, and it is impossible to determine what action is required 
or to whom it should be referred for treatment. 

The proposed system of filing carries the classification of subjects 
to the files themselves. The same facility is furnished in finding the 
papers in the files that is now furnished in finding the record thereof 
on the indexes. Under the proposed self-indexing sclieme of filing, 
the intermediate step of referring to the indexes is eliminated. A 
very definite saving in time and consequently in expense is thus 
effected. 

An indirect but very definite advantage to be derived from the 
proposed arrangement of files on a subjective basis lies in having 
cases on the same subjects physically located in the same place or in 
similar places. Belated cases (that is, cases on the same subject), 
being identified by the same summary number, will be assembled 
within the same primary division of the file. Within the primary 
division they will be classified according to judicial districts. The 
assignment of an arbitrary number — on which the present filing 
system is based — renders impossible the classification of cases by 
related subjects. To illustrate: Considerable correspondence is con- 
ducted with and relating to the Chicago & Eock Island Railway Co. 
The correspondence has to do with the different investigations, in- 
quiries, or prosecutions, which we may style " cases," using that term 
in its broadest sense. From exhibit of index cards furnished this 
commission by the Department of Justice it appears that the cor- 



DEPAKTMENT OP JUSTICE. 647 

respondence with or relating to the foregoing company groups itself 
under the following subjects: 

1. Twenty-eight-hour law. 

2. Safety appliances. 

3. Quarantine regulations (live stock), 

4. Transportation accounts. 
6. Rebates, Tennessee. 

6. Obstruction of Fall River, Mass. 

Cases with the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway Co. on 
the foregoing subjects would be located in different places in the 
file. Cases affecting other companies relating to investigations on 
the foregoing subjects would be located in different places in the file, 
according to the accidental assignment of the number. In other 
words, violations by the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway Co. 
of the 28-hour law constitute a distinct case. The corresopndence 
lelating thereto would be assigned an arbitrary serial number. This 
number would determine its place in the file. The violation by any 
other railroad company of the 28-hour law would likewise constitute 
a distinct case, being assigned an arbitrary number not only different 
from but without any relation to the number assigned to the corre- 
spondence on this subject with the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific 
Railway Co. If correspondence has been conducted with 30 different 
companies on the subject of the 28-hour law, as many different num- 
bers (having no reference one to the other) would be assigned. In- 
asmuch as the file number determines the place where the correspond- 
ence is to be lodged in the file, papers relating to the same subjects 
may be filed in widely scattered places. The advantages of having 
a logical arrangement of the files which will automatically assemble 
the cases by subject are, we believe, obvious. 

The reorganization of the files on a self-indexing basis under a 
segregation of the physical units thereof will substantially eliminate 
certain practices which now obtain and modify others. The exact 
scope of the changes of procedure which will be effected if the fore- 
going changes are put into effect, together with a:ny other changes 
which will produce more efficient and economical results, will be 
presented in the succeeding pages.^ 

C. Receiving, opening, and assigning. 

It is recommended that to such extent as it may be possible 
envelopes containing mail for the Department of Justice show on 
their face the bureau or office to which such correspondence per- 
tains, and that the mail so designated be delivered direct and 
unopened to the office affected. To facilitate this it is suggested 

1 Since the descriptive report was submitted, steps have been taken to put into effect 
certain recommendations of Circular 21. This report,, however, is based upon conditions 
as set forth in the descriptive statement referred to. 



648 REPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY, 

that a plan of designating the office or person handling this corre- 
spondence be devised, and such designating character be placed in 
the outgoing correspondence, in such a way as to require the writing 
of but one or two letters or figures, requesting that the correspondents 
in replying show this designation on the envelope containing com- 
munications mailed to the department by them. 

A plan of this kind should receive the full cooperation of the 
executive departments in Washington and the United States attor- 
neys and marshals, and to some extent from the miscellaneous corre- 
spondents. This would make unnecessary the opening in this divi- 
sion of letters properly designated on the envelopes to show that they " 
are intended for other offices of the department, and thus eliminate 
therein the following operations : 

(a) Opening of designated envelopes. 

(h) The reading of such letters for the purpose of assigning and 
distribution. 

(c) Stamping date of receipt, etc. 

(d) Inserting file and serial number. 

It is estimated that about 75 per cent of incoming letters would 
be so designated on the envelope as to admit of their being delivered 
direct to the office for which intended, without opening. One of the 
most important benefits resulting from this direct distribution would 
be obviating the necessity for reading such mail in this division 
before assigning to the office for which it is intended. Under the 
present arrangement, practically all of the correspondence (except 
that which is intended for the Bureau of Investigation) is delayed 
during the operations of recording and indexing, heretofore de- 
scribed. The reference of mail direct, and for the most part un- 
opened, would obviate this delay and greatly expedite the dispatch, 
of the correspondence. 

While of necessity certain of the operations to be eliminated in 
this division would be performed in other offices of the department, 
it is the intention of this report to recommend the entire elimination 
of many of these operations. 

Under the present practice, one clerk (at $1,200) is engaged in 
assigning the mail (three-fourths of his time being consumed in this 
operation) and another (at $1,000) is engaged in placing the file and 
serial number on the correspondence (a large percentage of his time 
being consumed in this operation). The adoption of the foregoing 
recommendation, together with the recommendations relative to the 
filing system, will eliminate the following operations : 

1. Reading 75 per cent of the mail by assignment. 

2. Inserting file and serial number on 100 per cent of the mail 
received.^ 

1 This saving is shown under recording and indexing. 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 649 

A saving, therefore, in the sum of $675 per annum will result from 
eliminating the assignment of 75 per cent of the mail. 

Retaining envelopes. — Envelopes containing incoming mail re- 
ceived in this division are retained for a period of two weeks and 
record clerks are required to call attention to missing inclosures. The 
Division of Mails and Files reports that practically no inclosures are 
lost. While it is true that the retaining of these envelopes requires 
but little clerical work, we see no good reason for continuing this 
practice and therefore recommend that it be abolished, on the ground 
that other departments do not retain such envelopes and suffer no 
inconvenience therefrom, 
d. Indexing and recording. 

A rearrangement of the correspondence in the files, as hereinbefore 
outlined, will make possible the substantial elimination of the index- 
ing of subjects and the discontinuance of the present practice of 
recording individual communications. 

Indexing {general index of subjects). — The present system of in- 
direct filing, based upon the arbitrary numerical finding method, 
necessitates an elaborate and costly system of indexing. A succes- 
sion of progressive numbers — each new case receiving the next un- 
used number — is employed. To determine the arbitrary number to 
be assigned, the correspondence is classified subjectively on cards 4 
by 6 inches in dimensions. 

The direct and immediate saving made possible by the proposed 
rearrangement of the files is the substantial elimination of the prepa- 
ration of index cards and the classification of the correspondence 
incidental thereto. The following clerks are engaged in the opera- 
tions in connection with the maintenance of the general index, ac- 
cording to a report submitted by the Division of Mails and Files : 

Clerk 4 (assistant to chief) : Classification of involved subjects, 40 per 

cent $720 

Clerk (class 1) : 

Classification of correspondence according to subject numbers, 85 
per cent. 

Filing of subject-index cards, 15 per cent 1, 200 

Clerk (class E) : 

Revision of old-subject index, 30 per cent i, 300 

Preparation of subject-index cards, 60 per cent -_ 600 

Clerk (at $1,000) : Classification of mail according to numbers, 20 per cent- 200 

3, 020 
It may be urged that the rearrangement of the files on a self- 
indexing basis will not necessarily eliminate the use of cross-reference 
cards for the very involved cases. It is admitted that it may be 
found advisable in some cases to make cross references to additional 
defendants or the additional titles under which a case may be known. 
For the most part, however, the primary classification will suffice. 
In any event the keeping of the cross references will consume very 



650 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

little time. It is suggested that these cross references be placed in 
the files, rather than in a separate index. The latter, however, is 
entirely feasible. If the cross references are made a part of the file 
a sheet of paper, letter size, should be used. If an index independent 
of the files is kept for this purpose, thin cards, 3 by 5 inches in dimen- 
sions, may be used. For a case arising in the third district on the 
v»rhite-slave traffic against Jones, Smith, and Brown, two cross refer- 
ences might 6e necessary for Smith and Brown. The notation on 
each sheet would include only the name of the additional defendant 
and a reference to the title under which the case is filed. For in- 
stance, for the second defendant, J. H. Smith, the cross-reference 
card would read : 

Smith, J. H., U. S. v. (See U. S. v. Jones, 28.3.) 

Where there are a number of defendants and need is felt for hav- 
ing cross references for each, a single operation on the typewriter 
will suffice. By carbon process as many copies should be made as 
there are additional defendants. The several defendants may be 
checked or underscored indicating under which each copy should be 
filed. 

In connection with the present practice of indexing correspondence 
in the Division of Mails and Files in order to assign the arbitrary 
file numbers it is important to note that in the neighborhood of 40 
per cent of the correspondence so indexed and numbered is referred 
to and retained in administrative offices (such as office of pardon 
attorney, appointment clerk, etc.), where separate files are main- 
tained. In the filing of this correspondence these offices ignore the 
file numbers assigned in the central file. Where such offices employ 
the numerical system of filing correspondence an independent series 
of numbers is used. This necessitates the maintenance of additional 
indexes and other records to classify and identify the correspondence 
filed on an arbitrary basis. 

Recording and hriefing. — Under the present practice records are 
kept in the Division of Mails and Files of all incoming and outgoing 
correspondence. On small 3 by 5 cards a brief or abstract of each 
incoming and outgoing communication is prepared in triplicate. 
This record contains the following items : 

1. The file and serial number. 

2. The judicial district, executive department, or the word " Mis- 
cellaneous." 

3. The date of the letter. 

4. The volume and page number of the copy book (for outgoing 
only) . 

5. The initials of the officer preparing the letter (for outgoing 
only). 

6. The initials of the clerk making brief card. 



DEPARTMENT OP JUSTICE. 651 

7. The name of the officer or employee to whom letter is assigned 
(for incoming only). 

8. A brief statement of the subject matter of the letter. 

The foregoing record, under the present system of filing and han- 
dling correspondence, serves a twofold purpose. First, it furnishes 
the serial number (the second division of the file number) which 
identifies the individual communication in the files, and, second, it 
affords a record of correspondence. Identification of the individual 
papers, in order to locate papers in the file, is wholly unnecessary even 
under the present system. The correspondence of the department is 
called for and used in the form of cases (which constitute the basic 
file unit) and not in the form of individual papers. Under the pro- 
posed classification, which will eliminate the arbitrary file number 
and substitute therefor a logical classification of numbers, the latter 
indicating the division of the file in which the respective cases will 
be assembled in alphabetical or subjective order, numbers serving to 
locate individual papers in the files will be unnecessary. In the sec- 
ond place, the record cards furnish a brief of all incoming and out- 
going correspondence in compliance with an order of the Attorney 
General dated June 1, 1910. This order directs that all correspond- 
ence, except that pertaining to the Bureau of Investigation, should go 
to the central file for recording. The foregoing order has not been 
strictly complied with. The Chief of the Division of Mails and Files 
indicates that in the neighborhood of 30,000 communications (of the 
94,000 which are handled by the central file) are not recorded. This 
demonstrates that for a large part of the correspondence— which is 
perhaps of less importance than the rest — such central recording is 
either inexpedient or unnecessary. In defense of the above practice 
it is contended that a central inspection and record should be main- 
tained of all correspondence which is referred to the several divisions 
or offices of the department for action. In this we do not concur. 
Indeed, the express exception in the foregoing order in favor of the 
Bureau of Investigation, whose correspondence, aggregating 60,000 
communications annually, is very important, indicates that corre- 
spondence can be as efficiently (and more expeditiously) handled 
without such initial record. The dispatch with which the incoming 
correspondence of the Bureau of Investigation must be and is han- 
dled, and the general excellence and simplicity of its filing system, 
eliminating all recording, indexing, and the use of arbitrary numbers, 
is convincing proof of the feasibility of the general scheme of filing 
suggested for the whole department. 

It is important to note that the records made of the individual 
communications received and prepared in the Department of Justice 
on the 3 by 5 cards before described do not constitute the working 
materials of the department. They are not used in the place of, 
nor in conjunction with, the original documents. Their sole value 



652 KEPOKTS OF COMMISSION" ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 



is to assist in locating the original documents which have been re- 
ceived in the department and referred or directed through the proper 
channels for action. The only contingency against which the present 
records of incoming and outgoing correspondence guard is the loss 
or destruction of correspondence. In such contingency, however, 
it merely places responsibility for the action by indicating the divi- 
sion to which the correspondence was referred and by which it was 
probably received. Such a record, however, is of little value and 
does not justify expense of keeping it. Furthermore, it is the ex- 
perience of other offices in the Government, and outside commercial 
concerns, that correspondence under a properly developed organiza- 
tion seldom goes astray. It is our opinion that such would be the 
experience in the Department of Justice. It is the belief of the 
commission that under the proposed arrangement of the j&les there 
will be more certainty in locating the correspondence which has been 
i-eferred for action, or has been acted upon, than under the present, 
and greater dispatch in the handling of it will result from having 
the correspondence referred direct to the bureaus affected, thus sav- 
ing the time consumed by the intermediate steps of indexing and 
recording such correspondence. The thought underlying the main- 
tenance of the elaborate index and other records in the central file 
emphasizes too much the possibility of documents being lost or de- 
stroyed. Altogether too great importance is placed upon a contin- 
gency which is very remote indeed. And it is very important to 
remember that in such event the record serves to indicate only what 
in its absence would be generally known, to wit, that such and such 
correspondence has been received and referred for action. For the 
files generally contain papers or statements having reference to the one 
concerning which inquiry was made, which serves the same purpose 
as the record cards. In the light of the comparatively enormous 
expense involved in the preparation of these records and the small 
value of such records we recommend that the practice be discontinued. 
The names and salaries of persons engaged in recording and brief- 
ing of correspondence and the filing of cards, the estimated portion 
of the whole time of each consumed in such work, and the cost 
thereof, as reported by this division, are as follows : 



Name. 


Salary. 


Per cent. 


Cost. 


Beard, M. 


11,000 

900 

900 

1,200 

1,000 

1,000 

720 

900 


50 
95 
60 

5 
100 
15 
10 

5 


$500 


Allen, G. W . . 


855 


Xiandrum, C. W . . 


540 


IiUtz, A. C 


60 


Manning, F. E . . . . 


1,000 


Borchardt, Herbert 


150 


Fisher, A 


72 


Duvall, C. C . 


45 






Total 






3,222 











DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 653 

The foregoing expense would be eliminated if the recommenda- 
tions of this commission are put into effect. 

The foregoing savings do not embrace the cost of cards, wear and 
tear upon the typewriters, cost of filing equipment, guide cards, etc., 
together with the value of floor space occupied by the equipment used 
in the above- described operations. 

e. Distribution of correspondence. 

By the adoption of the plan heretofore referred to — that is, indi- 
cating on the envelope by the addresser the office for which same is 
intended, as heretofore described — the cost of these operations will 
be reduced as follows : 

Distributing in pigeonholes, 75 per cent. 

Designation of person or office to whom letters are assigned, 75 
per cent. 

f. Press-copying correspondence. 

Under the present practice all the outgoing correspondence is 
press copied in the Division of Mails and Files, the same being press 
copied in bound tissue copy books, at a reported cost (for the opera- 
tion of copying alone) of $150 per annum. The press-copy record 
serves as the basis for the individual records of outgoing correspond- 
ence made in triplicates on the cards 3 by 5 inches in dimension. If 
the other recommendations of this report are put into effect, there 
will be no reason whatever for the continuance of this record. The 
carbon copies now kept answer fully all the requirements which are 
claimed for the press copying. The discontinuance of press copy- 
ing will effect a saving, as stated, of $150 per year in the Division of 
Mails and Files. This does not include the cost of copy books, 
copying cloths, or other supplies used in connection with the opera- 
tion, nor the value of space used for storing same. 

The practice of press-copying correspondence continues also in 
some of the bureaus and offices of the department. In every instance 
carbon copies are also made, which should dispense with the former. 
We recommend that this practice be abandoned. 

g. Dispatching correspondence. 

In the dispatching of correspondence it is recommended that the 
window envelope be used, thereby eliminating the necessity for ad- 
dressing the envelope and at the same time precluding the possi- 
bility of errors arising from inserting a letter in the wrong envelope. 
Considerable time will be saved in inserting the letter in the envelope 
due to the fact that no time will be required in matching up the en- 
velope with the address as shown on the letter. This, together with 
the elimination of the operation involved in the addressing of en- 
velopes, will effect a very definite saving. 



654 KEPOETS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

h. Filing correspondence. 

The proposed rearrangement of the files in keeping with a uniform 
subjective classification to be devised for the legal cases has been dis- 
cussed. It is contemplated that the central file be maintained only 
as the repository of closed cases. The closed legal cases will be 
transferred from the segregated files in the offices of the several 
Assistant Attorneys General from time to time to the central file, 
which will be classified on the same basis. In other words, it is in- 
tended that the system in vogue in the maintenance of the current 
file will be carried out in the storage file in so far as centralization is 
concerned. Hence, the various files contained in the administrative 
units of the departmental organization will be transferred to the 
storage file in the Division of Mails and Files, separate files being 
maintained for each division or bureau of the department and in 
keeping with the system in vogue in such offices. Reference to the 
central file will be reduced to the minimum, inasmuch as it will be 
retained as the repository of closed cases. One clerk will be able to 
adequately file all correspondence, as well as the House and Senate 
documents (which do not require a great deal of time), and supply 
requests for papers from the files. It is thought that in addition he 
will be able to perform miscellaneous duties arising from time to 
time. The expense of filing correspondence at the present time is in 
the neighborhood of $1,800. It is though that the expense can be 
reduced at least 50 per cent under the proposed rearrangement of the 
files. 

i. Departmental docket of cases. 

IT IS EECOMMENDED THAT THE DEPARTMENTAL. DOCKET OF CASES NOW 
MAINTAINED IN THE CENTRAL FILE BE DISCONTINUED. 

The Division of Mails and Files maintains a card docket of all 
cases to which the United States is a party or in which it is interested. 
This record is made on heavy white cards, 4 by 6 inches in dimensions, 
which are assembled by judicial districts in alphabetical order ac- 
cording to the name of the initial defendants. The information con- 
tained on the cards consists of the following items : 

1. Number of the case. 

2. District in which the action is instituted. 

3. The offense. 

Under the present practice a subsidiary is maintained for cross 
reference. In this index cards bearing the foregoing items are filed 
alphabetically, according to the names of additional defendants or 
additional titles under which the cases may be known. 

The foregoing docket is intended for general use throughout the 
department. Its use, however, has been considerably limited because 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 655 

of the fact that similar memoranda dockets (in duplication of the 
above docket) are kept in the various offices of the department. It 
is believed that the purpose would be almost entirely removed if the 
suggestions contained in the subsequent paragraph are put into effect. 

The United States attorneys throughout the country notify the 
department of the institution of suits on forms specially provided 
for that purpose. It is from these form reports that the cards com- 
prising the present departmental docket are prepared. Under the 
present practice more than one case may be listed on each form blank. 
In this connection it is recommended that the size of the form be 
reduced so that they will accommodate but one case. This will 
enable the department to distribute the "original notices of commence- 
ment of proceedings (w^hich are received in duplicate) among the 
several offices which make use of the information contained thereon. 
It is recommended that these offices file such notices in permanent 
form so as to serve the purpose of the memoranda dockets which are 
now maintained. And by placing these notices in the hands of the 
several offices, which still have reference to the central file, the pur- 
pose of the latter will be entirely removed. The maintenance of the 
departmental docket is very expensive under the present practice, and 
its use so limited that no sound reason can be given for its con- 
tinuance, especially in view of the fact that the distribution of the 
original notices in such form as to be utilized as docket files will 
eliminate whatever reference is now made to the foregoing docket. 

Different estimates have been furnished the commission of the ex- 
pense involved in the keeping or maintenance of the departmental 
docket. The last statement furnished — which is a little in excess of 
the estimates made by the commission — indicates that it is in the 
neighborhood of $2,000 per annum. By the adoption of the foregoing 
recommendations this expense will be entirely eliminated, 
j. Summary of savings {Division of Mails and Files). 

The following is a statement of the savings to be effected by the 
foregoing changes. These savings are shown under the various opera- 
tions which will be either entirely eliminated or substantially changed 
if the recommendations in this report are put into effect : 

Opening, receiving, and assigning $675 

Indexing of correspondence ^ 3, 080 

Recording of correspondence 3, 222 

Distributing correspondence C) 

Press copying correspondence 150 

Filing correspondence 900 

Departmental docket 1 2,000 

Dispatching correspondence ' C) 

10, 027 

1 Saving not estimated. 



656 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The foregoing shows an annual saving in the sum of $10,027. It 
is the thought of the commission, however, that the savings t6 be 
effected will be greater. After the foregoing changes have been put 
into effect the only duties which will devolve upon the Division of 
Mails and Files are as follows : 

a. Initial handling and distribution of a portion of the correspond- 

ence received. 

b. Filing of closed cases and supplying requests therefor. 

c. Miscellaneous duties, having reference, direct or indirect, to the 

files, such as preparing data for annual statistics, etc. 

It is the belief of the commission that all of the work devolving 
upon the central file under the proposed changes can be efficiently 
performed by the following organization: 

1. Clerk in charge (who will also act as inspector of the Division of 

Files) $1, 800 

2. Filing and utility clerk L 1, 200 

3. Assignment and utility clerk 1, 20O 

4. Messenger : , 720 

5,120 
This will reduce the present personnel of the Division of Mails and 
Files as follows: 

1 clerk (class 4) $1,800 

1 clerk (class 2) 1.400 

1 clerk (class 1)_ 1,200 

6 clerks (at $1,000) 6.000 

3 clerks (at $900) 2,700 

1 messenger (at $720) 720 

13, 820 
The foregoing represents the aggregate saving to be effected by the 
changes recommended. The difference between the savings shown 
specifically under the practices which now obtain in the division and 
the aggregate saving which is thought can be effected is $3,793. 

The classification of salary expense furnished the commission by 
the Department of Justice distributed this amount among various 
miscellaneous operations. These operations, from the information 
furnished, could not be intelligently classified under the practices 
above outlined, although they are for the most part related to these 
practices, and would be rendered unnecessary under the proposed 
changes. 

2. Critical comnhent and recommendations on the 'practices in the 
several bureaus and divisions. 

(a) Superintendent of prisons. — An anomalous arrangement pre- 
vails with reference to the correspondence affecting this office in that 
the segregation of the files is applied for one division of the corre- 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 657 

spondence, embracing about one-half of the entire volume, whereas 
centralization in the Division of Mails and Files obtains for the 
balance. The correspondence pertaining to parole matters is per- 
manently filed in the superintendent's office ; the correspondence relat- 
ing to prisons and prisoners is referred back to the central file and 
permanently disposed of there. Despite the fact that the two 
branches of the files of this office are more or less independent of 
each other, no sound reason suggests itself why the present arrange- 
ment should be continued. The principles underlying the present 
segregation of the files in the several offices to which they belong 
apply here as in other divisions of the department. 

The present arrangement of the files was not effected until the first 
of this year. Up to that time complete files were maintained in this 
office. In explanation of the reasons which led to the change, the 
clerk in charge of the central file informed a representative of this 
commission that the superintendent's office experienced some diffi- 
culty in handling this division of the file; that it was in a confused 
state, etc. It is felt that the foregoing reasons, which would have 
been removed by an improvement in the method, should not weigh 
heavily. The correspondence relating to prisons and prisoners, like 
the correspondence relating to parole matters, is in constant use; 
reference to the papers of one file is as frequent as to the papers of 
the other file ; and the advantages derived from having the physical 
units of the file of parole matters located in this office will be had 
from a similar arrangement of the prison file. No greater difficulty 
should be experienced in handling one branch of the files than in 
handling the other, and we are confirmed in the opinion that this 
office, with complete filing equipment and clerical help, is able to 
maintain its files with reference to prisons and prisoners in the same 
orderly manner that it is at the present time maintaining its parole 
file. It is strongly urged that complete files be restored to this office. 
The primary divisions of the files may be classified as follows: (1) 
Parole; (2) Prisons and prisoners. 

Parole matters, although related to, are handled wholly distinct 
from the other subjects over which this office has jurisdiction, these 
being grouped under the caption " Prisons and prisoners." 

1. Parole. 

At the present time this division of the files (physically located in 
the superintendent's office) is classified as follows: (a) Pending 
cases; (5) denied cases; (c) approved cases. 

The foregoing represents a natural and simple subdivision of the 

files. The first two divisions of the file are classified primarily by 

penitentiary. Within each primary division the cases are assembled 

according to the registry number assigned by the prisons. The last 

72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 42 



G58 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION OK" ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

of the above mentioned are arranged in numerical order according 
to a new series of numbers — the numbering being continuous from 
1 up — which are assigned to the approved cases. It is suggested — 
in view of the proposed changes in records hereinafter outlined — that 
the first two divisions be continued as the}^ are at x^resent, that the 
approved cases be assembled in numerical order according to the 
registry numbers assigned b_y the prisons, separate sections being- 
used for each penitentiary. A somewhat better arrangement would 
result if the three divisions were based upon a uniform arrange- 
ment. No reason suggests itself for departing from the prearranged 
registry number, which has a definite value in identifying records, 
to a new series of arbitrary numbers. 

Kecording and indexing: Under the present practice parole rec- 
ords of Federal prisoners are kept in large bound registers, one regis- 
ter being used for each of the three United States penitentiaries. We 
recommend that these bound registers be discontinued and card 
records, one for each penitentiary, be substituted therefor. On each 
card printed designations should provide for information similar to 
that contained in the present bound volume. This record may be 
added to and completed as action is taken or new developments 
occur. 

It is suggested that within each division of the card file (the 
penitentiaries constituting the separate divisions of the file) the 
cards be assembled alphabetically according to the names of the 
prisoners. Inasmuch as the original papers are assembled according 
to the registry numbers, a cross reference is thus obtained by names. 
A ready reference to any prisoner's records will thus be furnished 
either on the basis of the prisoner's name or registry number. It is 
thought that the card record, furnishing an independent parole record 
for statistical and other purposes, will serve the purpose of all the 
records now maintained. 

It is entirely feasible to transfer the cards of prisoners whose appli- 
cations for parole have been favorably passed upon to a separate 
card file of "Approved cases." The purpose of the present card index 
to the parole file of approved cases would be served by assembling 
the approved cards, culled from a general card record of prisoners, 
in a distinct file. The arrangement should be alphabetical through- 
out, no division being maintained for the several penitentiaries. A 
separate division of the file of original papers and card records, 
styled " Miscellaneous," would embrace the State institution in 
which Federal prisoners are confined. This file should be subdivided 
according to the States in which State institutions having possession 
of Government prisoners are located. A separate folder envelope 
should be used for each prisoner. The foregoing changes, if put 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 659 

into effect, would discontinue: (a) Three bound dockets or registers 
of prisoners; (b) the bound index to such docliet; (c) the present 
card index of paroled cases. 

The purpose of the foregoing records would be completely served 
by the card records outlined above. Such records, with the files as 
rearranged, will furnish the same access to parole records of prisoners 
as the present record. It is thought that the proposed rearrange- 
ment of the files will effect a better organization of the working of 
cards and effect a considerable saving of time over the present prac- 
tice. The proposed records install a simple means of identifying 
the original papers — ^which constitute the working materials of the 
office — and at the same time furnishes an independent parole record, 
in brief forms, of all cases handled or disposed of. 

Under the present practice, large wooden shelves are used as the 
filing equipment for the pending and dead cases. While it is entirely 
feasible to continue the use of these shelves, we believe that a some- 
what better arrangement will be accomplished by using vertical files 
for these cases. If vertical files are installed throughout, the heavy 
and expensive envelope now used may be discarded and manila fold- 
ers of appropriate size substituted. The use of folders affords greater 
facility in handling the cases. 
2. Prison and prisoners. 

It is suggested that the files of the correspondence falling under 
this head, which under present practice is permanently filed in the 
central file on an arbitrary numerical basis, be restored to this office. 

No difficulty should be met with in devising a classification of 
correspondence which would place the files on a self -indexing basis. 
Separate divisons of the file should be maintained for each of the 
three Federal penitentiaries. A fourth division, styled " State insti- 
tutions," would embrace the State institutions in which Federal 
prisoners are confined. Each of the three primary divisions repre- 
senting the Federal penitentiary would conform, with reference to its 
subdivisions, to the other two. The following is suggested as a 
tentative classification, which may be modified to adjust itself to the 
peculiar character of the correspondence : 

1. Atlanta Penitentiary. 

1. Maintenance (supplies). 

2. Construction. 

1. Requisitions. 

2. Bids, etc. 

3. Contracts. 

4. Bond. 

5. Tests. 



660 REPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. . 

1. Atlanta Penitentiary — Continued. 

3. Care and discipline of prisoners. 

1. Insane. 

2. Escaped prisoners. 

3. Prisoners to be transferred. 

1. From State institutions. 

2. To court. 

3. Account of health. 

4. Dietary of prisoners. 

4. Rules and regulations. 

5. Request for legal opinions. 

6. Commutation earnings. 

7. Discharge gratuities. 

8. Records and reports of prisoners. 

9. General. 

2. Leavenworth Penitentiary. 

(Note — same classification as " 1.") 

3. McNeil Island Penitentiary. 

(Note — same classification as " 1 " and " 2.") 

4. State Institutions. 
6. Miscellaneous. 

Under " Maintenance " will be assembled requisitions, correspond- 
ence relating to such requisitions, upon which expenditures are made 
or to be made from the various appropriations provided for the 
maintenance of United States prisons and prisoners. The subject of 
expenditure (or the different appropriations from which the expendi- 
tures are made) would furnish a simple classification of correspond- 
ence. The secondary arrangement or subdivision of " Construction " 
is suggested above. Further subdivision may be made as is feasible. 
Under the subdivisions " Care and discipline of prisoners," to wit, 
(1) Insane prisoners, (2) Escaped prisoners, (3) Prisoners to be 
transferred, will be assembled the reports, related corespondence be- 
ing attached thereto, on individual cases in alphabetical order, 
according to the prisoners' names. It will be feasible to classify the 
requests for legal opinions according to the subjects on which the 
opinions are rendered. The applications for the restoration of com- 
mutation should be filed alphabetically according to the names of the 
applicants. A similar alphabetical arrangement is suggested for the 
discharge gratuities. Under " Records and reports of prisoners " 
should be assembled the various monthly and quarterly lists, reports, 
and accounts, which can be conveniently placed in a vertical file. 
The present practice of filing in old-style document boxes may be con- 
tinued, as those reports are on forms specially provided for such 
filing. 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 661 

A subjective classification of the correspondence relating to prisons 
and prisoners would render the files readily accessible without the 
assistance of card index or other records. The suggested change 
would necessarily impose a little additional work on the filing clerk. 
The other changes, however, eliminating certain practices now pre- 
vailing in the maintenance of parole records and files will more than 
offset such additional work imposed by the installation of the prison 
files in this office. The rearrangement of the files so that all of the 
j)apers would be lodged here instead of a portion here and a portion 
in the central files, under the present practice, would result in cer- 
tain direct benefits, not measurable in terms of money, which would 
greatly increase the efficiency of the office. The advantages may 
be expressed in terms of greater accessibility to the working papers 
of the ofiice and the increased familiarity with the business of the 
office resulting therefrom, 
b. 0-fflce of appointment clerh. 

Separate files are maintained in the office of the appointment clerk, 
which are arranged on a self-indexing basis. The critical sugges- 
tions of the commission are directed against the present practice of 
(a) folding correspondence and filing it in the old-stj'-le document 
boxes, (b) briefing (a portion of the correspondence), (c) press 
copying, (d) binding and indexing carbon copies. 

Practically all of the current or active correspondence of this ofiice 
is filed in the old-style document files, which are classified so as to 
be self -indexing. We recommend that this system be supplanted by 
the vertical flat-filing system, in keeping with the recommendations 
of Circular 21 published by this commission. The classification of 
the different boxes or sets of boxes under the present practice will 
furnish the primary divisions of the vertical file. The proposed 
arrangement would simplify the working of the file and eliminate 
the present practice of briefing a certain class of correspondence. 
The brief serves only to identify or facilitate the identification of 
correspondence which has been filed. With the adoption of the flat 
filing, however, the necessity for the brief is removed. The present 
expense of briefing correspondence, which is estimated by the de- 
partment at $180 per annum, would be eliminated by the change. 

Press copying. — For the reasons which have already been set forth 
it is recommended that the practice in this office of press copying 
correspondence be discontinued. Carbon copies, which should an- 
swer all purposes served by the press copies, are prepared for all 
the correspondence. We see no reason for the continuance of records 
or of the press-copy record. 

It is estimated that from 8 to 10 press-copy books, containing 500 
pages each, are used for the press copying of correspondence. The 



662 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

saving effected will include not only the time of messengers consumed 
in this work, but also the cost of books and the space used for filing 
these records. 

Garhon record {of changes in personnel). — Carbon copies of cor- 
respondence affecting appointments are not placed in the files at- 
tached to the incoming correspondence. Under the present practice 
these copies, assembled in chronological order, together with the 
loose-leaf indexes which are prepared from time to time, are bound 
in book form every six months. 

We see no reason for the continuance of this practice. The changes 
effected are recorded on the personnel-card records of the office. 
These furnish the exact status of any case. As a record of correspond- 
ence the carbon copy should be attached to the incoming correspond- 
ence. We recommend that the present practice be discontinued and 
that the copies be placed in the regular files. 

Notices of changes in personnel. — This office is charged wdth the 
preparation of notices of changes in personnel, which are circulated 
throughout the department for general information, and the correc- 
tion of records. These notices are prepared every two or three days 
by typewriting operation on sheets letter size, as many copies being 
made as are necessary. We suggest the possibility of rearranging the 
form or size of this notice so that the various offices making use of 
the information will be relieved of further duplicating the record for 
its own use. A possible saving is to be had by so arranging these 
notices that each division may use them as the record instead of being 
compelled to take the record off on forms used in such offices. 

c. Office of the pardon attorney. 

The suggestions of the commission with respect to this office are 
directed against (a) the folding of correspondence and filing it in 
document file boxes, (b) the maintenance of elaborate records inci- 
dental to filing such correspondence on an arbitrary numerical basis. 

It is recommended that the vertical filing equipment be installed 
and the files be arranged on a self-indexing basis. The files should 
be arranged in two divisions — (1) the pardon file, (2) the miscel- 
laneous file. The former would embrace all the correspondence re- 
lating to petitions for pardons, which aggregate more than 95 per 
cent of the entire correspondence conducted by this office. This 
correspondence naturally groups itself into file units which might 
be styled " cases." Each case includes or embraces all of the corre- 
spondence relating to a given petition for pardon. The initial com- 
munication of a case is generally the petition from the person desiring 
pardon. Inasmuch as all the correspondence relates to such peti- 
tions, the simplest arrangement — ^yet one which is wholly adequate, 
furnishing the greatest rapidity and certainty in obtaining desired 
cases from the files — would be straight alphabetical according to the 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 6.63 

names of the petitioners. The miscellaneous correspondence is that 
correspondence which either has no reference to the pardon cases, or, 
at a given time, has not been ripened into a pardon case.' The 
arrangement of this file should likewise be alphabetical according 
to the names of the correspondents, or the names of the prospective 
applicants for pardon. 

In connection with the rearrangement of the files on a subjective 
basis, as here suggested, it is recommended that a folder be used 
for each case. On the front thereof special rulings may be provided 
for the entry and record of the important steps taken in each case. 
This will obviate whatever necessity there is for the maintenance 
of the present elaborate docket record, and will furnish a basis for 
any statistical data which may be compiled from time to time. Inas- 
much as many inquiries are addressed to the pardon attorney requir- 
ing immediate information as to status of pending petitions, such a 
record would be helpful in enabling the pardon attorney to deter- 
mine at a glance the exact status of a case and the steps which had 
been taken. 

Briefing. — Under the present practice the correspondence of each 
case is folded and inclosed in a linen-lined jacket. On the outside 
of the jacket indorsements are made showing the essential facts in 
connection with the case and the action taken thereon. This might 
be termed the briefing of the case. The recommendations looking 
toward the filing of papers flat instead of folded will eliminate the 
jacket. The history of the case will be entered on the manila folder 
in which the papers will be inclosed and filed flat. In addition to 
briefing the case it is the present practice to brief the individual 
communications. Each communication after being folded is briefed 
on the top of the front fold. The brief included the (a) date of the 
letter, (b) the name of the applicant, (c) name of writer and sub- 
ject of letter (in a word or two). Under the proposed system of 
filing papers flat the purpose of the briefing will be removed. 

Recording and indexing record of pardon applications. — It is rec- 
ommended that the " record of pardon applications " be discontinued. 
This is a bound record in which the petitions are entered in the order 
of their receipt, the correspondence for each case being recorded in 
chronological order. The nature of record is indicated by the fol- 
lowing printed designation, opposite which the entries are made. 
Case of. 
Offense. 
Sentence. 

Date referred to United States attorney. 
Date United States attorney's report received. 
Judge's report received. 
Warden's report received. 
Reported to. 



664 KEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON" ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Attorney General recommends. 

Forwarded to the President. 

Case received from the President. 

Action. 

Warrant sent to the President 

Received from the President. 

Transmitted to. . 

Receipt of w^arrant returned. 

Under the present practice the " Record of pardon applications " 
furnishes the basis for tlie assignment of the file number, inasmuch as 
the file number of each case corresponds to the volume and page of 
the record in which it is entered. For instance the file entered, as 
above described, on page 231. of the docket, volume 221, would be 21- 
231. The rearrangement of the fijes on a self-indexing basis would 
eliminate the use of the arbitrary numbers for filing purposes. 
(There is no reason, however, why a serial number may not be re- 
tained for statistical or other purposes.) No reason suggests itself 
why the foregoing elaborate record — which, we understand, has been 
maintained for many years — should be continued. The correspond- 
ence and records furnished in compliance with rules prescribed by 
the department are easily accessible in the files of the office. A 
record, constituting the history of the case, may be entered on the 
manila folder in which the papers in the case are inclosed. This 
will answer the purpose of the present bound volume. 

Recording and indexing {index to the files). — The present arbi- 
trary numerical system of filing requires a general index to the files on 
cards 3 hj 5 inches in dimensions on which are shown the (a) names 
of applicants, (b) judicial districts, and (c) number of the page and 
volume where each case is docketed. The rearrangement of the files 
on a self-indexing basis will dispense altogether with this index. It 
. is recommended that it be discontinued. 

At the present time in the neighborhood of three-fourths of the 
incoming correspondence is received direct and unopened from the 
chief messenger. Under the present practice this portion of the cor- 
respondence, after being examined by the pardon attorney, is referred 
to the central file for the requisite recording and indexing. This 
practice will be discontinued if the foregoing recommendations with 
reference to the organization of the central file and the elimination 
of the present practice of recording and indexing correspondence 
are put into effect. 

Press copying. — It is recommended that the present practice of 
press copying outgoing letters, which are bound in volumes of 500 
pages each and indexed, be discontinued. Inasmuch as the carbon 
copy of each communication prepared in this office is filed with the 
case, being always accessible, there is no reason why this practice of 
duplicating work should be continued. 



DEPAETMENT OF JQSTICE. 665 

Car'hon cofies. — Under the present practice two carbon copies of all 
letters prepared in this office are made. One copy is filed with the 
case. This practice should be continued under the proposed re- 
arrangement of the file. The other copy is preserved and from time 
to time is bound and indexed, the copies being arranged chronologi- 
call3\ This practice is out of date and, as we see it, serves no purpose 
whatever. We suggest that it be discontinued. 

Summary of changes and savings in the ojfice of pardon attorney. — 
The changes suggested in this report consist of : 

{a) Substitution of the flat files for the present method of folding- 
correspondence and filing in document files. 

{h) Discontinuance of briefing individual communications. 

(c) Discontinuance of the present indexes. 

{d) Discontinuance of the bound docket of cases. 

{e) Discontinuance of press copjdng. 

(/) Discontinuance of bound carbon copy record. 

{g) Rearrangement of files on a self -indexing basis, as outlined. 

The foregoing changes will effect a considerable improvement in 
the organization of the files and a large reduction in the work which 
devolves upon the file and utility clerk. This clerk will be able to 
perform additional duties which may be imposed upon him by the 
pardon attorney. 

d. Bureau of Investigation. 

We have no changes to suggest in the filing methods of this office. 
The volume of correspondence handled by this office aggregates in 
the neighborhood of 60,000 communications annually. This corre- 
spondence, incoming and outgoing, does not pass through the Divi- 
sion of Mails and Files for the central recording and indexing herein- 
before considered. The chief of this bureau stated that the nature 
of this correspondence — which is unusually important and of a con- 
fidential character — made it inexpedient to record it in the central file. 
The greater dispatch and secrecy to be obtained in the handling of 
correspondence by the elimination of the central record thereof are 
considerations which necessarily apply to other divisions, although 
in a less pronounced way. The distribution of correspondence direct 
and, as far as possible, unopened, is recommended for the department 
generally in another part of the report. 

The files of this office are handled in an efficient and economical 
manner. They are arranged on a simple (self -indexing) basis which 
substantially eliminates the preparation of index and other corre- 
spondence records. Despite the fact that the filing system of any 
office must adjust itself to local conditions, it is thought that this 
office has solved its problem along lines that are of general applica- 
tion in the Department of Justice. 



666 EEPOETS OP COMMISSION ON" ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Under the present practice the special agents (of which there are 
70) report daily as to their operations. It is thought that a daily 
report from each special agent is not essential to the present efficient 
supervision of the field force. Instead of such daily reports, which 
entail considerable administrative examination, it is suggested that 
regular reports' be required every week or ten days. In addition to 
such j)eriodic reports the agents may be required to submit special 
reports of significant or unusual developments in the prosecution of 
an inquiry or investigation. Such a change will relieve the field force 
of the preparation, and the bureau of the examination, of a large 
number of reports that are of little or no value. And the require- 
ment of special reports, as above outlined, will secure to the bureau 
immediate advice as to developments of which it should be informed. 

It may be desirable in the event the foregoing suggestion is acted 
on to exact a daily time report (for which a form may be devised) 
showing the hours of actual service and the place where such services 
were performed. 

e. Divisio7i of Accounts. 

Agreeably to the general recommendation of segregated files, it is 
recommended that complete files of current or active correspondence 
be kept in this office. Under the present practice a file is maintained 
of copies of outgoing correspondence, in duplication of the records of 
the central file. The arrangement of this file is as follows : 

Letters to tlie Senate and House and officials of tlie executive departments, 
classified as to departments and officials. 

Letters to United States attorneys, United States marshals, clerks in United 
States courts, classified by districts and officials within each district. 

Letters of clerks in circuit courts of appeals, by circuits. 

Letters to United States commissioners, alphabetically arranged. 

Letters to United States judges, alphabetically arranged. 

Miscellaneous letters, alphabetically arranged. 

Sheets showing disallowances in accounts, alphabetically arranged. 

The foregoing classification, which places the files on a self-index- 
ing basis, seems to be adequate and simple. Putting the foregoing- 
recommendations into effect will require only the attaching of the 
incoming correspondence, which at the present time is referred to 
the central files and files on a numerical basis, to the carbon copies 
retained. Little or no additional work will be imposed upon the 
filing clerk. 

The foregoing rearrangement of the files will effect a saving not 
only in eliminating the present duplication of work in the central 
file but also in rendering all the working papers of the division more 
accessible. The present need for an additional carbon will be re- 
moved if the foregoing recommendation is put into effect. 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 667 

Briejing. — A rather odd practice prevails in briefing each com- 
munication on the margin of the letter. This brief is a short ab- 
stract of the subject of the letter, indicating the nature of the com- 
munication answered. Under the rearrangement of the files, making 
both incoming and outgoing correspondence available, this record 
will serve no purpose. We recommend that the practice be discon- 
tinued, 
f. Public Lands Division. 

In keeping with the plan of segregation already discussed in this 
report, it is recommended that separate files be instituted in this 
division for its current or active cases. This division would be as- 
signed the subjects over which it has jurisdiction, the primary classi- 
fication of which would be, as already suggested, the various judicial 
districts of the United States. Within each division the file units — 
cases — should be arranged alphabetically according to the names of 
the initial defendants. Owing to the fact that statistics are com- 
piled with reference to criminal and civil cases it might be well to 
further subdivide this file by grouping the civil cases distinct from 
criminal cases. The foregoing represents the scheme of filing which 
has already been discussed applicable to all of the oifices charged 
with the preparation of legal cases. 

It is recommended that the card record or indexes containing a digest 
of all incoviing and outgoing correspondence he discontinued. 

A card docket is kept in this division on which is recorded a digest 
of all incoming and outgoing correspondence. A distinct card or 
set of cards is used for each case, the entries being made in chrono- 
logical order. The primary purpose of this record is to furnish 
without reference to the central files complete information as to the 
status of every case being handled. We are convinced that there 
will be no need whatever for the continuance of this record — which 
requires a large portion of the time of one clerk — if this division 
maintains its own files agreeably to the plan already outlined. 

Dochet of cases. — An elaborate docket or record of pending litiga- 
tion, in duplication of the departmental docket in the Division of 
Mails and Files, is maintained in this office. 

This record is prepared from correspondence received in the divi- 
sion and from the docket reports which are referred, after action 
taken by the Division of Mails and Files, to this division. The 
record is used for statistical purposes to a large extent. For this 
reason the cases are classified as follows : 

1. Cases arising from trespass on the public lands. 

2. Actions at law to recover for deceit in the procurement of patents to public 
lands. 



668 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

3. Suits in equity to confirm title in bona fide purchasers of lands erroneously 
patented or certified, and to recover the minimum Government price thereof 
from the patentees. 

4. Suits to cancel patents, certifications, and mesne conveyances for fraud 
or mistake, and for incidental pecuniary relief. 

5. Criminal cases based on ofilenses committed in the entry of, and procure- 
ment of patents to, public lands. 

6. Suits to declare forfeiture of grants of land or rights of way for breach 
of condition. 

7. Suits to restrain interference vpith reclamation work. 

8. Action against public ofiicials defended by the Department of Justice. 

9. Cases arising on defaults of contractors engaged in work on reclamation 
projects. 

10. Miscellaneous. 

If the cases instituted were reported on forms accommodating but 
one case, instead of several, this office would be able to file such 
notices, classified in the same manner as the book register, the various 
classes of cases representing the primary divisions of the file. The 
purpose of the foregoing docket or register of cases which requires 
considerable clerical work would be removed. Each foi-m should 
contain designations similar to the designations from the pages of 
the docket. From time to time as developments occur the necessary 
entries could be made on the respective records. When the cases 
were closed, they could be removed to a closed file. It is not seen why 
such a record would not serve all of the purposes of the present 
bound register, at the same time effecting a considerable saving in 
the clerical work which is involved in the keeping of the foregoing 
elaborate record, 
g. 0-ffice of dishursing clerk. 

The recommendations of the commission with reference to the files 
of this office are directed against the present practice of — 

(a) Folding correspondence and filing it in old-style document 
filing boxes. 

(&) Briefing of correspondence. 

((?) Recording outgoing correspondence (in a bound volume). 

It is recommended that vertical filing equipment be installed, the 
system of filing being changed from folded to flat. The reasons 
underlying this recommendation have been sufficiently set forth in 
Circular 21. This change would simplify the work of filing and 
remove the necessity for briefing correspondence. 

Under the present practice, a portion of the correspondence, includ- 
ing department memoranda, miscellaneous letters (600), and com- 
munications from other departments (50) is briefed. Inasmuch as 
the change of the system of filing from folding to flat would elimi- 
nate any necessity for this record, it is recommended that the practice 
be discontinued. The estimated saving is $100 per annum. 



DEPARTMENT OP JUSTICE. 669' 

Outgoing correspondence is press copied. From the press-copy 
book it is recorded in a large bound register. For each communica- 
tion is shown the following items : 

(1) Date, (2) book (press-copybook), (3) page (press-copy book) y 
(4) name, (5) subject. 

With the carbon copies, attached to the incoming letters and easily 
accessible in the files, we see no necessity for the foregoing additional 
record. The papers themselves are the working materials. We rec- 
ommend that this record be discontinued. The estimated saving 
is $200. 

h. Oflce of Solicitor for the Department of Com/merce and Lahor^ etc. 

Despite the fact that the files of this office are very orderly and the 
papers readily accessible, it is believed that the paper work can be 
considerably reduced, with the same or increased efficiency, by rear- 
rsbnging the files on a self -indexing basis. 

The present system is based upon the arbitrary numbering method. 
Three different series of progress numbers are used to identify the 
primary division of the file, which are as follows : 

{a) General (including legal opinions and miscellaneous). 

(&) Bonds, etc. 

{c) Compensation claims. 

The assignment of the arbitrary serial numbers upon which the 
filing system is based necessitates an elaborate system of recording and 
indexing. The index records serve only to identify the cases in the 
files. If the latter were classified on a self-indexing basis, agreeably 
to the suggestions herein contained, the operations of recording and 
indexing could be substantially eliminated. 

No difficulty should be experienced in devising a classification of 
the correspondence which would place the files on a self-indexing 
basis. It is entirely feasible to use as a basis of such classification the 
primary divisions of the present file. These would be as follows : 

1. Legal opinions (requests for) . 

2. Claims (compensation). 

3. Contracts, etc. 

/ 

a. Contracts. 

5. Leases. 

G. Bonds (alien). 

d. Bonds (contract). 

e. Bonds (official). 
/. Insurance policies. 

4. General. 

Division 1 should be further classified subjectively according to 
the subjects on which legal opinions are rendered. Division 2 should 



670 KEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

be further classified alphabetically according to the name of the 
claimant. Division 3 or the several divisions thereof should be classi- 
fied alphabetically according to the individuals or corporations af- 
fected. In isolated cases it might be necessary to depart from the 
alphabetical classification. Division 4 will present the general cor- 
respondence of the office. This correspondence, for the most part, 
groujDS itself into cases; the cases represent the inquiries or subjects 
submitted to this office for investigation and action. Within this 
unit (i. e., the case) is assembled all of the papers relating to a 
particular inquiry, etc. It is suggested that these cases be grouped 
subjectively; that is, under the subjects to which they relate. The 
cases may be assembled in alphabetical order. For that portion of 
the general correspondence which does not relate to cases a miscel- 
laneous division of the general file may be maintained in which the 
correspondence will be filed alphabetically according to the names of 
the correspondents. 

The advantages of arranging the files on a self-indexing basis 
has been set forth in great detail in another part of this report. In 
the first place, the proposed arrangement — which carries the classi- 
fication, now made on index -cards, to the files themselves — would 
eliminate the expense involved in the preparation of index cards. 
It would furnish the same facility in locating the original papers 
in the files as the present does in locating the index cards which 
identify the papers in the file. In the second place, the records them- 
selves will be more accessible under the suggested arrangement, inas- 
much as the intermediate reference to the card index to determine 
the identifying file number will be obviated. 

It is true that in isolated cases it will be necessary to make cross 
references to the files. For instance, where a communication refers 
to several subjects, cross references should be made to the svibjects 
other than the one under which the correspondence is filed. Similar 
cross references may be necessary to important statutes to which a 
communication relates. For the most part, however, the primary 
classification will suffice. It is suggested that the cross reference be 
placed in the files rather than in a separate or independent card 
index. The latter, however, is entirely feasible. 

Several records are prepared in conjunction with the present sys- 
tem of filing which are described under " Briefing." These consist 
of (a) Solicitor's memorandum ; (&) Eecords; (c) Daily records. 

The information contained in each is similar, although a different 
purpose is served. Under the present practice the foregoing are 
prepared by separate typewriting operations. The record sheets 
serve as the basis for recording and indexing of correspondence. 
This will be rendered unnecessary if the files are rearranged on a 
self-indexing basis. The solicitor's memorandum is used by the 



DEPARTMENT OP JUSTICE. 671 

solicitor or assistant solicitor in conjunction with the assignment of 
correspondence. This memorandum serves to describe the communi- 
cations to be assigned. When assigned, entry is made thereon of the 
attorney to whom it has been referred for action. This record seems 
unnecessary. The well-defined distribution of work among the vari- 
ous legal assistants indicates sufficiently the exact location of pending 
cases. It is important to note that the solicitor necessarily makes his 
assignment for the original papers, rather than from the records 
thereof on the memorandum. The daily record sheet furnishes the 
solicitor with information as to cases on hand. In an office as well 
organized as this no need should be felt for daily record of this 
nature. A weekly or semimonthly report from each of the personnel 
indicating the cases pending, with a description indicating the date 
of the inception of each case, etc.^, for instance, would serve the pur- 
pose of the daily record at a considerable reduction of clerical work 
involved. We suggest that the solicitor's memorandum and the daily 
record be discontinued. If this suggestion is not put into effect, 
however, the present practice of preparing these records by separate 
process should be continued. A rearrangement of the size and form 
of these records, on both of which is entered similar information, 
would facilitate the making of one by carbon process, 
i. Ofjice of Solicitor for the Dejjartment of the Treasury. 

The filing system of this office is based upon the assignment of an 
arbitrary number. It resembles the numerical system of the central 
files (Division of Mails and Files). The correspondence of this 
office — like that of the department proper — groups itself naturally 
into cases. A case, which represents the final file unit, embraces all 
correspondence, both incoming and outgoing, relating to a particular 
inquiry, investigation, or subject. It is to this file the unit of the 
arbitrary serial number, identifying and locating the correspondence 
in the files, is assigned. 

The considerations in favor of rearranging the files on a self-index- 
ing basis are treated at length under a consideration of the central 
file. Inasmuch as the filing problems of this office are similar to those 
of the department proper, the considerations submitted under the 
above caption apply here. The chief advantages to be derived from 
the proposed reclassification of the files are : 

{a) The elimination of the elaborate system of recording and in- 
dexing now maintained. 

(b) Greater facility in searching the files, inasmuch as the inter- 
mediate reference to the card indexes to determine the identifying 
filing numbers is eliminated. 

(c) The indirect advantages growing out of having the files logi- 
cally classified, thus assembling related papers in the same divisions 
of the file. 



672 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The rearrangement of the files on a self-indexing basis will result 
in the substantial elimination of the preparation of index cards and 
the classification of correspondence incidental thereto. At the present 
time a record is prepared of each incoming and outgoing communi- 
cation on cards 4 by 6 inches in dimensions. The description of the 
operations involved furnished this commission indicates that the cards 
are classified by subjects and individuals. The primary, if not sole, 
puri^ose of the foregoing record is to identify and locate papers in 
the file. Under the proposed rearrangement of the file, which will 
make it self-indexing, the purpose of the card index will be removed. 

As a tentative basis of the proposed classification, the details of 
which may be worked out by the office to conform more accurately to 
the conditions, it is suggested that the primary divisions be main- 
tained for the following classes of correspondence : 

1. Relating to cases. 

2. Reports from the officers of the several districts. 

3. Miscellaneous. 

The first primary division above mentioned represents the largest 
and by far the most important branch of the correspondence of the 
office. The secondary divisions of this file should conform to the gen- 
eral subjects, such as land, internal revenue, etc., into which the cases 
naturally fall or may be classified. Within the respective secondary 
divisions the cases (representing the final file units) should be as- 
sembled alphabetically according to the name of the initial defendant. 

The second division of the file would include the regular reports 
received from the offices of the several judicial and customs districts. 
They should be filed primarily by districts, the secondary division 
consisting of the respective offices within the districts, under which 
the reports might be assembled in chronological order. The third 
division of the files would embrace the miscellaneous correspondence. 
The arrangement of this should be alphabetical throughout, accord- 
ing to the name of the correspondents. 

The use of numbers identifying the primary and secondary divi- 
sions of the file was discussed in the consideration of the numerical 
filing system of the department proper. The considerations there set 
forth in favor of their use apply here, although their value is not 
so definite, inasmuch as the file of this office is less complicated than 
the other. 

j. Bureau defending suits in Court of Claims. 

■ The suggestions and recommendations for this office are directed 
against the following practices which prevail under the present pro- 
cedure.^ 



1 Since the submission of the descriptive statement for confirmation, steps have been 
taken to put into effect certain recommendations contained in Circular 21. The present 
report proceeds on conditions as set forth in the descriptive report. 



DEPAKTME2fT OP JUSTICE, 673 

{a) Folding correspondence and filing it in old-style document 
boxes. 

(b) Docketing cases in bound records. 

((?) Filing copies of outgoing correspondence separate from the 
incoming. 

It is recommended that the present practice of folding correspond- 
ence and filing it in old-style document boxes be discontinued. The 
reasons supporting this recommendation are sufficiently set forth in 
Circular No. 21, published by this commission. The principles therein 
recited are of general application. Under the proposed rearrange- 
ment of the files the present practice of briefing, which applies to only 
a portion of the correspondence, should be discontinued. 

In connection with the j)roposed filing system it is suggested that 
the files be rearranged in certain respects. The primary divisions of 
the file should be maintained as at present: 

1. General jurisdiction. 

2. Congressional. 

3. Departmental. 

General juHscUction and congressional cases. — Arbitrary serial 
numbers, styled " Docket numbers," are assigned to the general juris- 
diction and congressional cases by the Court of Claims. Separate 
dockets are used for each of the above classes. It is suggested that 
(1) pleadings, (2) correspondence, and (3) printed matter (evidence, 
briefs, etc.,) be filed according to this prearranged number assigned 
by the Court of Claims. In other words, the congressional cases and 
general jurisdiction cases will constitute distinct files or separate divi- 
sions of the file. The file unit of each class, consisting of the cases, 
will be assembled in numerical order according to the docket numbers 
above described. Pleadings and correspondence should be assembled 
together in a vertical filing equipment. It is suggested that separate 
manila folders be used for each. It will be more satisfactory to file 
the printed matter separate from the other papers (pleadings and 
correspondence) in boxes of convenient size. As indicated, supra, the 
same numbers — the Court of Claims docket numbers — will determine 
the location of both divisions of the file belonging to a given case. 

Department cases. — It is suggested that these cases which are not 
numerous be classified primarily by departments and within each 
division as subjects. This would place the files on a self -indexing 
basis. 

Recording and indexing. — It is recommended that the present 
elaborate dockets, similar to the dockets of the Court of Claims, be 
discontinued and that card records, as herein outlined, be substituted 
therefore. In the present dockets the cases, which are instituted in 
the Court of Claims, are entered in chronological order. The record 
of each case includes not only a description of the case (that is, docket 

72734°— H. Doc. 12.52. 62-3 43 



;6,74 REPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

number, parties, date, amount claimed, etc.), but also a history of 
the proceedings in court and a detailed record of the incoming and 
outgoing correspondence conducted with refemce to it. Inasmuch as 
these cases are entered in chronological order, alphabetical card 
indexes are maintained to identify the cases in the docket. 

The above recommendation contemplates the abandonment of the 
bound volumes and the substitution therefor of card records. On 
each card will be entered a description of the case similar to the 
description entered in the bound volume. In addition thereto the 
proceedings in court will be entered. The individual cards will be 
assembled in alphabetical order. The card records will serve the 
purpose of the present docket record in furnishing the status of each 
and every case with the defense of which this office is charged. Inas- 
much as the cards could be assembled in alphabetical order, it would 
serve the purpose of, and dispense with, the card indexes, which are 
at the present time kept in the bound dockets. 

Under the present practice the record of each case entered in the 
bound volumes includes a detailed chronological statement of the 
incoming and outgoing correspondence conducted by the office. We 
see no necessity for such record of correspondence, the originals of 
which are easily accessible in the files. It is recommended that the 
records entered on the cards be limited to proceedings in court. This 
will furnish the officers of the bureau a record or statement of the 
status of any case and the steps or proceedings taken in the court. 
If further information than this is desired, the original correspond- 
ence must in any event be referred to. Such original papers are on 
file in the office. The foregoing detailed record of the incoming and 
outgoing correspondence informs the bureau — without reference to 
•the files — what correspondence has been received and prepared in 
each case. It is thought, however, that the files, which constitute the 
working materials, should furnish the record of correspondence 
received and prepared. 

It is recommended that cards, medium weight, 4 by 6 inches in 
dimensions (although it is feasible to use a larger card), be used for 
the proposed docket record. Printed headings, similar to the designa- 
tions on the bound docket, should provide for entry of items descrip- 
tive of the case. These would be as follows: Docket No. . 

Name of claimant . Nature of claim . Amount 

claimed . Claimant's attorney . Attorney having 

charge of defense . Proceedings. 

It is suggested that the division of the proposed card docket and 
index be kept for the current or pending and the closed cases. The 
use of cards, segregating the cards of active and closed cases, which 
cards may be assembled according to any classification desired, would 
facilitate the compilation of the statistical data for the annual report 
or other purposes. 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 675 

The foregoing card file or docket, being arranged in alphabetical 
order according to the names of the claimants, will furnish the docket 
(or file) number of each case — ^the location of the case in the file 
being determined by this number. Inasmuch as the file docket will 
be self -indexing (in which respect it differs from the bound docket) 
it will serve the purpose of, and dispense with, the alphabetical index 
to the present bound docket. 

It may be urged that the records prepared on cards are not as 
secure from loss or destruction as records prepared in bound form. 
This is true. It is the experience, however, of all properly organized 
offices that records on cards are seldom, if ever, misplaced or lost. 
On the happening of such remote contingency no embarrassment, 
other than the forced delay in securing the information from other 
sources, will result. Such other source — in the case of this office — 
consists of the file of legal papers and correspondence. It is im- 
portant to note that the present docket is not an independent work- 
ing record of the office which is used to the exclusion of the files. 
It is, or at least should be, used in conjunction with the file of work- 
ing material of which it constitutes the index and docket record. 
The original papers, or copies thereof, are retained in the files of 
this office, and would, under an orderly system, be readily accessible. 

It is not thought that the present bound records are well adapted 
to the purpose they serve. Owing to their limited use, as heretofore 
outlined, and the expense involved in their maintenance and the 
preparation of the card indexes which are necessary to identify such 
records, no reason can be advanced for their continuance. 

The bureau did not furnish an estimate of the expense of keeping 
the chronological record of correspondence in these dockets. Judg- 
ing from the elaborate manner in which the individual cases are 
entered, it is apparent that a considerable reduction of clerical work 
will result from the discontinuance of the present practice. 

At the present time the following force is employed in this file 
room: 

Clerk in charge (Thos. H. Wright) $1,600 

Has charge of all matters in the file room, including 
the arrangement and docketing of claims, custody of 
oflBce papers, records, etc. 

Clerk 1,000 

Employed as utility clerk in connection with file and 
docket records. 

. Clerk (John R. Wright) 1.200 

Employed in the file room in docketing claims and 
general file work; also subject to call as stenog- 
rapher. 

Certain miscellaneous work which should devolve upon the file 
room proper is referred to clerks of other divisons for attention. The 
preparation of the cards which constitute the index to a certain docket 



676 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

is referred to a clerk at $1,000 per annum, who is two floors removed 
from the file room. The cards, when prepared, are referred to the 
file room with the cases indexed. As already indicated, the prepa- 
ration of these cards will be eliminated by installing the card docket, 
which will place the docket file on a self -indexing basis. This change 
will effect a saving equivalent to the time consumed in the prepara- 
tion of these cards. Again, a stenographer (at $1,600 per annum) is 
charged with keeping the miscellaneous letter file (self -indexing pro- 
tection letter-file boxes being used for this class of the correspond- 
ence), and the file of carbon copies (which, under the present prac- 
tice, are not attached to the incoming correspondence). In another 
part of this report the above practice has been commented upon and 
its discontinuance recommended. The miscellaneous correspondence 
(i. e., having no direct reference to cases) should be placed in the 
regular vertical equipment, a separate division styled " Miscella- 
neous " being kept therefor. The arrangement of this division of the 
file should be alphabetical, according to the names of the correspond- 
ents. Under such an arrangement of the files the foregoing duties, 
which at present devolve upon the stenographer mentioned, would 
be placed upon the file clerk, to whom they properly belong. 

Of the force maintained in the file room, two clerks (at $1,600 and 
$1,000) are exclusively engaged in the filing of correspondence and 
the preparation of records incidental thereto. A large portion of the 
time of a third clerk (at $1,200 per annum) is consumed in the filing 
work. The aggregate expense involved in the maintenance of a 
central file is in the neighborhood of $3,400. This does not include 
the expense charged against the two clerks who perform miscellane- 
ous duties relating to the files. By the institution of flat filing, the 
discontinuance of briefing, the discontinuance of the elaborate docket 
records, and the rearrangement of the files on a simpler basis, as 
hereinbefore outlined, it is estimated that one clerk, at a salary of 
$1,200 per annum, could efficiently perform all the work and duties 
which devolve upon the filing section of this office. 

The clerk in charge of the file room has been in the service in the 
neighborhood of 50 years. While his record, no doubt, reflects great 
credit, we feel compelled to state that he is quite unfit, because of his 
age, to perform the active duties which devolve upon a file clerk. 

The critical comments and recommendations presented in this 
report are based upon the detailed statements of fact given in the 
appendix which follows. 
Kespectfully submitted. 

Frederick A. Cleveland, 
Walter W. Warwick, 
Merritt O. Chance, 

Commissioners. 



Appendix. 



Desckiptive Statement of the Present Methods of Handling and Filing 
Correspondence in the Department of Justice. 

1. delivery of mail, opening, and first distribution. 

The mail for the Department of Justice is delivered by the department's 
wagon to the chief messenger at the following hours of the day: 8.30 a. m.. 
10.30 a. m., 12 noon, 3 p. m., 4 p. m. 

The chief messenger sorts the mail into the following classes, using a dis- 
tributing case for that purpose : 

1. Mail addressed to the officers of the department in their personal capacity. 

2. Mail addressed to the Attorney General marked " private " or " confi- 
dential." 

3. Mail addressed to the Bureau of Investigation. 

4. Mail addressed to the superintendent of prisons. 

5. Mail addressed to the bureau defending suits in the Court of Claims in 
district and circuit courts. 

6. Mail addressed to the pardon attorney. 

7. Mail addressed to the disbursing clerk. 

8. Mail addressed to the Division of Accounts. 

9. The remainder (general departmental mail). 

Such part of the official mail as falls in classes 1 to 8, above mentioned, is 
not opened by the chief messenger. It is distributed by him according to the 
office indicated and collected from the distributing cases at various times of 
the day by messengers of the various bureaus and divisions concerned. This 
mail, which represents at least 50 per cent of the aggregate, does not pass 
through the Division of Mails and Files (i. e., the central file). The remainder 
of the mail, described above as the general departmental mail, is opened by the 
chief messenger and delivered to the Division of Mail and Files. 

2. organization and methods of mail and files division. 

The Division of Mail and Files (office of the chief clerk) is the central or 
general file of the Department of Justice. In this division the general cor- 
respondence, records, and files of the department are maintained. The primary 
function of this office is that of handling and filing correspondence. 

The division occupies six offices or rooms on the first floor of the department 
building, two rooms in the basement floor, in addition to a large room in the 
building adjacent thereto, which is used as the repository of the files. 
Organization: 

The Division of Mail and Files is immediately under the direction and super- 
vision of a clerk, who is designated as the Chief of the Division of Mail and 
Files. His compensation is $1,800 per annum. He reports to the chief clerk 
of the department. The organization of this division, which consists of 15 
clerks and 2 messengers, is as follows : 

Chief of division (clerk, class 4) $1,800 

Assistant to chief (clerk, class 4) 1,800 

Clerk, class 2 1,400 

677 



678 KEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Clerk, class 2 $1, 400 

Clerk, class 1 1, 200 

Clerk 1, 200 

Clerk , 1,000 

Clerk 900 

Clerk 900 

Clerk 1,000 

Clerk 900 

Clerk 1,000 

Clerk 1,000 

Clerk 1,000 

Clerk 900 

Messenger 720 

Messenger 720 

Total 18, 840 

General description of ivork of division. 

The work of tliis division, which is priraarily a recording and filing office, 
consists principally of (1) stamping, briefing and recording, indexing, and dis- 
tributing incoming mail; (2) briefing and recording, indexing, and press copy- 
ing outgoing mail; (3) filing of the general departmental correspondence (incom- 
ing and outgoing) that is not filed in other offices or bureaus of the department. 
House and Senate bills and public documents; (4) keeping docket of cases; 
(5) miscellaneous correspondence. 

The operations of the division are so interrelated that the lines are not 
sharply drawn between one activity or process and another; where the per- 
sonnel is so small the work will necessarily overlap. 

Classification of correspondence. — The volume of correspondence received 
annually in this division aggregates 93,400^ communications. In addition 
thereto the division handles annually 22.000 House and Senate documents." 
The foregoing correspondence might be classified as follows: 
From the executive departments in Washington : 

Recorded 17, 070 

Miscellaneous — unrecorded 8,530 

25, 600 

From United States attorneys and marshals : 

Recorded 25, 200 

Miscellaneous — unrecorded 12, 600 

37, 800 

From miscellaneous sources : 

Recorded — 20,000 

Unrecorded 10, 000 

30, 000 

Total 93, 400 

Work related to inco7ning mail. 

As indicated, the mail passing through the central file is opened by the chief 
messenger of the department. The chief messenger's room, which is about 40 
feet from the office of the Division of Mail and Files, opens into the same hall. 

1 These figures submitted by the chief of division are 20,000 in excess of the figures 
submitted by him in February, 1911. 

2 Five copies of each document (of which there are 22,000 each year, estimated) are 
received ; one is distributed to the chief clerk ; one to the Assistant Attorney General ; 
the remaining copies being placed on file (House and Senate file) awaiting future call. 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 679 

The envelopes in which the mail is received are retained in a cabinet in the 
chief messenger's room for a period of two weeks, in order to insure the Govern- 
ment against loss of valuable inclosures which may be overlooked in the mail 
at the time of opening, and also occasionally to verify the date or place of 
dispatch of a particular communication addressed to the department v/heu they 
can not be determined from the letter itself. The chief messenger stated that 
there are frequent calls — several a week — to ascertain the time or i^lace of 
dispatch from the postmark on the envelope. 

The chief messenger's salary is $1,000 per annum. He estimates that he 
spends 122 per cent of his time opening mail. On this basis, the annual salary 
cost would be $125. The chief messenger delivers the official mail after it is 
opened to the assignment clerk of this division, A. C. Lietz. He stamps *^he 
date and hour of receipt on the face of each communication. The follov.';ng is 
an illustration of the stamp used : 

MAR. 2. 2-35 p. m. 1912. 

For the purpose of assignment a second stamp, of which the following is an 
illustration, is placed immediately below the date: 



Department of Justice 

Feb. 8, 1912 
Mail and Files Division. 



Action - 



From an inspection of the communication the assignment clerk (Lietz) de- 
termines the officer to whom the communication should be referred for action, 
and stamps the name or title of such officer In the blank space of the stamp just 
described, immediately below the date. In some cases the latter does not indi- 
cate to whom it should be assigned, in which case Mr. Lietz refers to the 
subject and numerical index (and occasionally to the files themselves) to deter- 
mine the attorney or officer of the department who is in charge of that case. 

Indexing. — The mail is then turned over to a clerk, class 1 (Mr. Watson), 
who has charge of the classification of the mail according to its respective 
subject numbers. From an examination of the subject index (hereinafter de- 
scribed) the classification clerk determines whether there are any previous 
papers in ttie case and, if so, the file number is written on the back of the com- 
munication with lead pencil. A clerk (Herbert Borchardt) assists Mr. Watson 
tlie first two hours in the morning in searching subject files. 

This — the general files index — is a card index, based upon a subjective classi- 
fication of all the business to which the correspondence which passes through 
the general file pertains. Each new subject is furnished with a new subject 
number. This is an arbitrary number — the next number after the one last as- 
signed. A subject once indexed (that is, given a number) serves for all subse- 
quent communications on that subject. 

If there are no previous papers in the case, the communication is referred to 
Mr. Crew (the index clerk), who prepares the requisite subject-index cards 
and cross references.^ 

1 It should be noted that this is the general index to the correspondence file. A more 
detailed description of its character and scheme is shown under the subject, " Filing of 
Correspondence." As the file is maintained, however, In conjunction with the operations 
above described (in the individual treatment of the correspondence) this description 
properly appears here. 



680 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

After the subject number of the correspondence (which is the file number) 
has been ascertained and indorsed on the back of the communication by Mr. 
Watson, it is given to Mr. Manning, who has charge of the numerical card 
index. From this index Mr. Manning determines the serial number of the 
communication in a particular case. In the blank space of the receiving stamp 
above the date Mr. Manning inserts the file or subject number (which is already 
on the back of the communication), and the serial number, separating the two 
by a dash. The following is an illustration of the stamp after all entries have 
been made as above described: 



40000—55 



Department of Justice 

Feb. 8. 1912 

Mail and Files Division. 

Attorney General 



Action 



The numerical index is a card index from which is determined the serial num- 
ber of all incoming and outgoing correspondence. The cards filed in this index 
(which are described under " Briefing and recording ") receive a subject number 
from the subject index before described. These cards are filed numerically 
according to such subject number, and under each subject number according to 
serial number. By reference to the subject number and under that subject 
number the last serial number used is determined the serial number of the 
communication being handled. On a thin white card kept in this file, for each 
subject number is indicated the last serial number used so that in the event 
a serial number is used and the same subject is repeated (demanding the next 
serial number in that subject) before the record card for the former is made 
up and filed, the former serial number will not be duplicated. These cards 
easily identify the individual communications within each subject.^ 

The assignment, subject, and numerical index clerks (Lietz, Watson, and 
Manning) are in the same room. The numerical file is to the left of the assign- 
ment desk, opposite which is the subject file. The arrangement of equipment 
and clerks makes for the maximum dispatch in the performance of the fore- 
going duties. 

The names and salaries of persons engaged in the foregoing operations (open- 
ing, receiving, stamping, indexing, etc. ) , the estimated portion of the whole time 
of each consumed in such work, and the cost thereof are as follows : 



Name. 


Duties. 


Salary. 


Portion of 
whole time 

engaged 

upon such 

work. 


Net cost. 


3. H. Hanev 


Opening 


SI, 000 
1, 200 
1,200 
1,000 


Per cent. 

15 

50 

100 

66§ 


$150. 00 


A. C. Lietz 


Assigning 


600. 00 


li. P. Watson 


Subject classification 

Numerical indexing 


1, 200. 00 


F. E. Manning 


666. 66 








Total net cost 


2,616.66 











Briefing and recording (incoming correspondence). 

After the completion of the foregoing operations (i. e., opening, stamping, 
and indexing) correspondence passes from Mr. Manning to the briefing and 

1 The extent to which these cards serve as a brief and record of such correspondence 
is treated under " Briefing and recording." 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 681 

recording clerks (M. O. Beard. G. W. Allen, C. W. Landrum), who are located 
in the same room. 

With few exceptions, all the official mail (both incoming and outgoing) 
which is handled through the central files is briefed and recorded. Ac- 
cording to the system which here prevails, briefing and recording comprises but 
one operation. This is done on thin 3 by 5 inch cards, a separate card being 
used for each communication briefed. Cards of three colors — white, blue, and 
green — are used. The brief, which is typewritten in triplicate, contains the 
following items: (1) The file and serial number of the correspondence; (2) 
the judicial district, executive department, or, in the case of a point of origin 
other than the two described, the word "miscellaneous"; (3) the date of the 
letter; (4) the name of the letter; (5) a brief statement of the subject matter 
of the letter (10 to 20 words) ; (6) the name of the officer or employee to v-'hom 
the letter is assigned. 

The following is an illustration of the form used in the preparation of 
this record, together with the items above mentiond, as they are arranged: 



150503-14 



Miscl. 



Oct. 2, 1910, 10/12/lO.K 



Samuel J. Kusterman, 
Martinsburg, W. Va. 
Desires information concerning the timber trespass ease against John 
Doe & Co., Idaho ; is interested in the lands involved. 

Knaebel. 

The white and blue cards are permanently filed in this division; the green 
card accompanies the communication to the office of the clerk to whom it is 
sent for action, to be used by him as a tickler, or for any other purpose it 
may serve. 

The indexes of the white cards (which are kept in the adjacent room) are 
classified into three divisions (the division into which the mail naturally 
divides itself) — (1) Executive departments. (2) Attorneys and marshals, (3) 
Miscellaneous. 

1. Under " Executive departments " separate sections are maintained for 
such units at Washington as each of the nine executive departments, the United 
States Supreme Court, the Civil Service Commission, Commission on Fine Arts, 
Customs Court, Interstate Commerce Commission, Library of Congress. Public 
Printer, Superintendent of Documents, Smithsonian Institution, and the Court 
of Claims. In each of these indexes cards are filed in chronological order .'^ 

2. The second division of this index contains the record cards of correspond- 
ence with attorneys and marshals. The white cards for this (the incoming) 
correspondence are filed primarily according- to the States, which are arranged 
alphabetically. Subdivisions occur where there is more than one judicial dis- 
trict in a State. 

3. The third subdivision is that of the miscellaneous correspondence of the 
department. The record cards for this correspondence are filed alphabetically. 

The blue index card is filed in the numerical files (which have been described) 
according to the file and serial number. 

1 A separate section is also maintained for the House of Representatives and the Senate, 
in which the white cards are filed alphabetically. 



682 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

It might at this point be noted that in the files just described is recorded not 
only the incoming correspondence, which is briefed on the white and blue cards, 
but also the outgoing correspondence, which is briefed on yellow and salmon 
cards.^ 

The yellow card is filed under an arrangement similar to that of the white 
card ; the salmon-colored card under an arrangement similar to that of the 
blue card. 

These record or brief cards serve as a complete duplicate history of corre- 
spondence (both incoming and outgoing) with each department, judicial dis- 
trict, or individual whose communications are handled in the Division of Mail 
and Files. The white (incoming correspondence) and the yellow cards (out- 
going correspondence), which are filed for the most part in chronological order, 
serve as a complete history of the correspondence with an office or individual. 
The blue card (incoming correspondence) and the salmon-colored card (out- 
going correspondence) serve as a history of the correspondence on Jttiy subject. 

The foregoing discussion with reference to briefing and recording concerns 
the major portion of the correspondence which goes through the Division of 
Mail and Files, i. e., the official correspondence which is permanently filed in 
this division. As pointed out in the introduction, however, certain offices, 
such as the office of the pardon clerk, appointment clerk, etc. (which will be 
dealt with more specifically in this report), maintain independent files in 
which their correspondence is retained. Pursuant to an order of the Attorney 
General, No. 148, dated June 1, 1910, this mail must go through the central 
file for recording, in order that there may be in the Mail and File Division a 
reference to each official letter received in the department.^ 

If the mail falling within this class is received direct by this division, from 
which it is distributed (such as in the case of the appointment clerk) this record 
is made up in the ordinary course of recording the official mail as already de- 
scribed. Where the mail is distributed unopened to the office or officer in 
charge of the subject (such as in the case of the pardon clerk) it is referred 
back for recording. This record is typewritten on a thin white 3 by 5 inch 
card, which is filed in the white card index. The record contains the same 
information as the cards which have already been described, save that the 
subject and serial number are omitted and the brief contains only the name of 
the individual involved. Inasmuch as the correspondence is not retained in 
the files of the division, there is no need for a file number. The card serves 
at once as a reference card and charge against the office or officer to which it 
has been assigned for action. Names and salaries of persons engaged in brief- 
ing and recording incoming correspondence, the estimated portion of the whole 
time consumed by each person in this work, and the cost thereof are approxi- 
mately as follows: 



Name. 


Annual 
salary. 


Portion of 
whole time 

engaged 
upon work. 


Net cost. 


M. 0. Beard 


1,000 
900 
900 


Per cent. 
35 
40 
40 


$350 


G. W.Allen 


360 


C. W. Landrum 


36U 







1 A description of the " recording and briefing of outgoing correspondence " will be 
found under that head. 

2 Express exception in the oi'der is made for the Bureau of Investigations. Practice 
has sanctioned one or two other exceptions. 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 683 

From an examination of tlie foregoing salary table, it will be seen that tlie 
total cost of preparing the briefs of incoming correspondence is $1,070 per 
annum. 

The chief of division estimates that in the neighborhood of 150,000 cards are 
used for preparing and recording incoming correspondence (of this number 
about 30 per cent is made up of the green cards, which accompany the letters 
and do not form a permanent record ) . The cost per thousand is 58 cents, which 
would make an annual cost of $87 for incoming correspondence. 

Distribution {incoming eorrespondence) . — After the mail has been recorded 
and briefed as described in the foregoing chapter, it is referred to the index 
clerk (Mr. Crew). He detaches the white and blue cards (which are then filed 
in the two card indexes already described) and makes the requisite subject index 
cards together with all cross references for the mail that has not been properly 
indexed. The mail is then turned over to the chief of division or his assistant 
for examination and distribution. An inspection is made for the purpose of 
verifying assignments, etc. 

The name of the office or officer to whom the letters are assigned, stamped 
on the face of the letter, facilitates distribution. A large distribution case is 
maintained in the room adjacent to the office of the clerk in charge. The 
actual distribution of the mail into the trays labeled with the names of the office 
or officer to whom assigned is usually done by the chief of division. A red slip 
marked " Special " is attached to letters, telegrams, or other communications, 
which require immediate action. 

The chief of division estimates that the work of distribution requires 5 per 
cent of his time and about 10 per cent of the time of a messenger. The salary 
of the former is $1,800 and the latter $720, which would make a total net cost 
for this work of $162 per annum. 
Work related to outgoing correspondence. 

After the correspondence has been acted upon by the office to which it was 
referred it is returned to the Division of Mail and Files, accompanied by the 
replies prepared, the necessary carbons, etc. When the outgoing mail has been 
prepared by the Attorney General, the assistant to the Attorney General, or 
any one of the Assistant Attorneys General, it is signed by such officer before 
coming to the Division of Mail and Files. If it is prepared in an office or divi- 
sion the officer in charge of which is under the rank of an Assistant Attorney 
General, it is sent to the division without signature. 

The outgoing mail, prepared in the various offices, is inspected and prepared 
for signature and press copying, or, in the event it has been signed, for press 
copying, by Mr. Borchardt. He examines it to see that the correspondence is 
properly initialed, numbered, and the necessary carbons attached. He stamps 
on the carbons the name of the officer signing the original. After the mail is 
signed and properly checked it is press copied, and Mr. Borchardt then incloses 
it in envelopes for mailing. 

Press copying {outgoing mail). — All of the mail which goes through this 
division is press copied. This is done in bound books of 500 sheets each. It 
is estimated that about 100 books are used annually, the books being numbered 
consecutively. 

The individual press-copy books are not indexed, but from the press copy is 
made the brief or record of outgoing correspondence (described under " briefing 
and recording"), which serves not only as an index of the press-copy books, but 
also of the carbon copy in the files. In other words, the one operation serves 
as the index for both. 



684 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The press copying is done by tlie messenger, Abraham Fisher. About one- 
fifth of his time is consumed in this work. His salary is $720 per annum, 
which makes the net salary cost $144 per annum. 

Briefing and recording (outgoing correspondence) . 

A brief is made of all outgoing letters similar to that in the case of incoming 
correspondence. It is typewritten in duplicate (not triplicate) on colored cards. 
yellow and salmon. The brief contains the following items : 

1. The file and serial number of the correspondence. 

2. The judicial district, the executive department, or, in the case of another 
point of destination than the two described, the word "miscellaneous." 

3. The date of the letter. 

4. The volume and page number of the copy book in which the letter has been 
copied. 

5. The initials of the officer preparing the letter. 

6. The initials of the clerk making the brief card. 

7. The name of the office or officer to whom the letter is addressed. 

8. A brief statement of the subject matter of the letter (10 to 20 words). 
The following is an illustration of the form used, together with the entries 

which appear thereon : 



150503-12 



Idaho 



Sept. 2, 1910. 365-27. K-B. 



United States attorney. 
Accept offer of compromise, John Doe & Co., timber trespass, and dismiss suit. 

As indicated, cards of two colors are employed. The yellow card is filed 
under the office or name of the individual to whom the letter is written and the 
salmon card under the file and serial numbei*. The arrangement is similar to 
that under which the white and blue cards, respectively, are filed. In other 
words, each drawer of these card indexes contains a primary classification of 
incoming and outgoing; the white and yellow cards being used in the former, 
the blue and salmon cards in the latter. The names and salaries of the per- 
sons engaged in briefing and recording outgoing correspondence, the estimated 
portion of the whole time of each person on such work (which would be about 
the same as that required for the incoming correspondence), and the cost 
thereof are as follows : 



Name. 


Annual 
salary. 


Portion of 
whole time 

engaged 
upon work. 


Net cost. 


M. 0. Beard 


$1,000 
900 
900 


Per cent. 
35 
40 
40 


$350 


G. W. Allen 


360 


C. W. Landrum 


360 







Indexing (outgoing corresponde^ice) . — As is evidenced from the foregoing 
description, indexing of outgoing correspondence is closely related to, if not 
a part of, the work of briefing and recording. The plan is identical with that 
of incoming correspondence. In other words, indexing, briefing, and recording 
constitute one process. In the case of outgoing correspondence the press-copy 
books are the basis for the information which is assembled on the cards used 
for that purpose in the same manner as on the cards for incoming corre- 
spondence. The number of cards used annually for indexing outgoing cor- 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 685 

respondence is 96,000, and at 58 cents per thousand the annual cost thereof is 
$55.68. 

Filing {incoming and outgoing correspondence). — A separate room, the 
dimensions of which are 22 by 45 feet, is used for the files of this division. As 
has already been indicated, the system of filing is based upon the assignment 
of an arbitrary number (in other words, the files are not self-indexing). 
How this number is obtained has already been described. Bach communica- 
tion is filed, primarily, by its subject number. This subject number serves 
for the incoming as well as the outgoing correspondence. Under each 
subject number the files are arranged according to the serial number. In a 
few instances where the outgoing letter is not based upon the incoming cor- 
respondence an independent serial (not subject) is given to it. As will be 
noted, the assignment of the arbitrary number renders impossiblf» the filing of 
'all correspondence on a general subject in the same place. To illustrate: 
Taking the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway Co. as the geueral subject 
concerning which a great deal of correspondence would come into tiie depart- 
ment (and this is the fact), the primary subjects under which it is classified 
in this division (according to exhibits furnished this office) are as follows: 
Twenty-eight-hour law ; Safety appliances ; Quarantine regulations ; Transporta- 
tion account ; Rebates, Tennessee ; Obstruction of Kaw River, Kansas City, Kans. 
In other words, six different file numbers are assigned to the correspondence 
of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway Co. This means thac the 
correspondence with the company is filed in six different places — the locality 
(in the file) of one division of its correspondence having no reference to the 
locality of the other division. In other words, the violations of the Chicago, 
Rock Island & Pacific Railroad of the 28-hour law constitute a distinct case. 
The correspondence relating thereto is arbitrarily assigned to a distinct (sub- 
ject) number, assembled, and filed together in the files. But it should be 
remembered (and this is most important in a consideration of the filing system 
of this division) that correspondence with any other concern or individual in 
regard to any one of the foregoing subjects (such as 28-hour law) is assigned 
a number not only different from, but without any relation to, the number 
assigned to the correspondence on the same subject with the Chicago, Rock 
Island and Pacific Railway Co. If correspondence had been conducted with 
eight different companies on the subject of the 28-hour law, as many different 
file numbers (one having no reference to the other) would be assigned. Inas- 
jnuch as the file number determines the place where the correspondence is to be 
lodged in the file, papers relating to the same subject (such as 28-honr law) 
may be filed in widely separated places. In this sense there is no subjective 
classification of the files. 

A flat, vertical filing system is employed. The correspondence (both in- 
coming and outgoing) under each serial number is filed in jackets, 8* by 11 
inches in size, which not only protect the correspondence, but serve as a 
precaution against loss. Filing clerk, Mr. Ferguson, estimates that 100 requests 
are made daily for files. The office desiring a file in a certain case, having 
incoming correspondence before him, or some communication with refei'euce 
to the case, is able to determine the subject number and this file number calls 
for the complete file on the subject. Requisitions for the files are made on 
small, thin charge slips, salmon colored, 3 by 5 inches in size. These slips are 
received by the filing clerk and filed numerically. This file number and the 
name of the officer charged with the file are copied on an " out " or " charge " 
card, which is filed in place of the absent file. The charge card is a large 
salmon-colored card, 8| by 7 inches, which remain in the place of the absent 



686 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION OjST ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

file until it is returned. By reference to tlie numerical file of charge slips 
or tlie " out card " which contains the file number and the name of the officer 
who has called for the file, the filing clerk is enabled to determine at any time 
where the absent files are. These charge cards may be used many times and 
for any file. 

When the file is returned the charge slip, which has been filed numerically, 
and the charge card, which has been filed in the place of the absent file, is 
withdrawn, the file being replaced in the file case. At the end of the day 
these charge cards are checked against the charge slips in order to determine 
whether or not any papers have been wrongly filed. This checks against error, 
inasmuch as the filing clerk, whenever he discovers that the two do not corre- 
spond, may, by reference to these cards, go back over the ground and discover 
the papers which have been wrongly filed. 

To facilitate the work of filing, a guide card is used. This is a large, heavy 
blue card, 9i by 6 inches. One guide card is used for each subject number, 
the number being stamped in the upper left hand corner. Inasmuch as the 
fastener used on the file takes up some space the guide card is not an in- 
cumbrance upon the files. The use of this card also serves to guard against 
errors in filing, since the clerk will not file papers where a file is already 
present. 

A file is also here kept of Senate and House bills. President's messages, etc. 
This file is maintained for two sessions ; the House and Senate bills are subse- 
quently destroyed. Strictly speaking, this does not relate to the handling and 
filing of correspondence, but it indicates one of the miscellaneous duties of this 
division. 

A large room about 22 by 45 feet in the building adjacent to and at the rear 
of the main office building of the department is rented and used as a repository 
of the general files. There is no segregation made of the files on a basis of the 
live or dead cases. 

Keepmg of indexes to the correspondence files. — The subject index described 
under " Incoming correspondence " is the general index to the correspondence 
files. This index consists of cards 4 by 6 inches. These cards are filed alpha- 
betically according to subject classification. Each case has a subject number; 
when given a number that subject may be said to be indexed. A subject once 
indexed serves for all subsequent communications on that subject, although the 
index is elaborated upon from time to time as the names of additional defend- 
ants or other subjects are brought out by correspondence. A most elaborate 
system of cross indexing is installed. Each subject is cross indexed under the 
names of the defendants, places where place is material, and such other catch 
words as may be appropriate. 

The subject numbers are assigned arbitrarily. When a new subject arises it 
is given the first unassigned number. To illustrate, if 175,000 subjects have been 
assigned, a new subject will take the number 175,001, etc. 

The index clerk (Mr. Crew) prepares the requisite subject index cards and 
cross references. 

Preparation of correspondence. — The only correspondence prepared in this 
division has to do with miscellaneous inquiries with reference to requests for 
legal advice, citation of statutes, etc. The chief of the division prepares this 
correspondence. The volume is small, amounting to about 5,000 letters annually. 

DocTceting cases. — This division maintains a card docket of all cases to which 
the United States is a party, or in which it is interested. The docket consists 
of heavy white cards, 4 by 6 inches, which are filed alphabetically according to 
judicial district. 



DEPAETMENT OF JUSTICE. 



687 



The following items appear on the docket card under the arrangement indi- 
cated : 



District. 



District court. 



Number. 

Commenced. 

Offense. 

These cards are prepared from the reports furnished by the United States 
attorneys when a case is instituted, subsequent entries being made from reports 
submitted when any material entry is made on the court docket. The cases are 
cross indexed on a basis of defendants. Inasmuch as the case is started before 
the docket entry is made up, cross references on the basis of defendants is 
sufficient. 

Distinct card indexes are maintained for pending dead eases. When a case is 
decided in the lower court the docket card is shifted from the index of pending 
cases to the index for the dead cases. If an appeal is taken the card is trans- 
ferred back. 

Keeping of subsidiary index to docket. — A subsidiary or cross-reference index 
to the foregoing docket index is maintained also. This index is kept on slip 
cards which are filed alphabetically according to the names of defendants, 
except where the case is very important, in which case the name of the subject 
may be used. 

S. W. Beach is in charge of the docket. He devotes his entire time to this 
work, except during several mouths of the year when he is engaged in the 
preparation of statistics for the annual reports. C. C. Duvall assists in the 
preparation and filing of docket cards. 

The following is an estimate of the salary expense, per annum, for the main- 
tenance of the docket : 



Name. 



S. W. Beach 

C. W. Landram . 



Total net cost. 



Annual 
salary. 



$1,000 
900 



Portion of 
whole time 

engaged 
upon work. 



Per cent. 



Net cost. 



720 



1,520 



Names and salaries of persons employed in the Division of Mail and Files, with 
the whole time of each classified according to work performed. 



Name. 




Duties. 



Per cent 

of 

time. 



George F. Mikkelson, chief 
of division (clerk class 4). 



Arthur Robb, assistant to 
chief (clerk class 4). 



$1,800 



1,800 



Distribution of mail 

Dictation of correspondence , 

Supervision of mail and files 

Supervision of dockets, legislation, preparation of 
committee reports, etc, 

General supervision 

Indexing 

Distribution of mail 

Classification of involved subjects and suppljing re- 
quests for papers 



5 

10 
50 
35 

20 

10 

5 

65 



688 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Names and salaries of persons e^nployed in the Division of Mail and Files, xoi 
the loliole time of each classified according to icorlc performed — Continued. 



Name. 


Salary. 


Duties. 


Per cent 

of 

time. 


M. S. Koonee, clerk class 2 


$1,400 


Inspection and checking of mail for return to files . . . 
Changing form of flies from folded to flat, change of 
system. 


50 
50 


A. K. Brodie, clerk class 2 


1,400 


Physical filing of papers 


25 






Searching old records 


75 


Amos C. Lietz, clerk class 1. . . 


1,200 


Assignment of mail 


75 






Preparation of brief or record cards of correspondence . 


5 






Suppljang requests for papers and searching of 


1 






records. 






1,200 


Translations from German. . 


] 


L. P. Watson, clerk 


Classification of mail according to subject numbers . . 
Filing of subject index cards 


85 




15 


M. 0. Beard, clerk 


1,000 


Stenographic duties 


50 






Preparation of brief or record cards of correspondence. 


30 






Filing of brief or record cards 


20 




1,000 


Translation from French 




M. H. Ferguson, clerk 


Physical filing of correspondence 


75 






Filing of House and Senate bills and documents 


25 


E. W. Crew, clerk 


1,000 


Preparation of subject index cards from current 
correspondence. 


60 










Revision of old subject index 


30 






Relief telegrapher 


10 


Herbert Borchardt, clerk 


1,000 


Classification of mail according to subject numbers . . 


20 








50 






Inclosing mail in envelopes 


15 






Filing of brief or record cards 


15 


F. E, Manning, clerk 


900 


Placing file and serial nimiber on correspondence 
and filing numerical index cards. 


90 












Preparation of brief or record cards of correspondence. 


10 


S. W. Beach, clerk 


1,000 


Preparation and filing of docket cards and supply- 
ing requests for information. 


70 












Compilation of certain statistics for the annual report. 


30 


C. C. Duvall, clerk 


900 


Preparation and filing of docket cards and supply- 
ing requests for information. 


90 












Keeping up list of referees in bankruptcy 


5 






Preparation of brief or record cards of correspondence. 


5 


G. W. Allen, clerk 


900 


Preparation of brief or record cards of correspondence . 
Checking correspondence preparatory to filing 


95 






5 


C. U. Landrum, clerk 


900 


Preparation of brief or record cards of correspondence. 


60 






Assisting Mr. Beach on the dockets 


40 


Chris. Seyfarth, messenger. . . . 


720 


Messenger, physical filing of correspondence 


65 






T)Rli'vfirv of mail after rennrdinp 


15 




General messeneer work . . . . 


20 


Abraham Fisher, messenger. . 


720 


Messenger, delivery of mail after recording 


40 






General messenger work 


.35 






Press copying 


15 






Assembling cards and carbon papers for typewriter 


10 






operators. 




J. J. Haney, chief messenger 
of department. 


1,000 


The mail is received and opened by Mr. Haney, chief 
messenger of the department, who is not con- 










nected with the Mail and Files Division, and it is 








estimated that in this operation he consumes about 








15 per cent of his time. 





DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. ^89 

?,. ORGANIZATION AND METHODS OF THE DI\T:SI0N OF SUPPLIES. 

Ocncral statement pertaining to organization and duties. 

The Division of Supplies is a division under tlie jurisdiction of the chief 
clerk. There is no statute or departmental order establishing this unit of 
organization. It seems to have come into existence as a necessary incident 
to the appropriation for supplies for United States courts and judicial officers, 
which are provided for in the act of March 3, 1899. 

The duties of this division are as follows: (a) To purchase, recei^^', and 
distribute supplies of all kinds. (&) To secure and to pass on estimK >^ on 
special articles which are not kept in stock, (c) To maintain a record ecif ^in- 
consumable property of the Department of Justice, (d) To receive a^J dis- 
tribute all publications of the Department of Justice ; also United States Re- 
ports and Digest, Federal Report and Digest, public acts, advance sheets Deci- 
sions Supreme Court, session laws, Statutes at Large, and law books purchased 
under the appropriation, "Books for judicial affairs." (e) To maintain a 
stock record. (/) To maintain a record of all requisitions, (g) To order, 
receive, and distribute all printed matter of the department, (h) Other mis- 
cellaneous duties. 

The administrative head of the division is a clerk of class 4. The force over 
which he has direction is a clerk of class 3 ($1,600), two clerks of class D ($900 
each), a packer, and a laborer. 

General description of the loork of division. 

This office maintains its own files for incoming and outgoing correspondence. 
About 50 per cent of its correspondence goes direct to the division unopened. 
A large part of the remainder is opened in the Division of Mails and Files, a 
few scattered communications coming from other offices of the department. 

It is estimated that the volume of incoming correspondence per annum aggre- 
gates in the neighborhood of 15,000 communications. These may be divided into 
the following classes : 

Miscellaneous letters 2, 500 

Letters received but not pertaining to the division 250 

Memos from Division of Accounts 200 

Memos, miscellaneous 200 

Departmental requisitions for stationery and supplies 2, 500 

Departmental orders and circulars 50 

Notices of change from the appointment clerk • 75 

Notes or bills, Form 9, D. C 1, 500 

Examiners' reports -25 

Requisitions for supplies. United States courts 1, 600 

Receipted duplicates of requisitions for supplies. United 

States courts 1, 600 

Worlc relating to incoming mail. 

Opening and distribution. — The incoming correspondence, opened and un- 
opened, is placed upon the desk of Mr. Sherwood, the clerk in charge. He opens 
that portion which has come direct and places upon the face of all communica- 
tions a stamp indicating the time of their receipt in the division. For the pur- 
pose of handling the correspondence he distributes the mail in baskets on his 
desk, indicating the clerk in the division to whom the respective division of mail 
should be referred for action. This division is divided into the following 
classes: (a) Requisitions for supplies for United States courts, judicial officers, 
and employees of the department at Washington; (&) vouchers for the above; 
(c) letters and communications concerning Government property. 

72734°— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 44 



690 BEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Briefing. — No briefs of incoming mail are made in this office/ 
Indexing and recording. 

Requisitions for supplies. — It is estimated tliat 85 per cent of the incoming 
correspondence consists of requisitions for supplies and correspondence relat- 
ing thereto A statement furnished by this divsion shows that during the fiscal 
year 1911, 8,844 signed requests (that is, requisitions) were made for supplies. 
Ninety per cent of the requisitions received from judicial officers for supplies 
are made on printed forms (17-A amended) provided for that purpose. This 
form is 13| by 8J inches in dimension. On this requisition blank, in the 
spaces provided, are shown the quality of the article desired which is on hand, 
the c. antity required, and description of the article required. .Each requisition 
(whicn is made out in duplicate) carries a receipt. 

As above noted, about 10 per cent of the requisitions come in the form of 
letters. In such instances blank forms are filled out, to which are attached 
the original correspondence furnishing the authority. Requisitions for sup- 
plies as above described are referred to a clerk of class D (Mr. Brewer). He 
places a stamp on the two copies indicating " original " and " duplicate." 

As soon as the order is made out the clerk making out the order inserts his 
initials, the number of the order, and the date, in the blank space provided for 
that purpose. The purpose of this stamp is to show the articles have been 
ordered (and that steps have been taken to secure for the official sending in 
the requisition the article or articles desired). The fourth stamp is used to 
indicate that all the articles to be furnished from stock (or that are on the 
stock record) have been charged. The following is an illustration of the stamp 
used for this purpose: 



ENTEEBD IN 

Stock record 

Property record 



(After the article or articles included in the requisition have been taken from 
stock and shipped, a charge is made to the stock record and the clerk making 
the charge enters his initials and date of the entry in the blank spaces of 
the same.) 

Each requisition as above described is assigned an arbitrary serial number, 
each new requisition taking the next unassigned number. 

Recording and indexing (incoming correspondence). — The division maintains 
a " Record of requisitions " for supplies furnished the United States courts 
officials and a record of proofs, estimates, and bills received from the Public 
Printer. (The latter record, however, originates under the head of "Outgoing 
correspondence," inasmuch as the original records are made from requisitions 
on the Public Printer prepared in the division. The subsequent entries of 
records of proofs, estimates, and bills received are merely returns from the 
original requisitions sent out.) 

(a) Record of requisitions: The record of requisitions is a bound volume 
containing 100 pages, size 131 hy 16 inches. On a continuous line across the 
page provision is made for the following information : Requests made, date 
received, name of the official, title, official address, description of supplies 
desired, requisition returned for receipt, receipted requisition received. 

1 It should also be noted that the Division of Mails and Files does not record all of 
that portion of the mail for this oflSce which it receives for distribution. The reason as- 
signed is that it is not of sufficient importance. 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 691 

The requisitions are numbered consecutivelj-, tlie puri)Ose of the numbering 
being to provide an easy reference to the requisition. Separate records are 
kept for each fiscal year, the numbering being continuous. The serial number, 
the date on which the requisition is made out, and the date on which it was 
received in the division, the name of the official, title, and description of 
supplies are transferred to this record as soon as the requisition is referred 
to the clerk in charge of this record (Mr. Brewer) for his attention. When all 
of the articles have been shipped, the packer making the shipment makes note 
of same on the face of the original requisition and refers the same to Mr. 
Brewer. The packer forwards the duplicate to the official for his receipt. 
Mr. Brewer then makes proper entry in the column " Duplicate sent for receipt." 
It will be noted that when the official has received all the articles asked for in 
his requisition he signs the receipt which the requisition carries and returns 
it to the department. The final entry is then made in this record under the 
title " Receipted requisition received." This final entry shows that the goods 
have been sent and receipted for and that a final disposition has been made 
of the matter. 

Keeping of subsidiary index. — A subsidiary index of the " Record of requisi- 
tions " is also kept. This is in a separate book of 26 leaves, one leaf — or two 
pages — being devoted to each letter of the alphabet. On a continuous line 
provision is made for marshals, attorneys, judges, clerks. 

This index, together with the original record of requisitions, enables the 
division to refer to the requisitions either by reference to the official making 
the request or by the number thereof. One entry of the name in the sub- 
sidiary index serves for all subsequent requests, in that the only additional 
entry which is necessary for a future request is the serial number of the requi- 
sition. When a requisition has been indexed a check is placed in the lower 
left-hand corner of the same opposite the number of the requisition. One 
volume of 100 pages is sufficient to maintain this record during each fiscal 
year. The foregoing recording and indexing is done by Mr. Brewer. His com- 
pensation per annum is $900 and, it is estimated, consumes about 25 per cent 
of his whole time. The net cost therefor per annum would be $225. or $28.12 
per thousand. 

Work related to outgoing correspondence. 

Preparation. — It is estimated that in the neighborhood of about 16,000 com- 
munications are prepared annually in this division. The outgoing correspond- 
ence might be classified as follows : 

Per cent, 
(a) Miscellaneous letters and memos, for the Division of 

Accounts and other offices (dictated) 20 

(&) Requisitions on the Public Printer (printed form filled 

in with pen) 10 

(c) Requisition for supplies to United States courts (returned 

to officials by whom they were originally prepared) 10 

{d) Orders for supplies to the United States courts (printed 

form filled in with ink) 5^ 

(e) Orders for supplies to the department at Washington 

(printed form filled in with ink) 6^ 

(/) Circular letters (printed) 22 

<f7) Proofs from the Public Printer distributed outside the 

division. Notation of receipt made out and forwarded 

to proper officer 6 



692 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Per cent. 
(h) Estimates from tlie Public Printer (prepared outside the 

division; notation made of same and returned) 10 

(*) Voucher bills (Form 9, D. C, prepared outside the divi- 
sion, action taken thereon and forwarded to the dis- 
bursing clerk) 9 

The stenographer writing the letters prepared in this oflace places his initials, 
together with those of the clerk in charge, in the upper right-hand corner. The 
letters are then referred to the clerk in charge, who either initials them or 
refers them to the Attorney General or chief clerk for his signature. 

Envelopes for letters which are dictated (20 per cent) are addressed by 
the stenographer at the time of writing the letter; for letters to the Public 
Printer printed envelopes are used. Envelopes for certain miscellaneous com- 
munications are addressed by pen. 

A large number of publications (not considered in the foregoing classifica- 
tion of correspondence) are distributed by this division. These, together with 
circular letters, orders, etc., are addressed on the addressograph. 

Preparation of carbons. — From one to four carbons are made, the number 
in each case depending on the nature of the subject of the letter. At least 
two carbons are filed in this division, as hereinafter described. The others 
are referred to other divisions for filing. 

As already mentioned, the incoming correspondence consists almost entirely 
of requisitions, the handling of which is the primary function of this division. 
Under preparation of outgoing correspondence should be noted, therefore, the 
procedure in the handling of the general or miscellaneous requisitions for sup- 
plies which are neither in stock nor can be ordered from the Government 
Printing Oflice. Reference is here made to the methods of ordering supplies 
and the procedure preliminary to the ordering thereof. Quotations are often 
received over the telephone for articles of a miscellaneous character. Other- 
wise the practice is to request competitive dealers to submit proposals for 
furnishing the goods requested in the requisition.^ Printed forms (one of which 
is 8 by 3| inches; the other is 8 by lOJ inches, the latter carrying form on 
which proposal can be sent in) are used for this purpose. At least two dealers 
are requested to submit proposals. These forms are made out in duplicate, 
the original being forwarded to the addressee — that is, the firm requested to 
s'ubmit bid — the duplicate being retained in the oflace and attached to the orig- 
inal requisition. As a result of this call bids are received from the various 
dealers, which are submitted to the chief clerk of the department, who passes 
upon lluMu. Tlie bids or proposals are submitted in duplicate, the duplicate 
being attached to the requisition, upon which it is pasted, and the original is 
forwarded with the bill of the successful bidder to the auditor for settlement 
of the claim after shipment has been received in this oflBce. The ofiicer making 
the original requisition or request is informed of the action of the department, 
to whom the duplicate of the requisition is forwarded for his signature when 
the goods are received. 

When requisitions are made upon the Public Printer the stock of paper for 
letterheads and envelopes to be used by the latter in filling the requisition is 
ordinarily furnished by this division. The experience of this department has 
shown that certain supplies which are printed by the Public Printer require 
a uniform grade of paper, etc. A supply of paper is kept in stock by this divi- 
sion. When a requisition is sent to the Public Printer for printing, etc., the 
paper upon which the printing is to be done is taken out of the stock, at which 
time a receipt form 8 by 3i inches is filled out by this office. In the left-hand 



1 This procedure is resorted to chiefly for law books, etc. 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 



693 



corner space is provided for the requisition number. Upon tlie form is also 
entered tlie date, the quantity of paper, size, and stocli item number of the 
paper delivered by this division to the Public Printer. The Public Printer re- 
ceipts this form, which, when returned, is filed in numerical order. This 
receipt by the Public Printer serves as a charge against him. 

The following is a statement of the names and salaries of persons engaged 
ill preparing correspondence, the estimated portion of the whole time of each 
consumed in such work, and the cost thereof: 



Name. 


Salary. 


Time consumed. 


Per cent. 


Cost. 


C. R. — Sherwood, clerk class 4 


SI, 800 

1,600 

900 

900 


30 
40 
10 
60 


$540 
640 


E. C. Randall, clerk class 3 


0. F. Brewer 


90 


Mr. radd 


540 






. 


1.810 



Recording and indexing {outgoing correspondence). — As already indicated 
under ' Incoming correspondence," a record is kept of proofs, estimates, and 
bills received from the Public Printer in the record of " Requisitions for print- 
ing and binding." This record priginates under the head of " Outgoing corre- 
spondence," the original entries being made from requisitions on the Public 
Printer, which are prepared in this division. This requisition is prepared on 
the printed form used for that purpose. The record of " Requisitions for print- 
ing and binding " is a bound volume of 100 pages, 18 inches by 16 inches in 
dimension. Provision is made therein for the following information : 



Requisition . 

Date — . 

Number of copies — 
Description of work 
Proofs : 

Galley . 

Page . 

Instructions . 

Date of receipt : 

Proof . 

Matter . 



For whom 



Cost: 



Briefs, Supreme Court . 

Briefs, Court of Claims 

Binding books for library 

Letterheads, blanks, etc., for 
partment proper . 



de- 



Miscellaneous printing for depart- 
ment proper . 

Supplies (blanks, etc., for United 

States courts) . 

Antitrust law . 

Other appropriations . 

Remarks . 



For each requisition number for the classification indicated under " Cost " 
spaces are provided for the " estimated " and the " actual " cost. The printer 
forwards to the division, by messenger, a proof of the brief or whatever the 
requisition may call for. This is delivered direct to the clerk in charge of this 
record, Mr. Randall, at which time the proper entry is made in the column 
marked " Proof." The printer also submits an estimate for doing the work, 
which is entered in red ink under the column from which appropriation the 
work will be paid for and opposite " Estimated cost." The estimate is then 
referred to the clerk in charge, Mr. Sherwood, who approves the estimate, 
stamping at the lower right-hand corner of the requisition the name of the chief 



694 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

clerk of the department, after which it is returned to the Public Printer. When 
the work is completed and delivered to the department, a bill for same is 
rendered and the amount is then recorded opposite "Actual cost." This is 
primarily a cost record, but as all the entries are made from, and in the course 
of handling, the correspondence of the division, mention of it properly appears 
here. The purpose of the record, as is evident, is to enable the division to 
ascertain at any time the amount of printing done and the cost thereof. No 
index is kept of this record. The purpose of the record is also to ascertain at 
any time the condition (of completeness) of any outstanding requisitions. 

Keeping of miscellaneous order 'book. — A special or miscellanesous order book 
is kept for orders which are charged against special appropriations — that is, 
for orders which can not be filled under the appropriation for contingent ex- 
penses or for supplies for United States courts and judicial officers. The book 
contains special forms (orders) which are filled out and sent to the individual 
or firm on whom the order is drawn. In the upper left-hand corner a place 
is provided for the order number. Underneath appear directions as to how the 
bill is to be rendered. Then follow blank lines provided for the name of the 
person or individual on whom the order is drawn, under which the following 
direction appears : " Please deliver the following supplies." In the body of 
the order columns are provided for the items, articles, and cost thereof. Then 
appears the blank space for certification by the chief clerk, under which is 
appended a note requesting that a memorandum bill be rendered on the de- 
partment billhead with the shipment. In the lower left-hand corner is a space 
providing for the name of the office for which the articles are ordered. A 
duplicate record of the order is made on the stub of the books and when goods 
are received the date of their receipt is placed in the space provided for that 
purpose. After the voucher bill has been passed for payment a further notation 
is made on this stub in the appropriate space. 

This order must be returned with the bill which is rendered on the 1st of 
the month following shipment of blank forms furnished by this department. 

An index to these orders is kept at the front of the book. This index con- 
tains both the names of individuals or firms on whom orders are di'awn and 
of the articles ordered, arranged in alphabetical order. A book contains 
500 order forms. 

The following is a statement of the names and salaries of persons engaged 
in recording outgoing correspondence, the estimated portion of the whole time 
of each consumed in the work, and the cost thereof: 



Name. 


Salary. 


Portion 
of whole 

time, 
engaged 
on work. 


Net cost. 


C. R. Sherwood 


SI, 800 

],600 

900 

900 


15 

25 

15 

5 


S270 


E. G. Randall 


400' 


A. F. Brewer 


135 


Mr. Kidd 


45 






Total 


850 











Maintaining miscellaneotis card indexes. 

Under the heading of " Recording and indexing " should also be noted mis- 
cellaneous card indexes maintained for this division: 

1. Index of typewriters furnished to and being used by judicial officers. — The 
arrangement of this card index is numerical, the numbering being continuous 



DEPAKTMENT OF JUSTICE. 695 

from one up, A duplicate of the same is kept, save that the arrangement thereof 
is alphabetical under the various districts. 

2. Card index ^mailing list. — Thin, white cards 3 by 5 inches, arranged alpha- 
betically according to the name of the officer and the various judicial districts, 
is maintained as an index to the mailing list. This division is charged with the 
distribution of such publications as the decisions of the Supreme Court, the 
opinions of the Attorney General — bound volumes and advance sheets — Court of 
Claims Reports, United States Statutes, etc. The distribution of the various 
publications is shown by card indexes of the addressograph, used for this pur- 
pose, in which are contained the names, alphabetically arranged under the 
various States, of the persons to whom the respective publications are to be 
distributed. From these the address is stamped upon envelopes or slipsftwhich. 
in turn, are pasted on the proper publications. The foregoing card index might 
be said to be an index to the several drawers of the addressograph. Mr. Kidd 
(stenographer) has charge of this work. The publications distributed and the 
relative number thereof, are as follows: 

Supreme Court Decisions — advance sheets 25Q 

Supreme Court Reports (four a year) ^585 

Session laws (for each Congress) 800 

United States Statutes at Large 800 

Court of Claims Reports 44 

Federal Reporter (bound volumes) 175 

Slip laws (sent out from time to time during session of Con- 
gress) . 600 

4. Card index of the officials to which publications are sent. — ^This index is 
made upon cards similar to those used in the foregoing index, containing the 
same information. The arrangement of the cards, however, is different. The 
primary classification thereos is as follows: United States Statutes (1 drawer). 
Opinions of Attorney General, etc (1 drawer). 

The former (index showing distribution of the United States Statutes) is 
further subdivided into — departments (executive) ; Supreme Court judges; cir- 
cuit court judges; United States district judges; Territorial judges; Commerce 
Court ; Court of Appeals, District of Columbia ; Supreme Court, District of 
Columbia ; United States attorneys ; United States marshals ; United States 
clerks, district courts ; United States library, Circuit Court of Appeals ; clerks, 
miscellaneous courts. 

The latter (second drawer) is further classified into the publication dis- 
tributed: Opinions of Attorney General (advance sheets), unbound; Opinions 
of Attorney General, bound ; Supreme Court Decisions ; public laws. 

Under each of the four index headings are grouped alphabetically the offices 
or officers to whom the respective publication is sent. 

The purpose of this record is to enable the office to determine at any time 
who are receiving the respective publications. 

5. Card index: Duplicate receipts of Federal Reporter. — Two card indexes 
are maintained for cards containing the duplicate receipts of the Federal Re- 
porter. One is used for the "pending" and the other for the "disposed of" 
receipts. The original and the duplicate receipts are retained in the pending 
file until the voucher is passed through to the auditor, at which time the 
original is attached thereto and the duplicate is transferred to the " disposed 
of" file. The primary arrangement of these cards is by districts, which are 

1 This is the number of i-eports now being distributed ; provision, liowever, is made 
for 78J. 



696 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

aiTiiHged alpbabetically. A similar index will be maintained for the United 
States Reports. 

6. Card indew of catalogues. — Catalogues from the various firms which com- 
pete to furnish the supplies which are kept in stock or distributed from this 
oflSce are kept in files specially provided for that purpose. These catalogues 
are filed alphabetically by the name of the article and alphabetically by the 
name of firm publishing the catalogue. 
Press copying: 

All the general or miscellaneous letters of the office, together with requisi- 
tions for proposals, are press copied. The following classes of outgoing corre- 
spondence are not press copied : Requisitions on the Public Printer ; requisi- 
tions of supplies for United States courts returned to officials for receipt; 
orders (supplies United Slates courts and department at Washtngton) ; charge 
requesting return of duplicate of requisitions for supplies, United States courts ; 
circular letters; proof from Public Printer; estimates of Public Printer; 
voucher bills. 

This is done in the Division of Mail and Files, from which division the cor- 
respondence (press copied) is dispatched. 
Filing of correspondence. 

Filing of requisitions for United States courts. — When the requisition has 
been filed the duplicate is sent to the official for his signature and returned to 
this office. The original thereof is temporarily filed in a Macey vertical filing 
cabinet, which is indexed alphabetically according to the name of the official 
under, which the requisition is filed. When the receipted duplicate is received 
the original is taken from this file, the duplicate is attached thereto, and they are 
filed in the permanent file of requisitions. The first drawer of the Macey filing 
cabinet, containing four drawers, is used for the temporary filing of requisi- 
tions. The arrangement of this file is alphabetical, according to States and 
Territories, which are divided into various judicial districts. Within the dis- 
tricts manila folders are provided for the following officers of each district: 
United States district judge, clerk of district court. United States attorney, 
Uiaited States marshal. 

In addition to the foregoing, there are divisions within this file for each of 
the nine circuits and one for miscellaneous requisitions. Within the latter is 
filed the requisitions from special assistants to the Attorney General who are 
acting under his jurisdiction in conjunction with United States attorneys in 
the prosecution of various cases which are pending. 

Another four-drawer vertical filing cabinet is used for filing completed requi- 
sitions for the years, the first and second being for the current, the third and 
fourth for the preceding years. 

Mr. Brewer is in charge of the requisitions filed, and estimates that, owing 
to his familiarity with the work, it requires but two hours per week to keep 
this work up to date. 

Executive departments and miscellaneous correspondence {file of). — The sec- 
ond drawer of this filing cabinet is maintained for correspondence with the 
executive departments and the miscellaneous correspondence. This file is clas- 
sified, primarily, according to the executive departments and the various divi- 
sions thereof, and miscellaneous correspondence, which is alphabetically filed, 
according to the names of the individuals or concerns with whom the corre- 
spondence is had. 

Correspondence with court officers {file of). — The third and fourth drawers 
of this cabinet are maintained as a file for the correspondence of the division 
which is addressed — mainly to the judicial officers — namely, judges, attorneys, 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 697 

clerks of courts, and marslials. The arrangement of tMs file is primarily by 
States, which in turn are subdivided into districts. Within each district large 
manila cards (legal cap in size), marked "District judge," " Olerk, district 
court," "Attorney," " Marshal," are used, and the correspondence of each judi- 
cial officer is filed, according to his title, in a large manila folder, which is 
placed in front of the proper guide card. There is a projection of half an 
inch along the inner cover, and on the left-hand side the name of the officer is 
placed. 

In addition to the foregoing subdivisions, the file has separate guide cards 
for the Supreme Court of the United States, Commerce Court, Court of Customs 
Appeals, each Territorial court, courts of the District of Columbia, circuit 
courts, etc. The first drawer of this file contains the correspondence filed under 
subjects A to M ; the second drawer, N to Z. 

It is to be noted in the preparation of correspondence relating to requisitions 
that at least two carbon copies are made. One of these is attached to the 
requisition, which, as above explained, is filed in the requisition file ; the second 
carbon copy is filed in either of the other two drawers, according to the office 
or officer sending in the requisition. 

Filing auditor's copies of orders. — For the ordering of articles which are sup- 
plied to the judicial districts and departments through this division an order 
form, printed in triplicate, is furnished. The original of this form is the 
'"vendor's" copy, the second copy the auditor's copy, and the third the pur- 
chaser's copy. This form is printed on the ordinary letter-size paper, at the top 
of which is the heading : " Department of Justice, Office of Chief Clerk " ; in 
the right-hand corner space for the order number ; in the left-hand corner 
space for the vendor's, auditor's, or purchaser's copy, respectively, under which 
is space for the appropriation under which the goods are to be purchased and 
another space for the persons for whom the goods are ordered. Then follows 
space providing for the firm or individual upon whom the order is? drawn, under 
which is a printed statement of directions as to how the goods shall be fur- 
nished. Following this statement, in special columns, provision is made for 
item number in contract, quantity, and articles. 

The original, as indicated, is forwarded to the vendor ; one copy is filed by 
serial number, the numbering being continuous, on a bill or arch file. A distinct 
file is maintained for each fiscal year. (This is the file of the purchaser's 
copy. ) A distinct file is maintained for the auditor's copy ; Yawman & Erbe 
vertical letter cabinet is used for this purpose. These copies are filed alpha- 
betically by the name of the vendor. A division is maintained in this file for 
the orders which are filled and unfilled. When this order is properly filled 
out the auditor's copy is turned over to Mr. Randall, who enters it in his ledger 
of dealers. Mr. Brewer then files it in the unfilled file, as indicated. When 
goods come into this division the unfilled file is searched for the order covering 
the respective shipment. Mr. Brewer examines the goods and checks it up 
against the order, and if O. K., indicates same by entry on the copy, such as 
" Received March 6, 1912 " ; then the copy is transferred to the basket and Mr. 
Randall makes the proper entry in his book of dealers, after which the copy is 
placed in the filled file. A memorandum bill usually accompanies the shipment, 
this memorandum being attached to the copy before it is filed. The auditor's 
copy remains in this file until the final bill is rendered, certified by the vendor 
that it is just, correct, and has not been paid ; the chief clerk certifies that the 
goods have been received, etc. ; the final bill, which is approved by the Attorney 
General, is attached to the auditor's copy and turned over to Mr. Randall, who 



698 BEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

makes tlie necessary entry in the dealers' record indicating that the bill hasr 
been submitted to the auditor. 

Notices from the appointment clerk are filed in a Shannon file. 

Memoranda from the Division of Accounts are filed in a Shannon file and 
numbered. 

Memoranda to the Division of Accounts are filed under " Department of 
Justice " in the general file. 

Reports of examiners are filed in a "Protection" letter file, wliich file is 
indexed alphabetically, the report of each State coming under the letter which 
corresponds to the first letter in the name of the State. 

The correspondence referred to herein as incoming and outgoing miscellaneous 
letters is filed in large manila folders which contain a projection of about one- 
half an inch, on which is indicated the class of correspondence filed therein. 

Carbon copies of outgoing letters in reply to incoming communications are 
attached thereto before filing. When the letter is in regard to a requisition 
for supplies, an extra carbon copy is made in order that in the files of miscel- 
laneous correspondence there may be filed a second carbon copy, the former 
being filed in the requisition files. The letters which are retained in the files 
in this division are such as have reference only to the business of the division — 
that is, do not relate to any other division or office of the department. The 
clerks of the office consult the files freely, and it has been the practice not to 
place a card or memorandum in the files when a letter or communication has 
been withdrawn. 

Disposition of old files. — Requisition for supplies, United States courts, are 
kept in a live file for two years (the current and the preceding year), after 
which they are withdrawn, wrapped in bundles, and stored away on shelves. 
Experience of the office has shown that there is no need for reference to old 
requisitions. Up to the present time no segregation has been made of the 
old correspondence, which has been filed in the general or miscellaneous files. 
As indicated, Mr. Brewer has charge of the requisition files and other incidental 
files, and Mr. Kidd the general or miscellaneous files, and it is estimated that 
it requires 10 per cent of the time of each, which would make the net cost $180 
per annum. 

4. ORGANIZATION AND METHODS OF SUPERINTENDENT OF PRISONS. 

General statement pertaining to organization and duties. 

The office of superintendent of prisons was created pursuant to authority 
vested in the Attorney General by act of March 3, 1891 (26 Stat. L., 839), 
which provides that the con'^rol and management of the United States peniten- 
tiaries shall be vested in the Attorney General, who shall have power to appoint 
a superintendent, assistant superintendent, warden, keeper, and all o'^her officers 
necessary for the safe-keeping, care, protection, and discipline of United States 
prisoners 

By order of the Attorney General dated October 3, 1907, the Attorney General 
placed under the direction of the superintendent of prisons " all matters relat- 
ing to United States prisons and prisoners." 

All the correspondence handled in this office relates to prisoners and prisons 
and the parole of prisoners. The office maintains its own files for all corre- 
spondence relating to the parole of prisoners (which is about one-half of the 
entire volume) ; the remainder of the correspondence is referred for final dispo- 
sition and filing to the Division of Mail and Files. 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 699' 

Worh relating to incoming correspondence. 

Receiving, opening, and distribution. — The volume of correspondence received 
annually in this office aggregates 43,000 communications annually, and may be 
classed as follovps: 

A. Prisons, etc. (filed in Division of Mail and Files) : 

Construction correspondence 4, 500 

Maintenance of prisons and prisoners 6, 000 

Parole matters and cases. Weekly, daily, and other 

reports from penitentiaries and jails 4, 500 

Circulars, catalogues, letters soliciting business or 

installation of devices, advertisements, etc 3, 000 

Miscellaneous 5, 000 

23, 000 

B. Parole (filed in this office) 20,000 

About 75 per cent of the mail is received direct. The remainder is trans- 
mitted to this division from the Division of Mail and Files, or other divisions 
and bureaus. The mail is delivered to the assistant superintendent, 0. H. Mc- 
Glasson, vpho opens, examines, and distributes same.^ 

Practically no mail is received and opened in this office containiug iuclosures 
of intrinsic value. 

That portion of the mail which is more or less routine in character is laid in 
separate files by the person opening the mail (generally the assistant superin- 
tendent) and the piles are then handed to different clerks w^ith general instruc- 
tions as to the replies to be made, searches of the records to be conducted, etc. 
The correspondence, not routine in character, is handled by the superintendent 
or assistant superintendent, who dictates replies or gives specific directions as 
to the handling of each piece of correspondence. Notations upon and records 
of incoming correspondence are not made. 

Recording and indexing. — No recording or indexing is done of incoming corre- 
spondence. 

Briefing. — No briefs are made of the incoming correspondence. 

Pursuant to order of Attorney General all the correspondence received iu the 
office is recorded in the Division of Mail and Files before it is handled or finally^ 
disposed of here. 

Work related to outgoing correspondence. 

Prepa7ing. — The number of communications prepared in this division annually 
is 15,000. The manner of preparation is as follows: 

Per cent. 

Typewritten letters 50 

Printed forms 50 

All letters, other than routine, are dictated by the person in charge of the 
office. Fifty per cent of all typewritten letters are dictated, the balance are 
typewritten by clerks who indite the letters. As indicated, the correspondence is 
distributed by the assistant superintendent to the several clerks according to 
the nature of their work. These clerks prepare the outgoing corrsepoudence re- 
lating to their subjects. The correspondence prepared by Mr. Dunbar relates to 
authorization of ordinary expenses, reports in parole cases, etc. ; Mr. Key, parole 
matters generally ; Mr. Fishman, construction matters, Alaska jails and prison- 
ers, and jail rates ; Mr. Millenson, preparation of contracts, advertisements, pro- 
posals, escapes, accounts, etc. ; Mr. Brewster, inspection of prisons, investigation 

^ The superintendent sometimes receives and examines the mail. 



700 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION" ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

of complaints, etc. Tlie more important correspondence is prepared by the 
superintendent or his assistant. 

All letters prepared in tliis division whether to be signed by the Attorney 
General, the superintendent of prisons, or ex officio the president of the board of 
parole, are submitted by the stenographer to the person in charge of the office, 
who signs the latter two classes, and initials those which are to be referred to 
the Attorney General for signature. The letters for the Attorney General's 
signature are sent to the chief clerk of the department after being initialed. 
In sending such correspondence to the chief clerk, any other communications or 
papers on the subject which have been withdrawn from, or should be referred 
to, the central file, are attached to the outgoing correspondence. 

All inclosures are placed in the envelope bearing name of the addressee. 

After signature (reference is made to parole mail signed in this office) the 
correspondence is handed to any one of the clerks, who inserts the letters in the 
envelopes, an extra carbon being retained in lieu of press copy. 

Where letters promise action in the future the papers are held in a basket 
Qsed for the purpose until the arrival of the date for taking the action. A 
special file is kept of carbon copies of letters which issue directions in order to 
follow up such letters and see that the instructions are followed. 

Prevaration of cardon copies. — Two carbon copies are made of all outgoing 
correspondence. These copies are for the Mail and Files Division. If it relates 
to a parole, however, the copies are retained in this office where they are 
permanently filed. When an expense is authorized an extra carbon is made for 
the Division of Accounts. 

Filing (incoming and outgoing correspondence). 

As indicated, the correspondence relating to everything but parole is referred 
to the Division of Mail and Files for permanent filing.^ The parole files, how- 
ever, are maintained in this office. 

Equipment. — The equipment used is the Shaw-Walker Co.'s vertical filing 
eases and a number of shelves. The shelves are used for pending cases and 
eases awaiting consideration. The filing cases are used for cases acted upon or 
closed.- 

Filing system. — All correspondence on a given subject is fastened together. 
Parole cases which are in the course of preparation or which have been denied 
or passed over by the board of parole are kept in large manila envelopes 9 by 
15 inches. In the right-hand corner of the envelope is shown the prisoner's 
number (together with the letter indicating the prison), his name, the date of 
short term, and the date of his parole term. These envelopes are arranged on 
the shelves under each of the three penitentiaries, according to the prisoner's 
number and under State penitentiaries and jails, according to the State in 
which the institution is located. The denied or dead parole cases are separated 
from those which have not been passed upon, each being filed under a similar 
arrangement. There are 13,950 cases on file at the present time which have 
either been denied or are still in the course of preparation. 

In the Shaw- Walker vertical filing cases are filed the parole cases that have 
been favorably passed upon by the board of parole. When a prisoner, falling 
within the requirements of the law, desires to apply for parole, he addresses an 
application to the board of parole for the institution in which he is confined 
upon blanks provided for that purpose. His case, however, comes up auto- 
matically and may be heard without the formality of an application. The 
superintendent of prisons is ex officio the president of each board of parole. 
Each board meets three times a year. At these meetings the applications for 



1 This correspondence was formerly retained in this office ; the change was effected 
January 1, 1912. 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 701 

parole are passed upon and a syllabus of tlie findings of the board is prepared. 
The syllabus and the papers in the case are submitted to the Attorney General 
for his approval or disapproval, and the papers relating to the case are placed 
in the vertical files upon their return from the Attorney General. 

In the vertical files the papers are filed fiat and openly. The cases are filed 
according to serial number. The first case which was approved was assigned 
No. 1. The parole files are continuous. Only four drawers are now employed 
for these files although the present system has been in vogue for 16 months. 

Index to parole files. — An index record is kept on white " parole cards " 5 by 
8 inches in dimensions. Special rulings provide for entries furnishing a hisitory 
of the case. Present practice, however, makes it necessary to record only the 
following Information on these cards : Name, institution, case number, register 
number, approved or disapproved by Attorney General, date. 

The cards are arranged in alphabetical order. The index serves not only as 
an index to the files — its primary purpose — ^but also as an independent parole 
record. 

Miscellaneous files {vertical). — Three drawers of vertical files are maintained 
for miscellaneous correspondence relating to parole, but to no particular case 
on file. 

(1) In one drawer the correspondence is filed alphabetically according to the 
name of the writer. (2) In another drawer for each of the three penitentia- 
ries the correspondence is filed under the ofiicers of the board of parole with 
whom the correspondence is had, such as physician, warden, clerk, parole officer. 
Headings of rules, regulations, etc., and accounts are also kept in this drawer. 
(3) In the third drawer is filed the parole coi'respondence with the oflacers of 
State institutions. The correspondence is filed under special headings, such as 
rules, regulations and forms, circulars, general orders, and decisions, etc. A 
tickler file is also kept for those cases which the Attorney General has not 
acted on but wishes to call up in the future. The special headings are the 
months of the year under which the papers relating to the cases are filed. At 
the time indicated, the papers are sent to the Attorney General for his action. 

Miscellaneous files {document folding files). 

(A) Criminal record files: A criminal record card is forwarded to this office 
when a prisoner is received into any penitentiary, prison, reformatory, house of 
correction, etc. These cards are filed alphabetically according to the name of 
the prisoner in the old-style document files. This file constitutes the detailed 
criminal record of what is known as the " ;)enit entiai'y class" of prisoners. 
(All prisoners except those in county jails.) Thirteen document files are used 
for these reports. 

^6) Monthly discharge lists: One document file is kept for discharge lists 
which are furnished monthly by the three Federal penitentiaries. These enable 
the office to cull out the records of those discharged, which keeps the records 
up to date. 

(C) Quarterly statements of conditions of construction funds: These are 
filed under the three penitentiaries and enable the office to determine the cost 
of carrying ou construction work, balances, etc. 

(D) County jail reports: These are card reports showing information with 
reference to prisoners confined in county jails. They are filed alphabetically 
according to the town where the jail is located. Similar document files are 
kept for miscellaneous matters such as quarterly requisitions, annual inven- 
tories, statistics, duplicates of accounts of State institutions for the support of 
United States prisoners, etc., rations, etc. 

Keeinvg of dockets. — Parole records of Federal prisons are kept in large 
bound registers, one for each of the three United States penitentiaries. The 



702 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

registers for the Atlanta and Leavenwortli prisons contain about 1,000 pages 
each, 6 cases in the page. The docket for McNeil Island Penitentiary contains 
about one-half as many pages. Special columns provide for the following 
Information: Prisoner's number, district, crime, term (years, months, and days), 
fine, parole term, date heard, action of board, condition, to Attorney General, 
action of Attorney General, and remarks. 

A record of every Federal prisoner in the Federal penitentiaries is shown in 
the dockets. The entries are made in this docket on the basis of the peniten- 
tiary registry number assigned to the prisoner by the penitentiary in which he 
is confined. The order is numerical and continuous. 

Index to parole dockets. — ^A single index is kept to the three Federal peni- 
tentiaries. This index contains the name (surname and given name) of the 
prisoner and the page of the docket on which the record will be found. The 
penitentiary is indicated by the appropriate letter. This is also a direct index 
to the case papers and is of use in general matters not related to parole. 

A memorandum docket is also kept (in small notebook) of Federal prisoners 
in State penitentiaries and jails. This. record is called "parole docket of State 
institutions." It is classified alphabetically according to the State institution 
in which the prisoner is confined. 

Classification of salary expense. 



Name and title. 



<3. H. McGlasson, assistant superin- 
tendent of prisons. 

R. V. La Dow, superintendent of pris- 
ons and president board of parole. 

B. V. La Dow 

O.B. McGlasson 

Sewall Key 

Jos. Millenson 

W. W. Dunbar. 

Joseph Kslunan 

'Patrick Downey 



Duty. 



Opening, receiving, and dis- 
tributing. 
do 



Total. 



W. W. Dunbar. 
•Sewall Key 



Total. 



Preparation. 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Filing 



Dispatching. 
do 



Annual 



$2,500 

4,000 

4,000 
2,500 
1,200 
900 
1,000 
2,250 
1,200 



1,000 
1,200 



Portion of 
whole time. 



One-fifteenth 

Negligible. . . 

One-fourth.. 
Three-fourths 
Two-thirds. 
One-half. . . 
15 per cent. 
10 per cent . . 
25 per cent . . 



Net cost. 



S166.66f 



(1) 



2per ceat... 
3 per cent . . . 



1,000.00 
1,875.00 
800.00 
450.00 
150.00 
225.00 
300.00 



4,800.00 



20.00 
36.00 



56.00 



Negligible. 
5. Organization and Methods of Bureau of Investigation. 



ixeneral statement pertaining to organisation and duties. 

The Bureau of Investigation was established, by order of the Attorney Gen- 
-eral, under date of March 16, 1909.^ This bureau is charged with making inves- 



1 For the purpose of facilitating the investigation work under this department the office 
of the chief examiner shall hereafter be called the bureau of investigation, and the chief 
-examiner is hereby authorized and designated to act as the chief of said bureau, and as 
such shall have supervision over the work of all persons whose compensation or expenses 
are paid from the appropriation " Miscellaneous expenses. United States courts," or the 
appropriation " Detection and prosecution of crimes," and who are employed for the pur- 
pose of collecting evidence or of making investigations or examinations of any kind for 
this department or the officers thereof. 



DEPARTMENT OP JUSTICE. 703 

tigations and examinations of various kinds in reference to matters in which 
the department is interested. These investigations are numerous, comprehen- 
«ive in character, and group themselves into two classes. 

First, investigation of the oflBces, etc., of Federal and court officials. These 
investigations are conducted by a force of examiners and special examiners 
who make examinations of the offices, records, accounts, official conduct, etc., 
of United States marshals, attorneys, clerks, commissioners, and referees in 
bankruptcy, these officials being connected with United States courts in about 
■95 judicial districts and circuits throughout the United States, including Hawaii, 
Alaska, and Porto Rico. 

Second, the collection of evidence in criminal and civil cases. This work is 
performed by the force of special agents, expert accountants, and other persons 
who are employed under the general direction and supervision of the chief of 
the bureau. This investigation work embraces practically all of the criminal 
statutes of the United States, including violations of the antitrust laws, th9 
peonage laws, the laws relating to shanghaing, national banking laws, laws 
relating to fraudulent bankruptcy, the use of the mails to defraud, the bucket- 
shop laws, white-slave laws, customs laws, and the law relating to the unlawful 
entry of Chinamen to the United States. These agents are also charged with 
the duty of apprehending persons who have escaped from the Federal peniten- 
tiaries and jails and who are fugitives from the various judicial districts of the 
United States. 

The chief administrative officer of this bureau is the Chief of Bureau of In- 
vestigation. For administrative convenience the bureau is organized into three 
■divisions : 

Division of General Investigation. 

Division of Accounting Investigation. 

X>ivision of Federal Court Investigation. 

Necessarily the control and direction of the field agents, accountants, and 
•employees in the prosecution of the investigations outlined is effected through 
-correspondence received and prepared in the office. This takes the form of 
reports, letters, telegrams, etc. The bureau maintains its own files for such 
correspondence, which is handled entirely independent of the central file in the 
Division of Mail and Files.* 
Work related to incoming correspondence. 

Receiving and opening. — The volume of correspondence received in this bureau 
aggregates 40,800 communications annually. This may be divided into the fol- 
lowing classes: 

Reports, letters, and telegrams from special agents^ 24,000 

Reports, letters, and telegrams from examiners* 3,700 

Reports, letters, and telegrams from bank accountants* 3, 700 

Miscellaneous reports, letters, and telegrams " 9, 400 

At least 95 per cent of the above mail is received by the chief clerk of the 
"bureau, Mr. Gardner, direct from the chief messenger. He, or his assistant, Mr. 

1 The order of the Attorney General providing for the recording of all mail in the 
Division of Mail and Files expressly excepted the Bureau of Investigation. 

2 There are 70 special agents who report daily. 

3 There are 12 examiners who report weekly and at the conclusion of each general or 
special examination. 

* There are 20 accountants who report weekly and at the conclusion of each investi- 
gation. 

5 From special employees of this bureau and other departments of the Government, 
chiefs of bureaus, and other officers of State and city governments, and from individuals 
throughout the country. 



Y04 EEPOETS OF COMMISSIOlSr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Jenkins, opens same and stamps it (together with the remainder of the incoming 
correspondence, 5 per cent, which, addressed to the Attorney General, is opened 
in the Division of Mail and Files) with the date of receipt. The following is an 
illustration of this stamp which is placed on the face of each incoming com- 
mnnication : 

bureau of investigation. 

DbpartmeJjt op Justice. 

March 1, 1911. 

RECEIVED. 

The chief clerk, or his assistant, inspects the mail to determine that the 
proper number of carbon copies have been furnished, and also that all inclosures 
mentioned are received. 

No recording or indexing or briefing is done in this oflSce, and hence the In- 
coming correspondence is classified by the chief clerk or his assistant for ref- 
erence and distribution to the persons or ofiicers in the bureau who are in 
charge of the department of work to which the letters relate. The incoming 
correspondence for this purpose is divided into the following classes: 

1. Correspondence relating to the work of special agents. 

2. Correspondence relating to the work of examiners. 

3. Correspondence relating to the work of bank accountants. 

4. Correspondence relating to applications for positions in connection with 
this bureau. 

5. Miscellaneous correspondence. 

The reports from special agents (daily) and examiners and accountants 
(weekly) are required to be furnished in duplicate (unless additional copies 
are needed for special use). The duplicate originals or copies are separated 
from the originals and referred to the supervising special agent, supervising 
accountant, or supervising examiner, as the case may be. After action has 
been taken by the officer to whom the report is referred it is sent to the files, 
where it is filed under the name of the agent (as hereinafter described). The 
originals of the reports are then assembled in the order in which they are sub- 
mitted to the Attorney General on the morning following their receipt, a^z, by 
classes of cases. The reports so assembled are referred to the chief of the 
bureau, who reads them and makes marginal notations in red ink to assist 
the Attorney General in his study of their contents. An index to the reports 
so assembled is prepared. This index consists of a list of the cases on which 
reports are rendered, classified in the order in which they appear, and a list of 
the agents, accountants, and examiners (alphabetically arranged under each 
group) whose reports are assembled for the Attorney General's inspection.^ 

The index sheets to the reports, as hereinafter described, are detached from 
the original and retained by the chief clerk, who makes examinations of the 
statements of expense account and prepares all correspondence relating thereto. 

The foregoing reports from the special agents, accountants, and examiners 
are, under the present practice, furnished to this bureau on a form (the same 
form being used for all three classes of employees) specially provided for that 

^ It should be noted that this is not a step required in the handling and filing of cor- 
respondence of this bureau. It has no reference to its flies and is of no value to its 
system of handling correspondence. It is solelj' for the convenience of the Attorney 
General. 



DEPAETMENT OF JUSTICE. 705 

purpose. The initial sheet of the report, which is furnished on letter-size 
paper (8 by lOJ inches), is in the following form: 

" Report made by : Date for which made : 



Place where made : Date when made ; 



Title of case and offense charged or nature of matter under investigation: 



Statement of operations, evidence collected, names and addresses of persons 
interviewed, places visited, etc. : 



Cop5' of this report furnished to : 



This sheet contains: («) Index to the report; (6) statement of expense. 

The body of the report is made on paper with similar rulings. 

Miscellaneous or general correspondence is referred by the chief clerk to 
the chief of the bureau, who . personally inspects all mail of this character. 
It is either acted upon by him personally or referred by him to the assistant 
who has charge of the particular class of work to which the correspondence 
relates or the chief clerk who has charge of all correspondence relating to 
accounts, supplies, etc. 

Extra copies of the reports in all antitrust ca.ses are referred by the chief 
clerk immediately upon opening same to the special investigator and the assis- 
tant to the Attorney General who has charge of this work. 

The disposition of this incoming correspondence is fully considered under 
filing. 

'Wor'k, related to outgoing correspondence. 

Preparation of correspondence. — The volume of correspondence prepared in 
this bureau aggregates 16,680 communications annually. The manner of prepa- 
ration is as follows : 

Per cent. 

Typewritten letters 75 

Printed forms 5 

Telegrams 20 

The printed forms are forms used for the transmission of checks and for pay- 
ment of accounts. The telegrams are typewritten upon a form specially pro- 
vided for that purpose. The correspondence is dictated to the stenographer 
by the person to whom the original correspondence was referred. Outgoing 
communications are initialed by the stenographer preparing same and ths 
dictator to whom they are submitted for review. It is then referred to the 
chief of bureau, who either initials or signs same. Most of the correspondence 
emanating from this office is what might be called bureau correspondence, the 
original of which bears the autograph signature of the chief of bureau. Some 
72734— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 45 



706 EEPOETS OF COMMISSIOIS^ ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

corresponclence, however, must be submitted to the Attorney General for his 
signature, in which case the chief of bureau, after reviewing same, initials 
and sends it to the chief clerk of the department to" be referred to the Attorney 
General. Letters transmitting checks or relating to auditing of monthly accounts 
are signed by the chief clerk of the bureau for the chief of the bureau. When- 
ever anything is promised in the letter which requires attention of the office 
In the future a " copy for tickler " is made. This copy is made upon a pale 
blue sheet of ordinary weight, letter size which bears its title at the top and 
at the right-hand corner a space for the date. This copy is prepared as would 
be an extra carbon copy of any correspondence. The one dictating the letter, 
after the correspondence is prepared, inserts in the right-hand corner the date 
when an answer should be received or the action indicated taken. This copy 
goes to the chief of the bureau with the original. It is inspected by him and 
referred to the filing clerk, who places it in the tickler file, as hereinafter 
described. When the date indicated on the copy for tickler has arrived the 
matter is called to the attention of the clerk who prepares the correspondence. 
This arrangement insures the closest supervision over the execution of orders 
and instructions of the office. 

Preparation of carbon copies. — Ordinarily but one copy is made of outgoing 
correspondence prepared in this office. Many exceptions are made to this rule 
in order to meet the requirements of the special cases which arise. The copy 
which is made of every letter or communication originating in this office is 
for the bureau files. Two carbon copies are made of letters relating to the 
work of the examiners, the extra copy being used by the examiner who is 
detailed to assist the chief of the bureau in supervising this work. In the case 
of letters signed by the Attorney General or an assistant attorney general, 
an additional copy is made for the central files, and generally a third copy 
for the files of the division of accounts. When letters relate to the prosecution 
of national-bank cases, a fourth carbon copy is made for the use of the assist- 
ant attorney general having charge of such cases. The following is a statement 
of the names and the salary of persons engaged in preparing correspondence 
and the estimated portion of the whole time of each consumed in such work: 



Name. 



Salary. 



Portion of 
whole time 

engaged 
upon work. 



Net cost. 



S. W. Finch, chief of bureau. 

A. B. Bielaski 

W. H. Ramsey 

J. W. Gardner, chief clerk . . . 

B. W. Andrews 

Mr. Jenkins, iitility clerk 

Mr. Gerhart, stenographer ' . 
Mr.. Wilsdorf , stenographer i. 
Miss Stevens, stenographer 2. 



$3, 000 

2, 500 

2,500 

2,250 

2, 250 

1,400 

900 

900 

900 



Per cent. 
5 

33J 
20 
10 
20 
25 
80 
80 



Total. 



$150 
833 
600 
225 
450 
360 
720 
720 
720 



4,168 



1 Stenographer for the chief of bureau, first assistant (Bielaski) and the chief clerk. 

2 Prepares correspondence for the assistants supervising the work of examiners (Ramsey) and account- 
ants (Andrews). 

Press copying. — Press copying is not practiced, and at present a carbon copy 
filed' with the letter to which it is an answer serves as the only record of out- 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 707 

going correspondence, except in those cases where additional copies are pre- 
pared. The preparation of the carbon copy has already been considered. 

Filing of correspondence (incoming and outgoing). — All the correspondence, 
both incoming and outgoing, is retained in the files of this bureau. A separate 
room is used for the files. A flat, vertical filing system is used exclusively ; 
the files are self-indexing,^ and the classification of files is simple and well 
adapted to the needs of the bureau. 

The duplicates of the daily reports of the special agents and other similar 
employees and the weekly reports of the examiners, special examiners, and 
accountants are filed in chronological order under the names of the different 
employees. The reports of special agents, examiners, and accountants, and 
carbon copies of office letters to such employees are filed in separate folders 
adjacent to the reports thereof. Division cards carrying the names of the 
employees are used. 

The originals of the summary or final reports of examiners or special exam- 
iners (who act as departmental inspectors of court officers and. who are engaged 
in the collection of evidence pertaining to same) are filed in the Division of 
Mail and Files. The extra copy of such reports, together with the copies of 
correspondence written by the bureau relating thereto, are filed in the exam- 
iners' or special examiners' files of this bureau. The files are arranged pri- 
marily by districts, within the districts by classes of officials, such as United 
States attorneys' letters, memorandums, and reports; United States marshals' 
letters, memorandums, and reports ; United States courts clerks' letters, mem- 
orandums, and reports; United. States commissioners' letters, memorandums, 
and reports. 

Miscellaneous correspondence from or to court officials is filed in the same 
manner as the general reports from examiners — that is, under the name of the 
district from which correspondence is received — special folders being used for 
marshals, attorneys, clerks, commissioners, etc. 

Department files. — Correspondence with the executive departments (the origi- 
nal letters from and carbon copies of letters to) and the officials thereof are 
filed under the different departments, respectively. 

Miscellaneous files. — Miscellaneous correspondence — that is, correspondence 
which can not be classified according to department or district — is filed in a 
separate file arranged alphabetically according to the name of the writer or 
address. This correspondence is with the chiefs of police and other officers 
of the city and State governments as well as other individuals throughout the 
country. 

Applicants' files. — Applications for positions in the bureau, together with 
correspondence relating thereto, is filed separately in the applicants' files. The 
files are divided primarily into those for special agents, accountants, and 
miscellaneous. 

Tickler file.- — We have spoken of the purpose of the tickler file. The pri- 
mary divisions of this file are the months of the year. Under each month 
the file clerk files the tickler copies chronologically according to the date in 
the right-hand corner. He examines the file daily and upon the arrival of the 
dates indicated, refers the correspondence to the clerk preparing same. 

We have already touched upon the separate files for each of the three classes 
of files for field employees, special agents, examiners, and special examiners, 
and bank accountants. These files contain the copies of the reports filed alpha- 
betically according to the name and under each name in chronological order. 

5- Except the numerical file of cases. 



708 EEPOETS OF COMMISBION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

'Numerical flic of cases. — Special agents and bank accountants are engaged 
in the collection of evidence in civil and criminal cases to which the United 
States is a party. An additional file is kept for all of their reports (both being 
treated in the same manner). The duplicates, as already indicated, are filed 
alphabetically according to the names of the employees. The originals, how- 
ever, are filed in the numerical file under the number of the case. 

Blue folders of heavy cardboard 9i by llf inches are used for all corre- 
spondence of letter size. Guide cards of a slate color 11^ by 9i inches, vs^ith 
a projection in the upper left-hand corner to indicate the case number, are 
used for the numerical files. For the other files containing letter-size corre- 
spondence similar folders are used with .manila guide cards. At the top of 
these in the center is a projection on which is indicated appropriate notations. 

The assignment of the number under which the cases are filed in this file 
is entirely arbitrary. The numbering is continuous from oue up and upon the 
institution of a new investigation the pending case is assigned the number nest 
after the one last used. 

Inasmuch as the cases are filed in the foregoing file by reference to an 
arbitrary number, it is not self-indexing. For this reason a card index is 
maintained to this file. The cai'ds are arranged alphabetically by individuals 
and subjects. Each case is elaborately cross referenced according to the name 
of the defendant in the case, character of the case, place, prosecuting wit- 
nesses, etc. 

Consultation of flies. — The file clerk is charged with the duty of securing 
from the files papers which any person in the bureau may desire to withdraw. 
He makes an appropriate charge of same to the person to whom they are 
delivered. 

Disposition of files. — When an investigation has been completed, the papers 
are withdrawn from the files containing current documents and placed in 
transfer cases. Files are not destroyed. Mr. Phillips, the file clerk, has chargs 
of the files and does all the filing for this bureau. It is estimated that in the 
neighborhood of 55,000 communications are filed annually. Mr. Phillips' salary 
is $900 per annum, which constitutes the net annual cost of this feature of the 
work. The equipment consists of Yawman & Erbe vertical filing cabinets and 
Yawman &, Erbe card index cabinets. 

Dispatching. — As soon as the bureau correspondence (that is the correspond- 
ence which is not submitted to the Attorney General for signature) is prepared 
and reviewed as before indicated, it is referred to the chief clerk of the bureau, 
by him and his assistant placed in addressed envelopes, sealed, and sent to the 
post oflSce with the other mail of the department. The envelopes are sealed by 
hand, the Peerless Envelope Moistener being used. It is estimated that 2 per 
cent of the time of the chief clerk and 5 per cent of his assistant's is con- 
sumed in the dispatching of the mail. This would make a net annual cost 
of $115. 

6. ORGANIZATION AND METHODS, OFFICE OF APPOINTMENT CLERK. 

General statement pertaining to organization and duties. 

The ofiice of appointment clerk was created by act of Congress approved 
February 25, 1903. The administrative head of this oflSce is the appointment 
clerk whose annual compensation is $2,000. The office force consists of two 
clerks at $1,600 each. The appointment clerk has charge of all matters 
relating to applications, recommendations, and appointments, including certifica- 
tions by the Civil Service Commission. He conducts correspondence pertaining 



DEPAKTMENT OF JUSTICE. 709 

to the foregoing, prepares nominations to be sent to llie Senate, commissions 
and appointments for officers and employees of the department in Washington, 
and for United. States judges, attorneys, marshals, and other otRcers. This 
office is also charged with the compilation of the register of the Department 
of Justice and with the preparation of data relating to that department for the 
official register of the United States. 

The office of the appointment clerk comes within the second classification 
mentioned; namely, those offices handling and filing their own correspondence 
to the extent that they maintain separate or subordinate files independent of 
the central files. 

Work related to incoming mail. 

Practically all of the mail is opened in the mail and files division (the chief 
messenger is considered for that purpose as an employee of that division) 
where it is stamped and recorded. The record there made is the same record 
which is made for all official mail that is handled by that division, except that 
the file and serial number are omitted. This record serves as an easy reference 
to a communication (indicating to whom it has been assigned for action) and 
as a charge for the same. After this mail is opened, stamped, and recorded in 
the division of mail and files, it is delivered to the office of the appointment 
clerk, being placed on his desk. All of the correspondence in this office relates 
to appointments — real or prospective. The communications falling under this 
head cover a great variety of subjects, such as applications, indorsements, cer- 
tifications, resignations, oaths, transfers, reinstatements, and requests for in- 
formation, etc. 

The volume of correspondence received and handled by this office annually 
is estimated at 26,000 communications. Of this number six-sevenths consists 
of applications for appointment and indorsements connected therewith. The 
remainder might be classified as: 

Oaths (resignations and letters accompanying) 1,000 

Requests for information 1, 000 

Miscellaneous 2,000 

The appointment clerk (Mr. Sornberger) personally divides and distributes 
the incoming correspondence. It is divided into the following classes : 

(a) Matters to be noted in the notice of changes and afterwards filed, (&) 
indorsements to be filed, (c) letters to be answered and matters requiring in- 
vestigation, {(I) miscellaneous. 

It is estimated that this work of inspecting and distributing the mail con- 
sumes about 5 per cent of the appointment clerk's time ; the net salary cost 
therefor amounting to $100 per annum. 

Briefing. — The major portion of the correspondence is not briefed.^ A brief 
of all the papers of an applicant, or of all the papers of all the applicants, for a 
particular vacancy is frequently made. Such a brief usully shows the name, 
residence, and occupation of each indorser, and sometimes a summarj^ of his 
statement as to applicant. A few other communications are briefed in this 
office. These consist of letters and certifications from the Civil Service Com- 
mission, letters from wardens of United States penitentiaries, and letters and 
memorandums from officers of the Department of Justice. The briefs are made 
either by the appointment clerk himself or the indexing and recording clerk 

1 It is true that, as a substitute for briefing, the names of the applicants and the posi- 
tions sought are underscored when the indorsements of applicants are examined. This is 
principally for convenience in filing. 



710 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

(Miss Wright). Tliis briefing consists of 10 or 15 words, made either by type- 
writer or pen, and shows the date, origin, or subject of the paper. A special 
form is used for briefing — 8 by lOf inches. At the top of the form the name 
of the department is printed, below which are the following items : 

Dated , 1912. 

Received , 1912. 

From : Civil Service Commission. 

Subject : Has temporary employment of John Smith been termi- 
nated? 

Referred to . 

Action : . 

Answered December 27, 1910. 
The items underlined, talcen from the exhibit furnished, show the character 
of the information indicated on this form. When folded, the form of jacket 
upon which this brief is made talies the form of a document 8 by 3% inches, 
completely inclosing the correspondence briefed, and is ready for the files. 

The names and salaries of persons engaged in briefing correspondence and 
the estimated portion of the whole time of each consumed in this work and the 
cost thereof is as follows: 



Name. 


Annual 
sala^J^ 


Portion 
of whole 

time 

engaged 

upon 

work. 


Net cost. 


Wright, Elizabeth 


$1,600 
2,000 


Per cent. 
5 
5 


$80 


Sornborger, C. B 


100 






Total net cost 


180 











Recording and indexing. — A card index is kept for new applicants. On 
receipt of each new application an index card 3 by 5 inches is filled out, show- 
ing the name and address of the applicant, position sought, and the date filed. 
These cards are arranged alphabetically, a new index being commenced with 
each new presidential administration. Each application is aknowledged (if 
not already acknowledged by the President) and the application is placed in a 
jacket or file cover, hereinafter to be described, in which are placed other 
indorsements as received. Pursuant to an order of the Attorney General of 
February 18, 1910, a birth record is kept of every employee in the Department 
of Justice. This is also a card-index record alphabetically arranged. 

A third card-index record is kept for the offices and field deputy marshals, 
stenographers, and messengers to the district judges. Information for this 
record is obtained from the Division of Accounts, and hence, strictly speaking, 
the work does not fall under indexing and recording of correspondence. Tliis 
card index is arranged according to districts, and under the districts the cards 
are filed according to the rank of the officer or clerk. 

Changes in the appointments records indicated by the incoming correspondence 
(as well as by the carbons of outgoing letters and other papers) are placed in 
a basket as received, and from these and press-copy books a notice of changes 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 711 

in appointments is prepared on the typewriter every few days. Tlie form and 
character of this record is as follows : 

Department of Justjce, 
Office of the Appointment Clerk, 
Xo. 42. Fehmary 10, 1911. 

Changes and information regarding appointments are certified as 
follows : 
United States Penitentiary Service: 

Thomas S. Johnson, superintendent of construction, McNeil 
Island Penitentiary; appointed February 7, 1911 (by transfer from 
master mechanic. Lighthouse Service, Dept. C. & L. ) ; compensation, 
$5 a day, commencing with e. o. d. (C. S. Cert. 12011). 

Oliver Grimes, guard, Atlanta Penitentiary; appointed February 
7, 1911 (by transfer from watchman, Int. Dept.) ; salary, $840 per 
aimum, connneneing on e. o. d. (vice H. J. Abbey, resigned). 

John L. Wallace, guard ; McNeil Island ; oath and e. o. d., 
Feb. 1/11. 

William P. Graham, guard ; ^IcNeil Island ; oath and e. o. d., 
Feb. 1/11. 

Jasper A. E. Clark, guard ; Leavenworth ; oath and e. o. d., 
Feb. 1/11. 

John L. Rigney, temporary guard: McNeil Island; service termi- 
nated at close of January 31, 1911. 

William F. Muehe, temporary guard ; McNeil Island ; service 
terminated at close of Januaiy 31, 1911. 

Copies of this notice are distributed to the various offices of the department 
for general information and the correction of registers. 

In the recording and indexing of correspondence, it is estimated that about 
1,500 cards are used annually. These records are made by Miss Wright, who 
devotes about 5 per cent of her time on such work. Her annual salary is 
$1,600, which makes the net salary cost $80 per annum. 

Work related to outgoing mail. 

Preparation. — It is estimated that 4,000 communications are prepared 
annually in the office of the appointment clerk. The character of this corrv^- 
spondence, of course, agrees with that of the incoming correspondence, which 
has already been classified. Ninety per cent of the communications are type- 
written, about 10 per cent consisting of communications on printed forms. 
Most of this correspondence is dictated to stenographers by the appointment 
clerk. 

The letters when written are initialed in typewriting by the stenographers. 
These initials show the person who dictated the letter and the person who 
wrote it. The letter is then initialed with a pen by the appointment clerk 
and by such officer, if any, who may have responsibility or interest in the 
matter. One carbon is made of all correspondence, and if the matter relates 
to some subject of which the Division of Mail and Files maintains a file, an 
extra copy is made and turned over to that division. But a small part of 
the correspondence of this office, however, relates to such matters. The cor- 
respondence thus prepared is press-copied in this office and the press copy 
bound as hereinafter indicated. 



712 KEPOKTS OF COMMISSION OlST ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The names and salaries of persons engaged in preparing tlie correspondence 
and tlie estimated portion of the whole time of each consumed in this work 
and the cost thereof is as follows : 



Name. 



Annual 
salary. 



Portion of 
whole time 



upon wori:. 



Net cost. 



Kenyon, Fodie B . , 
Somborger, C. B . . 
Wright, Elizabeth. 



Total net cost. 



f 1, 600 
2,000 
1,600 



Per cent. 
50 
25 
10 



S800 
500 
160 



1,460 



Recording, indexing, and press copying {outgoing correspondence) . 

Appointment record. — Records and indexes of several kinds are kept of the 
outgoing mail. In the first place a card index is kept as a record of appoint- 
ments and changes in appointments. This record is kept on 3 by 5 inch cards, 
which are arranged primarily by grades of salary and under each grade alpha- 
betically, according to the name of the appointee. Upon the card provision is 

made for the following information: Name, . Position, ; vice, 

■ . Appropriation of office, . Original appointment, . Oath, 

. Salary, ; per . Where born. — ; State, 



Date of birth, 
district, 



Legal residence. 



county. 



; congressional 



Office record, 



Carbon-copy record. — An index is made of such carbon copies as affect the 
appointment records. This is made on loose leaves of letter size which have 
special rulings and columns provided for the details of the outgoing letters. 
The following illustrates the character of the data furnished on this form, 
together with its arrangement : 



Date. 



Subject. 



1911. 
Jan. 5. . . 
Jan. 7... 



Atkins, M. C... 
Akerman, Alex. 



Resignation accepted (guard Atlanta) 

Grand jury authority W. H. Wynne, prosecutions . 



One carbon copy of each communication so indexed and the loose-leaf index are 
bound in book form every six months. This is retained in the office for a per- 
manent record. Carbon copies of letters which do not make, amend, or Indi- 
rectly affect appointments are filed with the letters answered. Two carbon 
books were bound in 1910, one of SOO pages and one of 750 pages, with loose- 
leaf indexes of 33 and 31 pages, respectively. 

Press copying. — All the outgoing correspondence relating to this office, whether 
written by the Attorney General, appointment clerk, or other officers in the 
department, are press copied in the appointment office by a department mes- 
senger. It should be noted that when the letter relates also to a subject in the 
general files of the department which is indicated by the file number or assigned 
to it, it is also press copied in the general file book. The press copying is done 
in a bound copy book containing 500 pages. Each book is indexed. Each index 
contains the name of the person to whom the letter press copied is addressed 
and the page on which it appears. Ten press copy books of 500 pages each 
were used in this office in 1910. 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 



713 



The names and salaries of persons engaged in recording and indexing out- 
going correspondence and press copying, and the estimated portion of the whole 
time of each consumed in this work and the cost thereof is as follows : 



Name. 



Annual 
salary. 



Portion of 
whole 
time 



upon work. 



Net cost 



Wright, Elizabeth 

Kenyon, Fobie B 

Department messenger. 

Total net cost 



Per cent. 



$1,600 

1,600 

720 



S800. 00 
32.00 
21.60 



853. 60 



Filmg of correspondence. 

Equipment. — One room is devoted to filing. A case containing 120 drawers, 
each 10 by 5 by 16, including one drawer for each judicial district, is used for 
pending presidential appointments. The filing is flat horizontal. A set of 27 
drawers, for vertical filing, is used for applications for presidential appoint- 
ments which have been disposed of. These drawers, 16 by 12 by 24 inches, are 
manufactured by the Globe Co. 

A set of 42 document file jackets 12 by 12 by 5 inches, made by the Globe 
Co., is used for filing other applications and papers. 

Filmg system. — Applications and indorsements for presidential oflices are 
filed fiat in jackets provided especially for that purpose. The size of these 
jackets is 14* by 9 inches. On the front of the jacket space is provided for 
the name of the applicant, address, position sought, and date. A similar jacket 
is used for protests against the appointment sought and for miscellaneous com- 
munications. On the last two" similar information appears upon the face of 
the jacket. In the files for the pending applicants the jackets are filed fiat 
and horizontally; in the files of applicants which have been disposed of ver- 
tical filing prevails. 

As indicated, a separate drawer is used for each judicial district. Within 
each drawer the jackets are arranged alphabetically according to the names of 
candidates. For each candidate the files would contain the application of 
the applicant, together with indorsements in the one jacket, protests against 
that appointment in another jacket, and in a third jacket is filed the miscella- 
neous correspondence. 

It is to be noted, however, that all of the information or correspondence 
relating to the appointment is not filed in the files of this office. 

If charges are furnished against a person in oflice, such charges (after hav- 
ing been stamped and recorded by the general file) come to the appointment 
clerk for action, after which they are returned to the files for permanent filing. 
Again, in the case of application for appointment as special agent of the 
department, the bureau of investigation sends out a form of application, and 
upon receipt of same refers it to this ofiice for action, after which it is again 
returned to that office for permanent filing. The bond furnished by a United 
States marshal after he has qualified is filed in the special files of the Division 
of Accounts. 

Applications for other positions in the Department of Justice are filed in 
folded jacket documents. This jacket is letter size, v,^hite in color, on which 
(when folded) appears the following information: Applicant, residence, posi- 



714 KEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

tion sought, date. These jackets are arranged alphabetically (according to the 
name of the applicant) in boxes devoted to the particular office sought. The 
classification of these files is as follows : 

(a) Notary public (District of Columbia). 

(&) Special agents — accountants, etc. (Bureau of Investigation). 

(c) Administrative officer and clerks. 

id) Messengers and laborers. 

Miscellaneous letters and memoranda are filed in jackets similar to the 
foregoing. The follovping information is contained on the face of these jackets 
when folded : 

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 

Date , 1910. 

Eec'd — , 1910. 

From : . 

Subject : ^ — . 

Referred to : . 

Action : . 

Separate folded document files are kept for the miscellaneous correspondence 
which comes from the various officers of the department. This correspondence 
pertains to recommendations for promotion, discharge, transfer, etc. One 
drawer is assigned to each year, the correspondence being filed alphabetically. 

Resignations from the judicial districts are filed by districts and alphabeti- 
cally under each district. Those from the department proper alphabetically. 
Department letters and memoranda and letters from the Civil Service Com- 
mission and from other departments are filed chronologically. 

Certificates from the Civil Service Commission are filed according to the 
number. 

Separate folded document files, similar to the above, are kept for corre- 
spondence with the three United States penitentiaries. Separate files are 
maintained for each of the three penitentiaries, and for each penitentiary the 
correspondence is classified as follows: 

(a) Letters from the warden (regarding changes, promotions, appointments, 
and termination of service, etc.). 

(6) Applications from various persons for appointment in the penitentiary 
service. 

(c) Oaths and resignations of persons who are appointed. 

Other folded files are maintained for continuing orders, such as executive 
orders and orders bearing upon some civil service law or regulation or for 
letters (from heads of departments, etc.) which do not find resting place else- 
where. 

A set of 10 drawers is kept for blank sheets, forms, etc. No other index 
is kept to the file than that referred to in recording and indexing of incoming 
correspondence. 

Consultation of flies. — An applicant may examine and withdraw his appli- 
cation and endorsement at any time until appointment. After appointment 
his papers are retained in the files. When such withdrawal is made, memo- 
randum is placed in the files showing when and by whom. 

Files are divided into " current " and " storage," the divisions being made 
according to admlnisti-ation. No files have been destroyed, although the matter 
of doing away with some of the old files that are very cumbersome and ap- 
parently useless is being discussed. It is estimated that in the neighborhood 
of 25,000 communications are filed annually. 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 715 

Miss Wright, the indexing and recording clerk, files all comiuunications and 
spends 15 per cent of her whole time on this work. Her annual salary Is 
$1,600, which would make the net cost for filing $240 per annum. 

7. ORGANIZATION AND METHODS, DIVISION OF ACCOUNTS.^ 

General statement pertaining to organisation and functions. 

The Division of Accounts is charged with the examination and recording of 
the accounts of district attorneys, marshals, clerks, and other officers of the 
courts of the United States and accounts of other persons, under authority of 
section 368, Revised Statutes, as effected and enlarged by section 13 of the act 
of July 31, 1894. 

The administrative head of this division is the chief, Division of Accounts. 

The immediate supervision of the books and records, showing the receipt, 
action upon and disposition of accounts, requisitions for funds,, etc., is vested 
in the chief bookkeeper and record clerk (head of the bookkeeping section). 

From the viewpoint of the methods followed in the handling of correspondence 
in this division (using the term "correspondence" in its broadest sense), the 
incoming mail may be classified into : 

(a) General correspondence. 

(&) Accounts, requisitions for funds and weekly re>ports of receipts and dis- 
bursements, etc. 

The former, for the most part, comes through the Mail and Files Division 
(where it is recorded), is handled initially by the chief of the division and 
after action by this division referred back to the Division of Mail and Files 
for permanent disposition. The latter comes direct, unopened, from the chief 
messenger of the department to the bookkeeping section, and is handled initially 
by the chief bookkeeper (or one designated by him) and after action of the 
division is i>ermanently filed in the files maintained in that section. These two 
classes of correspondence must therefore be treated separately. 

Handling of general correspondence. 

Ninety per cent of the general or miscellaneous correspondence, the volume of 
which aggregates not more than 10,000 communications per annum, is opened 
by the chief messenger, recorded, and distributed from the Division of Mail and 
E^les. The balance comes unopened to this division by reason of the fact that 
it is addressed to the chief of the Division of Accounts. Miscellaneous corre- 
spondence concerns a variety of subjects, such as authorization of expenditures 
of various officials, appointments of office deputy marshals, fixing of the com- 
pensation of the deputy clerks and office deputy marshals, employment of stenog- 
raphers and messengers to the United States judges,^ purchase of law books for 
the Circuit Court of Appeals, leasing of quarters for United States courts and 
the officials thereof, bonding of clerks of United States courts, authorizing a 
great many expenditures from the appropriation " Miscellaneous expenses^ 
United States courts," preparation of numerous memoranda for the Attorney 
General, authorization of expenses by clerks of United States courts, proposed 
changes on legislation, etc. This mail is initially handled by the chief of the 
division, who retains letters of unusual importance (such as those concerning 
proposed changes in legislation) for consideration and action in person. The 
balance is classified by the chief of the division for distribution among the 
clerks in his office proper or to the chief of the bookkeeping section, who handles 

1 This division made no report to the commission in re methiods of handling its flies 
and correspondence. 



716 KEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

personally or through assistants correspondence relating to accounts, advance- 
ment of funds, appointment of marshals, etc. 

Recording and indexing. — As already indicated, practically all of the general 
correspondence is recorded and indexed in the Division of Mail and Files before 
it is sent to this division. The balance, vphich comes direct, and is therefore 
unrecorded, is referred back to the Division of Mail and Files for the making 
of this record in the event its importance vparrants It. 

Briefing {incoming correspondence). — There is no briefing done in this office. 

Preparation of correspondence. — It is estimated that in the neighborhood of 
12,000 communications ai-e prepared annually in this division. All outgoing 
mail, without exception, passes over the desk of the chief of the division for 
signature or initialing, as the case may be. 

The correspondence relating to accounts current and requisitions for funds 
is prepared in the bookkeeping section either by the chief bookkeeper or his 
assistants. The rest of it is prepared in the office proper of the chief of the 
division by the chief of the division personally or by his assistants (two clerks 
at $1,400 each). The time of these clerks is devoted almost entirely to the 
handling and preparation of correspondence. 

Preparation of car'bon copy. — At least two carbon copies are prepared for all 
outgoing communications — one is for the Division of Mail and Files where the 
incoming correspondence is filed, the other is for the files of outgoing corre- 
spondence which is maintained in this office. The regular initialing of letters 
by the stenographer is observed. In addition, after each communication has 
gone out, the chief of the division reviews the carbon copy retained in this 
office, and with pen initials it to indicate that the communcation has gone 
through. 

Press copying. — No press copies are prepared in this office.^ 

Briefing {outgoing correspondence). — A rather odd practice prevails of brief- 
ing each communication in the margin of the letter. This brief is a short ab- 
stract of the subject of the letter, such as " Relative to the clerk of the district 
court furnishing new bond, etc." which is a copy of the brief on an exhibit 
furnished this office. 

Filing of correspondence. — As already indicated, separate files are maintained 
for the outgoing correspondence; that is, for a second copy of each and every 
outgoing letter or communication prepared in this division. Carbon copies sent 
to this division by other divisions or offices, which directly or indirectly affect the 
business of this office, are also filed here. 

Equipment : A Yawman & Erbe flat-filing cabinet is used for the system of 
filing. 

The arrangement of this file is as follows: 

{a) Letters to the Senate and House and officials of each executive depart- 
ment classified as to department and official. 

(6) Letters to United States attorneys, United States marshals, clerks in 
United States courts classified as to districts and officials within each distx'ict. 

(c) Letters of clerks of circuits courts of appeals by circuits. 

{d) Letters to United States commissioners, alphabetically arranged. 

(e) Letters to United States judges, alphabetically arranged.' 

(/) Miscellaneous letters, alphabetically arranged. 

{g) Sheets showing disallowances in accounts, alphabetically arranged. 

1 Inasmuch as all this coi-respondence passes through the Division of Mail and Files, 
press copy is there made of each outgoing communication. 

2 The primary arrangement is not by judicial district ; it is solely alphabetical. This is 
due to the fact that the judges are shifted from one district to another, and the practice 
now in vogue of arranging their files in alphabetical order was found to be most con- 
venient. 



DEPAKTMENT OP JUSTICE. 717 

A flat vertical system of filing prevails; no index to tlie file is necessary, as it 
is self-indexing. 

The files are divided into the old and current. Tvi'o sections, containing six 
drawers each, are maintained for the current correspondence, which dates back 
to July, 1909. The same arrangement prevails in both the current and " dead " 
files. 

Dispatching. — A clerk of class 3 ($1,600) handles the filing and briefing of 
outgoing coi-respondence. She estimates that it takes about an hour and a 
half a day of her time. This would make a net annual cost of $320 for briefing 
and filing of correspondence. The correspondence is not dispatched from this 
office. One of the department's messengers takes it at stated times of the day 
from the desk of the chief of the division to the Division of Mail and Files, 
where it is treated as hereinbefore described. 

Handling of accounts, requisitions for funds and weekly reports of receipts 
<ind d/isTjursements, etc. 

Accounts, requisitions for funds and weekly reports of receipts and disburse- 
ments, etc., are received in the bookkeeping section, direct from the chief mes- 
senger, under the direction of the chief bookkeeper; a clerk (J. R. Mickle) 
receives and distributes this mail. The volume of these communications (con- 
sisting almost entirely of accounts) aggregates in the neighborhood of 8,000 
annually. The handling of these accounts, which constitutes the substantive 
accounting work of this office, is not properly a part of the consideration of 
handling correspondence. The incoming accounts are received in this section, 
recorded, and filed, so remaining until withdrawn for examination. When 
accounts are withdrawn for examination or otherwise, they are charged to the 
clerk or official making the withdrawal and after examination are returned to 
the bookkeeping section together with the necessary abstracts and reports. 
The abstracts and reports are verified by bookkeepers, and further entry is 
made upon the records, showing the amount recommended for allowance, the 
date of reference to the auditor, etc. The accounts are then transmitted to the 
chief of the division as part of the outgoing mail. 

Requisitions for funds are recorded and acted upon in this section in like 
manner. The incoming requisitions — that is, requisitions upon the Attorney 
General for advancements being filed therein; and outgoing requisitions — that 
is, requisitions by the Attorney General upon the Secretary of the Treasury 
for advance to be made to field officers being sent to the chief of the division 
as part of the outgoing mail. 

Recording and briefing {incoming correspondence). — There is no recording 
and briefing of incoming communications by this section except that which is a 
part of the substitutive accounting work of this section. 

Outgoing correspondence {preparation of). — The outgoing correspondence 
prepared in this office has been spoken of. It passes through the chief of the 
division, where it is duly reviewed, etc. The second carbon of all outgoing 
correspondence is filed as hereinbefore described in the independent file main- 
tained in this office. 

8. ORGANIZATION AND METHODS. PUBLIC LANDS DIVISION.' 

General statement pertainvng to organization and functions. 

To this division are assigned all matters and questions properly coming before 
the Department of Justice relating to the public, including reserved lands of 

1 This division made no report to this commission in re methods of handling and 
filing correspondence. 



718 EEPOETS OF C0MM;ISSI0N on ECOISrOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

the United States, and tlie tribal or allotted lands of Indians, and all matters 
involving water rights of the United States and of Indians. 

The chief administrative officer is an Assistant Attorney General. He directs 
and supervises the work of a corps of attorneys, to whom are a.ssigned special 
phases of the work of the division.^ 

The Public Lands Division does not maintain any files for its correspondence. 
The incoming correspondence is indexed and recorded in the Division of Mail 
and Files, from which it is distributed to this division, where it is initially 
handled by an assistant attorney (Mr. Harveycutter), who inspects the same 
for the purpose of assignment and distribution to the attorneys of the division. 

Work relating to handling correspondence. 

Recording and indexing. — A card-index docket or record is maintained in 
order that the status of any case handled by the division may be determined 
without reference to the papers in the central file. On each card is recorded a 
digest of all incoming and outgoing correspondence; the entries are arranged in 
chronological order. The recording of incoming and outgoing correspondence 
is done at the same time by the record clerk (Mr. Hottellan). The mail is dis- 
trihuted, as before indicated, action taken by the division, reviewed, and then 
referred to this clerk for the necessary record. A Yawman & Erbe card-index 
cabinet is used for this purpose. Segregation of the cards is made on the basis 
of current and old business, the cards being arranged alphabetically within the 
districts, which are grouped under the States. 

In accordance with the purpose of this file, the docket is inspected from 
time to time, in order to determine just what progress is being made in the 
various cases. 

Docket of cases. A register containing loose-leaves, 28 by 18 inches, is the 
docket or record of pending litigation; that is, those cases that have reached 
the state of litigation. This record is kept largely for statistical purposes. 
The cases therein docketed are classified as follows : 

1. Cases arising from trespass on the public lands. 

2. Actions at law to recover for deceit in the procurement of patents to public 
lands. 

S. Suits in equity to confirm title of bona fide purchasers of lands erroneously 
patented or certified, and to recover the minimum government price thereof 
from the patentees. 

4. Suits to cancel patents, certifications, and mesne conveyances for fraud or 
mistake and for incidental pecuniary relief. 

5. Criminal cases based on offenses committed in the entry of and procure 
luent of patents to public lands. 

6. Suits to declare forfeiture of grants of lands or rights of way for breach 
of condition. 

7. Suits to restrain interference with reclamation work. 

8. Actions against public officials defended by the department of justice. 

9. Cases arising on defaults of contractors engaged in work on reclamation 
pi'ojects. 

10. Miscellaneous. 

Separate pages are devoted to each of the foi-ms except Nos. 2 and 3, which 
appear on one page. For each of the foregoing classifications the following or 
similar designations, indicating the character of the docket entries, are provided 



1 Force in Washington : Two special assistants to the Attorney General ; 3 attorneys ; 
1 assistant attorney ; and 2 law clerks. Force in field : Twenty-two special assistant 
attorneys (some of whom are special assistants to the Attorney General and others 
special assistants to various United States attorneys). 



DEPAKTMEISTT OF JUSTICE. ' 719 

on a continuous line across the top of the page: District, file number, date 
begun, docket number, defendants, demand, date concluded, judgment in favor 
of United States (damages, costs satisfied) other disposition, pending. 

For the first classification — that is, cases arising from trespass on the public 
lands — similar columns under the foregoing designations are provided under 
" Civil " and " Criminal " which represent the primary subdivision. 

This record is made up from the correspondence received by the division and 
the docket reports. The docket reports are received from docket clerk of the 
Mail and Files Division. After the docket clerk enters up the reports received 
from day to day, he sends up the original of the reports concerning matters 
in vi'hich the Public Lands Division is interested. After the foregoing informa- 
tion is entered upon this record, the docket reports are destroyed. 

Preparation of outgoing correspondence. — The various attoi'neys in the office 
prepai'e the outgoing correspondence relating to their respective phases of 
work.^ 

After the correspondence has been prepared it is referred to an attorney 
(Mr. Williams), who acts as a reviewer not only of the character of the 
correspondence but of the legal questions involved therein. 

One carbon copy is prepared for the Division of Mail and Files. 
The general rule of initialing correspondence is observed here. On the 
original the initials of the one who indited the letter are put in the left-hand 
corner at the time he i-eviews same. All the correspondence of this division is 
signed by the Assistant Attorney General in charge, after which it is referred 
to the Division of Mail and Files, where it is press copied and dispatched as 
hereinbefore described. 

Four clerks (one class 3, two class 1, and one at $1,000) devote practically 
all of their time to taking dictation and preparing correspondence for this 
division. One of these, however (clerk, at $1,000), spends approximately 20 
per cent of her time in making entries on the card docket of correspondence 
and in the docket of pending litigation. 

9. ORGANIZATION AND METHODS. 

Offlce of pardon attorney. 

There is no legislation creating this oflace or prescribing its duties and func- 
tions. The activities of the office are prescribed by departmental order and 
vary to some extent according to the desires of the respective Attorneys 
General. 

The administrative head of the office is the attorney in charge of pardons. 
He is usually termed " the pardon attorney." His annual compensation is 
$3,000. The office force under his direction consists of two clerks, a clerk, 
class 3 ($1,600), and a clerk at $1,000. 

In this office are handled all applications for Executive clemency considered 
by the President and connected therewith, except in Army and Navy cases. 
The pardon attorney .secures the necessary reports, briefs the application and 
papers for the consideration of the Attorney General. He is also charged with 
the preparation of warrants of pardon, including the warrants in Army and 
Navy cases. 

All the business of the office is not handled through correspondence. No 
small portion of the pardon attorney's time is spent in hearing the cases before 
the department. A record, however, of every pardon case is made, and much 

1 The Assistant Attorney General felt unable to furnish any classification of the salary 
expense of preparing correspondence. 



720 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

correspondence relating thereto is necessarily had. This office maintains its 
own files, separate and distinct from the central files in the Division of Mail 
and Files. 

Work related to incoming correspondence. 

The volume of incoming correspondence aggregates, in round numbers, 8,000 
communications per year. This correspondence is classified as follows: 

(a) Reports from applicants for pardon. 

(&) Correspondence relating to applicants for pardon. 

(c) Miscellaneous letters regarding applications for pardon. 

The pardon attorney estimates that about 75 per cent of the mail is received 
direct from the chief messenger of the department and opened in his office ; the 
remainder is opened in the Division of Mail and Files. Mail addressed to the 
Attorney General, as above noted, passes through the central files and about 25 
per cent of the mail intended for this office is so addressed. 

All the mail is initially handled by J. A. Finch, the pardon attorney. No 
number or stamp is placed on the correspondence by him. He inspects it in 
oi'der to determine its character and importance. In the event anything of 
unusual importance demanding immediate action is disclosed, those communi- 
cations are considered at once; otherwise, all of the correspondence which has 
been opened by the pardon attorney is referred to the Division of Mail and 
Files for recording, pursuant to the order of the Attorney General, before dis- 
position in this office. 

When the mail is returned from the Division of Mail and Files, it is refen-ed 
to Mr. Tiller (clerk at $1,000, Class D), who stamps thereon the date of its 
receipt. The following is an illustration of the stamp : 

PARDON ATXORNEY^S OFFICE 

March 3, 1911 , 

DEPARTMENT OF JDSTICB. 

No other stamp is placed on the incoming mail. Every letter received per- 
tains to some applicant for pardon and his name is placed thereon. If the mail 
is not of this character, it is generally returned, unless it is likely to have a 
bearing upon a prospective application for pardon ; for instance, a protest 
against clemency in a case which might arise in the future is retained in the 
miscellaneous files as hereinafter described. 

Recording and indexing incoming correspondence. — Each application when 
received is entered upon the " Record of Pardon Applications " (Pardon Docket). 
This record consists of bound volumes of 800 pages each. The earlier records 
were lettered from A to Z, covering the period from 1859 to 1909; the next 
volume, from November, 1909, to September, 1911, is numbered 26 ; the suc- 
ceeding, or current volume, is numbered 27, and so on. When the application is 
received in the form prescribed by this office, it becomes a case, and is then 
entered in this record. 

This record consists of the following items: Case of , offense, date of 

sentence (not used), sentence, date referred to United States attorney, date 
United States attorney's report received, judges' report received, warden's report 

received, report to , attorney general recommends , case forwarded 

to the President, case received from the President, action, warrants sent to the 
President, received from the President, transmitted to , receipt for war- 
rants returned. 

As is evident, all of the foregoing entries are not made at the time the case 
originates; the items are self-explanatory. From this record it might be said 
that the file number is assigned, inasmuch as each case takes a file number 



DEPAETMENT OF JUSTICE. 721 

corresponding to the number on tlie volume of the record and the page on which 
it is entered. For instance, the file number of a case entered, as above de- 
scribed, on page 231 of a docket record, volume 27, would be 27-231. The filing 
system will be discussed under the appropriate head. The pardon attorney 
indicates that the work of the oflace in respect to its filing and recording system 
is substantially similar to the docket system of courts of justice; that is, the 
record of each case is made on the term " docket," the file number consisting 
of the docket number and the serial number. 

File numbers are not placed on each of the incoming communications and 
letters for the reason that experience of the office shows it to be unnecessary. 
The current cases are all arranged alphabetically according to the names of the 
applicants, in a file case specially prepared therefor; they are easily remem- 
bered by the clerk, and for this reason the placing of file numbers on incoming 
communications would be of no assistance whatever in placing the letters in 
their various jackets, except where the letter received is about an old case, 
which does not happen often. Reference to the docket is necessary in such 
case to secure the file number before the communication can be filed, in which 
event the file number is placed upon the communication. 

No recording and indexing of letters received is done in this office other than 
that above described. As has already been mentioned, all of the correspondence 
is recorded and indexed in the Division of Mail and Files. The docket record 
can only be considered recording and indexing in a general way ; that is, in 
the sense that the docket entries show when the case is received, the several 
reports relating thereto, and the action taken by the department. 

Briefing incoming correspondence.- — Very little briefing is done in this ofiice. 
On the back of each communication, however, the following record is usually 
made : 

(a) Date of letter. 

(&) Name of applicant. 

(c) Name of writer. 

(d) Subject of letter (word or two). 

WorJc related to outgoing correspondence. 

Preparation of correspondence. — Roughly estimating, the volume of outgoing 
correspondence aggregates 5,000 communications annually. It is estimated that 
over two-thirds of this correspondence is prepared by Mr. Tiller, the balance 
being prepared by the pardon attorney himself; the more important communi- 
cations are prepared in person by the latter, the miscellaneous correspondence 
being referred to the former. 

The pardon attorney estimates that almost half of the outgoing correspond- 
ence is prepared on printed forms, of which 10 per cent consists of mere acknowl- 
edgments. An examination of these forms, about a dozen in number, covering 
situations which recur from day to day, indicates that a large economy is 
effected through their use. Two of these forms are of such importance that 
they are press copied. 

About 50 per cent of the typewritten letters (which makes up half of the out- 
going correspondence) is dictated to either of the two clerks (stenographers) 
by the pardon attorney. Practically all of such communications are signed by 
the pardon attorney personally, who reviews the composition of all such letters. 
A few letters are signed by the Attorney General, these letters being prepared 
by the pardon attorney and bearing his initials. Letters prepared by the 
pardon attorney signed by himself are not initialed. Letters signed by the 
pardon attorney prepared by his clerk bear the initials of the clerk. 
72734— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 46 



722 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The character of the outgoing correspoudence would correspond to that of 
the incoming, consisting of requests for reports upon applications for pardon 
and other correspondence relating to such applications. 

Recording and indexing. — No record is made of incoming correspondence ex- 
cept in the case of reports received in re pardon applications. The receipt 
thereof is recorded on the docket and on the jacket also. 

Press copying. — All originals of outgoing letters (including two of the form 
letters) are press copied in a bound volume. This volume contains 500 pages, 
each volume being indexed at the front. This index consists merely of the 
names of the petitioners alphabetically arranged. Inasmuch as practically 
every communication prepared in the office has reference to some applicant for 
pardon, his name, which is the basis for the filing system, affords all the in- 
formation desired. In rare instances, however, the name of the writer is also 
mentioned. 

Carlton copies. — Two carbon copies of all letters prepared in this office are 
made; one copy being kept with the letter and placed in the jacket with the 
other letters in the case (as hereinafter described) ; the other copy is pre- 
served and from time to time bound and indexed, the copies being arranged 
chronologically. The index is alphabetically arranged and contains both the 
name of the petitioner (that is, the applicant for clemency) and the name of 
the addressee. 

Filing. — The files of this office are not self-indexing. The old style of docu- 
ment file of folded papers filed vertically is used. As already explained, the 
letters or papers of whatever nature connected with applications for, pardon, 
are folded and placed in a linen-lined jacket 5 by 9 inches. On the outside of 
the jacket indorsements are made showing the essential facts in connection 
with the case and the action taken upon it. The following is an illustration of 
the form, the items in italics being the indorsements made from time to time 
as shown by an exhibit furnished this office. 

IN KE APPLICATION FOR EXECUTIVE CLEMENCY. 

Of John Doe, Sou. Dist. of New York. Record, 26; page 125 
Filed March 10, 1911. Referred to U. S. attorney, March, 11, 1911 
2d ref. to U. S. attorney, , 1911. U. S. atty's report, 



19 — ; . U. S. atty's report, April 1, 1911; favorable 

Judge's report, , 19 — ; . Warden's report, March 20 

1911; expires Jan. 12, 1918. Report of , 19—; 



To the Attorney General, , 19 — . Attorney General recom- 
mends commutation to expire immediately. To the President, 
April 15, 1911. Returned by the President, April 16, 1911. Action 
commvted to expire immediately, April 16, 1911. Warrant sent to 
the President April 17, 1911. Received from the President April 
18, 1911. Transmitted to warden, U. S. Penitentiary, April 18, 
1911. Receipt returned, April 25, 1911. Notice of final action to 
be sent to party who filed petition. 

The name of the applicant and certain other items are indorsed on this 
jacket at the time the case is entered in the docket. As already explained, the 
number which appears on the jacket, and which is the basis for the filing is 
taken from the docket. These numbers determine the order in which they are 
filed in the case. In other words, the files are arranged according to the 
dockets. For instance, the cases recorded in docket 27 would be filed one after 
the other according to the number (that is, according to the pages of the 



DEPAETMENT OF JUSTICE. 723 

•docket), one file containiug as many cases (usually about 25 in number) as it 
can conveniently carry. About 260 filing cases are arranged on two sides of the 
pardon attorney's office. 

Miscellaneous. — Two files are mainta ned for miscellaneous correspondence, 
incoming and outgoing (the original of incoming and the carbon of outgoing 
relating thereto), which is not at the time of its filing a pending case (and for 
this reason no record is made in the docket and the correspondence is not filed 
in the general case files). The correspondence is filed horizontally. The 
papers in these files are arranged alphabetically and are in a flat horizontal 
position. Index cards of such communications are placed in the index of the 
general file. 

Index to the files. — An index is kept to the files. This index consists of cards 
S by 5 inches which contain the following items : 

(a) Name of applicant. 

(6) Judicial district. 

(c) Number and page of volume where the case is docketed. 

These cards are made up from time to time from the docket record (which is 
also indexed according to the names of the applicants). The cards are arranged 
alphabetically. 

Consultation of files. — All of the papers filed in the case may be consulted by 
any person having a proper interest in the case, with the exception of the reports 
received from the various officers reporting upon the case. These are not open 
to anyone except officers making the reports, the pardon attorney, the Attorney 
General, and the pardon board, and, where occasion may require, the officers of 
the department. 

When letters or papers are withdrawn for the use of the parole board a form 
receipt showing each document taken is placed in the jacket. When the case 
is sent to the district attorney for report or to the President for action the record 
shows such action. If merely one paper were desired, a notation in pencil will 
be made on the .jacket and erased after the paper is returned. 

The filing system is so arranged that the latest file boxes alone contain cases 
of current interest. Occasionally an old case will be called up for consideration, 
but practically all of the cases filed back of a year and a half from the date 
have no current interest. No files of any kind are destroyed. 

Miscellaneous records. — Several miscellaneous records are maintained which 
have incidental reference to the handling of files and correspondence, which will 
be noted. 

(a) A record of pardon cases: This record is a volume containing blank 
forms similar in all respects to the official documents issued by the President. 
These forms are filled out in longhand in precisely the same manner that the 
original warrant is prepared and signed. Each form takes four pages, and the 
volume is therefore numbered every fourth page. The entries in this book are 
carefully, compared with the original and indexed. 

(h) Record of denied cases: This is a miscellaneous record of applications 
for pardon which have been denied. The record is in chronological order with- 
out any index. Its chief value is in preparing statistics for the annual report. 

(c) Pardon attorney's private docket: In a small memorandum book about 
16 by 18 inches, the pardon attorney keeps his own personal record of live 
cases (the cases to be disposed of). After the record of a case is completely 
made up, and before it is acted upon, the pardon attorney makes up this 
record in order to have before him complete data of all the pending cases. The 
principal items of information contained in this record are as follows: Papers 



724 KEPORTS OF COMMISSIOISr OlSr ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

filed, name of paper, briefed (date), to Attorney General (date), Attorney- 
General recommends (date), to the President (date), President's action ^ 

term will expire, offense, sentence. 

The individual cases are numbered consecutively from 1 to 1,000. 

It should be mentioned in connection with this docket that the files of all 
rases which are ready for action of the Attorney General are kept at the right 
of the pardon attorney. These files are further classified into those containing— 

(a) Cases to be briefed (2 files). 

(6) Cases on which further information is to be secured and investigation 
made (2 files)., 

(c) Cases already briefed (2 files). 

(d) Ready for the Attorney General (2 files). 
This arrangement is merely for expediency. 

Equipment. — Equipment has already been touched upon in the discussion of 
the various methods. 

10. ORGANIZATION AND METHODS, OFFICE OF DISBURSING CLEKK.^ 

General statement pertaining to organization and functions. 

The primary function of the disbursing oflice is the payment of the accounts 
for the Department of Justice. These accounts are divided into two general 
classes — pay roll and special voucher. This office is charged with the auditing 
of all these accounts — ^both pay roll and special voucher — before payment is 
made. 

The administrative head of the disbursing office is the disbursing clerk, whose 
compensation is $2,750 per annum. He is charged with the supervision and 
direction of the office force, which consists of eight clerks and a messenger. 

Work related to handling of incoming correspondence. 

Practically all of the correspondence received in (or emanating from) this 
office has to do with accounts, the miscellaneous correspondence being an almost 
negligible quantity. The number of communications received annually in this 
office is estimated at 7,500. They may be divided into the following classes : 

Accounts 6, 650 

Notices of appointment 150 

Department memoranda 50 

Miscellaneous letters 600 

From other departments 50 

It is estimated that about 90 per cent of the mail is received in this office 
unopened, the remainder of the mail (10 per cent) is opened in the Division of 
Mail and Files, this portion consisting of mail which has been addressed to the 
Attorney General. The mail is handled initially by the disbursing clerk, who 
opens, inspects, and classifies same for the purpose of distribution. He esti- 
mates that this work consumes about 10 per cent of his time, which makes the 
net salary cost therefor $275 per annum. 

Briefing. — Very little briefing is done in this office. Department memoranda 
(50), miscellaneous letters (600), and communications from other departments 
(50) are briefed. For the purpose of making this brief the following stamp Is 
placed upon the back of the communication in such a way that the communica- 

1 The disbursing oflSce was removed in Tuli', 1911, from the main building of the 
Department of Justice to the ninth floor of the Southern Building, Fifteenth and H 
Streets NW, 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 725 

tion can be folded in the jacket form for filing, the brief being at the top and 
on the face of the jacket thus made : 

Dist. of • ■ 

Name 



Position- 
Date 



Subject- 



The blank spaces providecl above are filled in by pen when brief is made of 
the communication. This brief consists of about 25 words. Briefing is done by 
a clerk of class 1, who spends about 10 per cent of her whole time on such work, 
the net cost thereof being $100 per annum. 

It should also be noted that in conformity with the former practices of this 
office the method of briefing comptroller's decisions (of which there are about 
50 per annum) is continued by the disbursing clerk. This brief is made on the 
back of the standard letter-size jacket formerly used in the Department of 
Justice for filing letter-size communications. On the back of it is shown the date 
of the communication, that is, from the Comptroller of the Treasury ; the subject 
thereof, consisting of four or five words; and to whom it has been referred. 
Below there are also special rulings for the action taken. 

Recording and indexing. — Incoming mail is not recorded or indexed. 

DistriTjution. — For the purpose of distribution all the incoming mail is divided 
into the following classes by the disbursing clerk at the time he receives and 
opens same : Accounts, notices of appointments, miscellaneous letters, letters 
from other departments. 

In the case of the last two of the above mentioned before distribution for final 
action in the ofiice they are turned over to the briefing clerk for briefing, as 
herein indicated. Of the first, however, no briefs, indexes, or records are made, 
and they are distributed at once for action. 

To expedite distribution, the name of the clerk, office, or division to whom the 
communication is to be sent is noted on the papers. 

The time consumed by the disbursing clerk and the salary cost thereof have 
been indicated. In addition it is estimated that about 40 per cent of the time of 
the office messenger (William Yerby) is required for this work. His annual 
compensation is $720, which would make the net annual cost therefor $288. 
Worlc related to outgoing correspondence. 

Preparation of. — It is estimated that in the neighborhood of 14,000 communi- 
cations are prepared annually in this office. About 10 per cent thereof, or 1,400, 
are general correspondence letters; the balance thereof, or 90 per cent, are 
printed forms. Through the action of the disbursing clerk the practice of inclos- 
ing individual transmittal letters with each voucher has been discontinued. The 
present practice is to inclose a printed form (on which no entries are made by 
this office, except where differences arise in the settlement of accounts) with 
each check. Communications carrying these checks practically constitute the 
90 per cent of the communications that are sent out on printed forms. 

The general and miscellaneous correspondence of the office is conducted per- 
sonally by the disbursing clerk. He dictates this correspondence to the office 
stenographer. All of the correspondence and communications, except those 
inclosing vouchers (90 per cent), bear autograph signatures. All envelopes for 
the general correspondence are addressed by the stenographer who prepares the 
correspondence, and those for the printed or form letters by a clerk of class 2 



726 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

by use of an addressograph. The following is a statement of the names and 
salaries of the persons engaged in preparing correspondence, the estimated, 
portion of the whole time of each consumed in such work, and the cost thereof : 



Name. 



Annual 

salary. 



Portion of 

whole 

time 

engaged 

upon work. 



Net cost. 



J.D.Kiefer 

J.P.Rudy 

Nathan Plummer. 

L. A.Russel 

J.M.Bornholdt... 
Nettie C. Jennings 
J. Augusta Bowen 
Disbursing clerk. . 



1,800 
1,800 
1,600 
900 
1,400 
1,200 
2,750 



Pir cent. 
15 

JS 

15 
15 

3 25 
60 
20 



18 
90 
80 
45 
350 
720 
550 



1 Forwarding checks with printed form letter of transmittal. 

2 Forwarding passenger transportation orders. 

3 Addressing envelopes on addressograph, and forwarding pay-roU checks. 



Recording and indexing {outgoing correspondence). — ^As has been noted, no 
book or index record is made of incoming correspondence. The outgoing corre- 
spondence, however, is press copied, as hereinafter noted, and is recorded in a 
large bound register of 500 pages, 16 by 12 inches in dimension. Each page 
contains the following special designations on a continuous line : Date, book, 
page, name, subject. 

This record is made up from the press-copy book. The columns above, desig- 
nated " book " and " page," have reference to the press-copy book and page 
numbers. The book itself is classified under special index designations, such 
as "Attorney General," ;' assistant to Attorney General," " private secretary," 
"chief clerk," "Chief Bureau of Investigations," etc., and "miscellaneous" 
(under which about one-half of the book is reserved) ; for all the other officers 
an alphabetical index is kept in this record at the front of the book, where the 
names of the officers or individuals are arranged alphabetically and the page 
on which the correspondence relating thereto is inserted opposite. A clerk 
of class 1 (Miss Bowen) keeps this record of letters in the press-copy book, 
spending about 20 per cent of her whole time upon such work. The net cost 
thereof would be $200 per annum. 

Press copying. — As indicated, all the outgoing correspondence except the 
printed forms accompanying vouchers are press copied with the signature of 
the disbursing clerk affixed. This is done by the office messenger in. bound 
volumes of 500 pages each. 

The monthly pay rolls are also press copied by this messenger in a large 
bound register or volume, 20 by 24 inches in dimension. These are indexed 
according to the appropriation from which the payments are made. The books 
are numbered on the cover (consecutively) and the time covered by the pay 
rolls bound shown thereon. It is estimated that the press copying consumes 
about 121 per cent of the messenger's time. This would make a net annual 
cost of $90. 

Filing of correspondence. 

General files. — The equipment used in this office for the filing of general or 
miscellaneous correspondence is the " Macey " folding document file case. As 



DEPAETMENT OF JUSTICE. 



727 



indicated, the brief is stamped on tlie back of the incoming communication, 
which is folded twice, so that the communication is in jacket form, 8 by 3^ 
inches in dimension. If the brief is not stamped on the communication itself, 
It is typewritten upon the jacket, already described, which is folded about such 
communication. In the individual filing boxes the communications are arranged 
chronologically. The filing boxes are arranged alphabetically according to the 
State or executive department; carbon copies are filed with the document or 
communication to which they refer. Other file boxes are maintained for orders 
of the Attorney General, miscellaneous appointments, miscellaneous correspond- 
ence with people who have no judicial district, suspension certificates, trans- 
portation correspondence, powers of attorney, letters of administration, and 
other miscellaneous matters. The system of filing for the latter is the same. 
It is estimated that the file work requires 10 per cent of the time of the stenog- 
rapher of this office (Miss Bowen). This would make a net cost of $120 per 
annum. 

Dispatching. — The dispatching of the general correspondence is done by the 
disbursing clerk, who personally places the letters in the envelopes. The 
printed or form letters are placed in the envelopes by Misses Jennings and 
Bowen and Messrs. Kiefer, Plummer, Russell, and Bornholdt. They are sealed 
by hand by the above named. The following is a statement of the persons so 
engaged, their salary, and estimated portion of the whole time of each and the 
cost thereof: 



Name. 



Annual 



Portion of 
whole 
time 



upon work, 



Net cost. 



J. H. Mackey 

J. D. Kiefer 

J. A. Russell 

■J. M. Bornholdt.. 
Nettie C. Jennings 
J. Augusta Bowen 



12, 750 
1,800 
1,600 
900 
1,400 
1,200 



Per cent. 
1 
1 
I 

1 

10 
1 



$27.50 
18.00 
16.00 
9.00 

140. 00 
12.00 



Consultation of files.- — The general correspondence files are consulted by the 
disbursing clerk, who has the file clerk replace whatever records he had with- 
drawn when he is through with same. No card is inserted in place of the absent 
file unless the corresspondeuce is sent out of the office. 

Disposition of old files. — The files in this office are comparatively small, for 
which reason there has been no disposition made of the old files, which are 
retained, with the exception of the press-copy books, which are filed in the 
department's storage room. 

Duplicate voucher files. — A Yawman & Erbe folding filing cabinet is the 
equipment used for the duplicate voucher files. The vouchers prepared iu this 
office in payment of accounts are iu duplicate. The originals are forwarded 
to the Auditor for the State and other departments; the duplicate or memoran- 
dum vouchers are retained and filed here. Individual filing boxes are main- 
tained for the various appropriations from which this office disburses money, 
which are as follows : 

Defense in Indian depredation claims. 

Repairs, to courthouse, Washington, D. C. 



728 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION Oj^ EC0JJ"0MY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Traveling and miscellaneous expenses, Department of Justice. 

Pay of regular assistant attorneys, United States courts. 

Salaries, fees, and expenses of marshals, United States courts. 

Salaries and expenses of district attorneys. United States courts. 

Salaries, district court, Territory of Hawaii. 

Inspection of prisons and prisoners. 

Enforcement of antitrust laws, etc. 

Rent of buildings. Department of Justice. 

Pay of special assistant attorneys. United States courts. 

Salaries, Supreme Court. 

Salaries, circuit courts. 

Salaries, district judges. 

Salaries, retired judges. 

Salaries. Court of Claims. 

Salary. Commissioner Yellowstone National Park. 

Salary, clerk, district court, northern district of Illinois. 

Salaries and expenses, court of appeals. District of Columbia. 

Salaries, supreme court. District of Columbia. 

Supplies for United States courts. 

Protecting the interests of the United States in suits affecting Pacific railroads. 

Suits for removal of restrictions, allotted lands, Five Civilized Tribes. 

Investigating title of the United States in lands in District of Columbia. 

Auditors, Court of Claims. 

Protecting interests of the United States in customs matters. 

United States Court of Customs Appeals. 

Enforcement of acts to regulate commerce. 

United States Commerce Court. 

Investigation and prosecution of crimes. 

Prosecution of crimes atfecting title to Kickapoo lands in Oklahoma. 

Suits affecting title to Seminole allotted lands in Oklahoma. 

Books for judicial officers. 

Salaries, governor, etc.. District of Alaska. 

Salaries, governor, etc.. Territory of Hawaii. 

Federal Court Reports and Digests. 

Within each file the vouchers are arranged in numerical and chronological 
order. No separate index is maintained for this file, the "Abstract " and 
" Voucher" record books (both accounting records primarily) forming a double 
or cross index to these files.^ 

Piles of paid and unpaid transportation orders. — These files have only inci- 
dental reference to the correspondence of the office. In drawers used. for that 
purpose the coupons of the transportation orders (which are issued in response 
to requisitions made on requisition cards) are filed. The bound stubs of 
transportation orders which have been issued, the requisition cards, the unpaid 
coupons, and the paid coupons are each filed separately. When the individual 
to whom the transportation order has been sent presents same to the railroad 
company and payment has been made to the latter, the coupons are marked 
by dating stamp with the date of payment and transferred from the drawer 
in which they are retained up to that time to a large drawer containing the 
paid coupons. The arrangement of these files is alphabetical, according to the 
name of the individual in whose favor they are drawn. 

1 It was the inauguration of these records by the disbursing clerk which rendered 
unnecessary the preparation and press copying of letters of transmittal. Prior to that 
time it was an index to the copy book that served as such an index to this file. 



DEPAETMEISTT OF JUSTICE. 729 

MinccUaneous and special card indexes. — For tlie couveuience of tlie office, 
c-ertain special card indexes are Ivept which, in a measure, are used in paying 
accounts and handling correspondence : 

(e) Card index of comptroller's decisions: On small 3 by 5 blank cards a 
digest of the comptroller's decision is typewritten. These cards are filed in 
alphabetical order, according to the subject. (/) Card index of general laws 
pertaining to accounts : The syllabi of these laws pertaining to accounts are 
typewritten on cards similar to the above, which are filed in this index alpha- 
■betically, according to subject. 

id) Card index of special appointments: This index is also maintained on 
small 3 by 5 cards, one card being devoted to each appointment and subsequent 
-data (that is, pertaining to promotions, etc.) relating thereto. The card con- 
tains the name of the appointee, his salary, and the conditions of the appoint- 
ment. The cards are grouped primarily under various appropriations, such as 
the "Antitrust," " Miscellaneous," etc. Under the special headings the cards 
are arranged alphabetically. 

{a) Notices of appointments reported by appointment clerk: The notices of 
appointments received in this office, of which it is estimated that there are 150 
annually, are all indexed in a specially prepared A to Z index to correspond 
to the notices. These notices are placed in the above file, arranged numerically 
and chronologically. Every two years these notices, with special index thereto, 
are bound. 

(6) Book index of pay roll changes: A record of all changes of pay rolls is 
kept in a book marked " pay rolls." with the following headings : Roll, Name, 
District, From, Remai'ks (for incoming employees) ; Roll, Name. District, To, 
Remarks (for outgoing employees). 

(c) Pay roll lists: These consist of typewritten lists of the names of officers 
and employees on pay rolls by appropriations. These lists show the name, desig- 
nation, district, address, and salary. 

11. ORGANIZATION AND METHODS OF OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR OF THE TREASURY. 

In general. 

The Solicitor of the Treasury is charged with the supervision of suits in 
which the United States is a party or interested, except cases in the Supreme 
Court. Court of Claims, and such suits or proceedings that Congress has espe- 
cially committed to some other office, e. g., those relating to internal revenue, 
trusts, interstate commerce, etc.^ 

The foregoing statement of the functions of this office indicate in general 
the character of its correspondence. The volume of incoming correspondence 
aggregates 16,000 communications per annum. They may be divided into the 
following classes : 

Miscellaneous letters ^ 6, 500 

Bonds and contracts, by references 8, 000 

Reports of district attorneys' clerks, United States courts, 

collectors of customs, etc 4, 000 

Certificates of deposits 2,500 

1 The office of the Agent of the Treasurj% of which the office of the Solicitor of the 
Treasury is successor, was created by act of Congress, May 15, 1820. The title of 
" agent " was changed to " solicitor " by subsequent act of Congress of May 29, 1830, 
at which time his powers and duties were enlarged. The office was made a bureau of the 
Department of Justice in the year 1870. 



730 EEPOETS OP COMMISSIOlSr ON" ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY, 

Work related to handling of incoming correspondence. 

Practically all the mall intended for this office is received direct in the office 
of the chief clerk. Upon its receipt it is taken in charge by the mail clerk 
(John A. Ellinger), who opens and assorts the same and stamps each com- 
munication with the date of its receipt. The mail then passes to the solicitor 
and is by him referred to the assistant solicitor, after which it is referred to 
the chief clerk for assignment.^ This assignment consists of noting on the face 
of the communication the initials of the clerk or official to whom it is referred 
for action. After the assignment has been made the correspondence is referred 
to the file and entry clerk (J. S. Maddux) for entry on his record. The fol- 
lowing is an illustration of the character of the stamp which the entry clerk 
places upon the face of each communication : 



SOLICITOR OF THE TREASURY. 

Rec'd . Mar. 16, 1912. A. M. 

File No. . 

Inasmuch as the flat filing system is in vogue in this office, this stamp is 
placed on the face of the communication near the top. 

The only entry inserted in the foregoing stamp by the file clerk is the file 
number. Each communication is given a number (a serial number assigned 
arbitrarily) which determines (in the event the communication is about a new 
case) or corresponds with (in the event it is a pending case or one about which 
there has been correspondence) the file number of the subject matter to which 
it relates. 

If the correspondence relates to a new case, it is given the next unassigned 
number. 
Recording and indexing: 

This office records and indexes (which is one process) all incoming- (and 
outgoing) correspondence. 

For this purpose heavy blue and white cards 4 by 6 inches, with special rul- 
ings, are used. 

Blue cards. — At the top of the blue card sufficient space is left for the inser- 
tion of the name of the individual, title, number. State, or district. Columns 
provide for the file or docket number, date (incoming and outgoing), and sub- 
ject. On the card is also shown the persons to whom the communication has 
been referred (and charged) for consideration or reply. This information is 
deterniined from the assignment of the chief clerk. A similar arrangement 
of columns appear on the reverse side of the card. 

The white card is similar in form and ruling to the blue card, except that it 
has two additional columns,' one for the docket number and the other for the 
person to whom the communication is charged. (The assignment of correspond- 
ence is noted on white cards only.) The arrangement on the reverse side of 
the white card is the same. The following are illustrations of the form of card 
used and a facsimile of the entries which appear on an exhibit furnished this 
office. 

1 Some reports and correspondence of an unimportant nature, such as requests for 
blanks, etc., are referred direct to the chief clerk — being reviewed by neither the solicitor 
nor assistant solicitor. 



DEPAETMENT OP JUSTICE. 
[Blue.] 



731 



Doe, Jno. 



Dayton, 



Ohio. 



File or docket. 


Date. 


Subject. 


Incoming. 


Outgoing. 


12496 


Feb. 20,1911 


Feb. 21 


Joseph Filer. Land J. 





























Note. — The following appears in the lower left-hand corner on the face 
Department of Justice, 

Office of the Solicitor of the Treasury. 



[White.] 



Eller, Jos. Land. 



Ohio. 





Docket. 


Date. 


To or 
from— 




File No. 


Incom- 
ing. 


Out- 
going. 


Charged 
to— 




1911 




12496 




Feb. 20 


Feb. 21 


Jno. Doe 


J. 













































Note. — The following appears in the lower left-hand corner on the face : 
Department of Justice, 

Office of the Solicitor of the Treasury. 

For tlie purpose of recording and indexing tlie correspondence of this bureau 
tlie cards on wliich the incoming mail is recorded are classified into four groups, 
each of which is filed in the separate card indexes. The first three groups are 
of the records made on blue cards ; the latter of records on white cards. 

(A) District and State records: On this set of cards, which are filed by 
judicial district and within the respective judicial district, alphabetically, ac- 
cording to the official title, are entered and recorded communications from 
United States attorneys, marshals (and other oflScials, such as customs officers 
permanently located in the State). For instance, the classification within a 
judicial district of an exhibit furnished was as follows : Assistant treasurer, 
attorney, clerks, collector of customs, marshals. When fully recorded, the 
cards show the name and title of the writer, his State or district, the date the 
communication was received, the subject matter thereof, the file number, and 
to whom the communication was referred for action. 

(B) Departmental index: This index is similar to the last mentioned. Ludi- 
cating the title of the departmental official with whom the correspondence is 
had. The card also shows the date received, the subject matter, to wtiom 
referred, and the file number. 



732 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

(C) Private index: This is to that correspondence which does not fall within 
the first two above mentioned, containing the correspondence with individuals. 
The lecord contains the name and address of the writer, the date the com- 
munication was received, the subject matter thereof, the file number, and to 
whom the communication was referred foi action. The arrangement of cards' 
is alphabetical. 

(B) Subject-matter index (white card) : This record is indexed primarily 
according to the subject or nature of the correspondence, i. e., land, customs 
frauds, etc. The title of the case is most frequently the subject. The card also 
shows the department, State, district from which received, date received, the 
title or name of writer or person addressed, and to whom referred for action. 
The arrangement of cards is alphabetical. 

All communications are entered under the last set of cards (that is, the 
subject-matter card indexes) in addition to being entered on one of the other 
sets according to the source of the communication. In other words, each com- 
munication is indexed and recorded that it may be found by reference to its 
subject in the white-card index or to the State or district, department, or in- 
dividual from which received in the blue-card indexes. 

Cross indexing: There are few cross references made (although it should be 
remembered that the making of two indexes of each communication as above 
described means a cross reference for each). In some cases, however, two or 
more subjects are mentioned in one communication, in which event an index 
and reference must be made for each subject ; again, it will sometimes happen 
that a communication will refer to a number of individuals with each or 
several of whom there has been some correspondence and hence distinct file 
numbers. In case a communication deals with several file numbers it is usually 
filed Tinder the first name or subject mentioned and indexed under all. It is 
not given an independent file number if any of the cases mentioned already 
have one. 

It should be noticed that a subject once indexed serves for all future com- 
munications; upon these cards is shown, in chronological order, each communi- 
cation received, and for each communication the items as above described. 
Inasmuch as the records are made on both white and blue cards there is fur- 
nished a complete duplicate history of the correspondence with this office on 
any subject.^ In order that the indexes will not become unwieldy back or 
" dead " cards are periodically removed from the blue-card indexes. The 
removal is made according to dates, without reference to the subjects indexes, 
and the cards are placed in another card index arranged as in the current 
indexes. It is estimated that in the neighborhood of 5,000 cards are used 
annually for the indexing of incoming correspondence. About 40 per cent of 
the whole time of the index clerk is consumed upon this work; his salary is 
$1,600 per annum, which would make a net annual cost of $640. 

Distrihution. — Distribution is made by messenger to the person or official 

indicated by the assignment. A tag marked " special " is attached to letters 

which require immediate attention. Salary of the messenger doing this work 

is $720; it is estimated that it requires 25 per cent of his whole time, which 

would mean a net cost of $180 per annum. 

1 These card indexes are the conlinuation of the record " Index to letters received." 
This is in a large bound volume of 500 pages. It was discontinued, as the official index, 
tt short time ago, although for convenience the entry clerk continues to enter all corre- 
spondence therein, and will continue to do so until the book is filled. The columns pro- 
ride for the following information : Date of entry, cas eor surname, Christian name, 
residence or from whom received, state, entry number, etc. 

Thjs record is arranged alphabetically ; no cross references are used. 



DEPAKTMENT OF JUSTICE. 



'33 



Work relating to outgoing correspondence. 

Preparation of. — It is estimated that 11,000 commimications are prepared 
annually in this bureau. This correspondence is prepared by the clerks oi* 
officials to whom it has been referred by the chief clerk for action. Seventy-five 
per cent of the letters prepared in this office are dictated to stenographers; 20 
per cent consists of letters and opinions which are written in longhand and then 
written on typewriter, the remainder being prepared on printed form and then 
copied. 

The communications are initialed by the clerk preparing same, and then by 
the chief clerk and Assistant Solicitor, through whose hands they come before 
being signed by the Solicitor. All letters are signed by the latter; in his absence 
by the Acting Solicitor. Ordinarily the incoming letter is not attached to the 
reply when the latter is presented for signature for the reason that the Solicitor 
has reviewed the incoming correspondence and is familiar with the contents 
of letter to which reply is made. A notation " Inclosure " is made on letter to 
insure inclosures will be made. The stenographer is also charged with placing 
the inclosure in the envelope when writing the letter, the envelope being given 
the same number as the file number of the letter. In order to insure the exe- 
cution of directions or instructions to subordinates or other individuals con- 
tained in the letter, a brief note is made of the case on the docket (a docket 
record being kept of each case under the jurisdiction of this bureau) which is. 
frequently inspected. 

One carbon copy is usually made of the correspondence prepared in this office. 
In the case of opinions, however, two or more copies are sometimes made. The 
carbon copy is filed with the letter received, as hereinafter described, so that 
a complete file of related papers, incoming and outgoing, is kept together in 
the files. The originals of all outgoing correspondence bear the signature of 
the solicitor; the office copies bear the name which is affixed by means of a 
rubber stamp. The following is a statement of the names and salaries of 
persons engaged in preparing correspondence, the estimated portion of the whole 
time consumed in this work, and the cost thereof: 



Name. 



Portion of 

Annual whole time 
salary. engaged 
upon work. 



Net cost. 



C. W. Maupin 

R. J. Mawhinney 

C. S. Johnson 

R.E. Tyner 

H. B Cox 

M. D. Keefer 

D. S. Foster 

W. M. Birchard, stenographer . 



$2, 000 
2,000 
2,000 
1,800 
1,800 
1,400 
1,800 
1,400 



Total . 



Per cent. 
10 
10 
10 
20 
2.5 
2.5 
10 
100 



?2oa 

200 
200 
360 
450 
3.50 
ISO 
1,400 



3,340 



Recording and indexing {outgoing): The outgoing correspondence is indexed 
and recorded in the same manner and on the same cards as the incoming 
correspondence, the outgoing entries being made in the columns applicable. 
The manner in which this record is made up has already been described in great 
detail. The record for the outgoing correspondence is prepared from the carbon 
copies (the record of the incoming having been prepared from the original of 



734 '. EEPOKTS OF GOMMISSIOSr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

the communication received in this ofQce). The subject or file number of the 
outgoing correspondence generally agrees with that of the incoming corre- 
spondence. In exceptional cases, however, the correspondence originates in the 
bureau without any reference to incoming correspondence or on a subject which 
has not been previously indexed. In this event a new number is assigned. The 
same clerk records the outgoing and incoming correspondence ; it is estimated 
that about one-fourth of his whole time is engaged in recording outgoing corre- 
spondence. His salary is $1,600; the net cost, therefore, would be $400. 

Press copies. — The originals of all outgoing correspondence are press copied 
on loose sheets, which are chronologically bound in buckram. About 2,000 
sheets are bound in each volume. The file clerk estimates that about four 
volumes are bound a year. The pages thereof are not numbered, and the vol- 
umes are not indexed. The card indexes furnish the date of any letter, and 
inasmuch as these sheets are filed chronologically, the former serve as an index 
for the latter. The press copying is done by an acting messenger, who spends 
about 10 per cent of his whole time on such work, the net cost being $66 per 
annum. 

Carbon copies. — As before noted, but one carbon copy is generally made of 
outgoing correspondence. This is filed with the incoming correspondence. 

Dispatching. — After the letters are press copied they are handed to the clerk 
(Ellinger) who has charge of inclosing, sealing, and mailing the correspondence. 
It is estimated that this work consumes about 10 per cent of his time. His 
salary per annum is $1,600, which would make a net cost of $160. 
Filing of correspondence (incoming and outgoing). 

This ofiice maintains its own files in which it is estimated that in the neigh- 
borhood of 15,000 communications are filed annually. The files are not self- 
indexing. The basis of the filing is the subject or file number, assigned arbi- 
trarily, at the time a new case comes up. This file number is obtained from 
and agrees with the card-index number of the subject. To illustrate, the first 
subject indexed was given the number 1 ; succeeding subjects, consecutive 
numbers. 

The correspondence (both incoming and outgoing) is placed in a brown 
folder with the carbon copy on top. The folder containing this correspondence 
is then filed flat in vertical position in the filing cabinets. These folders are 
arranged in numerical order from 1 up. Each cabinet contains about 500 
jackets; that is, correspondence on about 500 subjects. The correspondence is 
fastened in this folder, which is 9i by llj inches in dimensions, by a Ritten- 
house fastener. This fastener holds all the papers containing the one file 
number together, the fastener being inserted at the left-hand side of the inner 
cover. The folders have a half-inch projection across the longer side on which 
the file number is placed. When the folder is filed, this number appears in the 
upper left-hand corner. For convenience in filing, guide cards of manila card- 
board are used for every 100 numbers. 

Index to the flies. — ^As has already been indicated, the card index described 
under " Recording and indexing " is also the index to the files. It is from this 
card index, arranged alphabetically, that one determines the file number of 
any communication. 

Consultation of files. — The bureau being small and the card files being con- 
sulted by comparatively few persons, it has not been found necessary to place 
any evidence in the files of documents which have been removed. The files 
are seldom consulted without the knowledge of the file clerk, who usually makes 
a note of the document withdrawn on the index or record card. The filing 
of communications comprises about 35 per cent of the whole time of the file 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 735 

-Clerk, ivliose salary is $1,600 a year, which would make a net cost of $560 per 
-annum. 

Filing of reports. — A separate file is kept of the reports of the United States 
attorneys throughout the country. These reports are sent in on printed forms, 
provided for that purpose, which are 14 by Si inches. Form No. 1, which is 
sent in at the beginning of a suit, has columns f3pecially provided for the fol- 
lowing items: Number, title, when commenced, amount claimed, form, and 
•cause of action. 

The other two reports are monthly reports made on similar forms. One is for 
civil suits (except internal revenue) and provides the following information: 
Docket number, title and nature of cause, date of entry, and entry. 

The other monthly report is for fines (not including internal-revenue cases) 
AA-hich have been entered. Special columns provide for the following items : 
Docket number, title of cause and statute iuA'olved, date of entry, and entry. 

These are filed chronologically according to States and within the State 
-according to the district. Two drawers are kept for the current files and six 
■drawers for the back files. 

Miscellaneous. — For the convenience of the office an opinion register is kept 
in a bound volume of 500 pages. These opinions are indexed and recorded in 
chronological order as they are handed down by the solicitor. Inasmuch as 
these opinions are not printed and bound until the close of the fiscal year, 
reference is occasionally had to this memorandum register, which is kept for 
the current opinions. 

12. OECANIZATION AND METHODS OF OFFICE OF SOLICITOR, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

AND LABOR. 

■Genero.1. 

The Solicitor of the Department of Commerce and Labor is the chief law 
officer of that department. He is the legal adviser for the Secretary of Com- 
merce and Labor and chiefs of the various bureaus of that department. His 
duties are to prepare and examine all contracts and bonds entered into or 
required by the department and render such legal services in connection with 
matters arising in the administrative work of the Department of Commerce 
and Labor as may be required of him by the Attorney General. The volume 
of correspondence received annually in this office aggregates 6,500 communi- 
cations. This correspondence might be grouped into four classes of divisions: 

A. Legal opinions, requests for * 400 

B. Contracts, etc. : 

1. Contracts 400 

2. Leases 100 

3. Bonds, alien 400 

4. Bonds, contract 140 

5. Bonds, official 40 

6. Insurance policies 20 

C. Claims, compensation 3, 000 

D. Miscellaneous matters 2, 000 

Work, related to handling of incoming correspondence. 

It is estimated that 85 per cent of the incomihg correspondence is received 
indirectly by this office, this portion of the mail having been previously opened 
in the office of the chief clerk. Department of Commerce and Labor. The re- 
mainder — that portion which comes direct — is received in this office by the 



736 REPORTS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFPICIENCY. 

messenger (Mr. Faire), who opens same. This messenger also receives the 
mail which comes indirectly. 

The messenger stamps practically all the mail with the date on which re- 
ceived. This date is placed on the face of the communication, except in the 
case of contracts, bonds, etc., in which case it is stamped on the back. The 
following is an illustration of the stamp used: 



Office of the Solicitor 
of the 
9 AM Dept. of Commerce and Labor. 

RECEIVED 

Feb. 27, 1911. 
Department of Justice. 



The time entry placed in the blank space provided by the stamp is made by 
the messenger. This is to determine responsibility of the office for any delay 
which may be incurred. 

It is estimated that the opening and receiving of incoming correspondence 
consumes about 5 per cent of the whole time of the messenger. His annual 
salary is $840 per annum, which would make a net cost of $42 per annum for 
this feature of the work. 

Briefing. — The incoming mail pertaining to this office is transmitted by the 
messenger to Mr. Collins, the file clerk, for briefing.^ The file clerk prepares 
several records all of which will be considered under the heading " Briefing." 
Special forms are used for this purpose. These consist of — 1, solicitor's memo- 
randum ; 2, record sheet; 3, daily record sheet. 

Solicitor's memorandum : The solicitor's memorandum is made on blue slip 
5i by 8 inches. This brief is made in order that the chief clerk maj- determine 
at a glance the character of the correspondence and assign it to the proper per- 
son for action. At the top of the form appears the name of the blank, as 
follows : 

Solicitor's Memorandum 



DEPARTMENT OF COMMEKCE AND LABOE 

Washington. 

Then follow blank lines providing for the following : Number, sub.lect. request 
of, for, received (hour and date), referred to, date referred, disposition, verbal 
opinion, written opinion, approved as submitted, and returned for correction. 

The brief appearing under " subject " usually consists of a statement from 
15 to 25 words in length. 

This slip is attached to and accompanies the correspondence through the 
office. The second and third divisions of the correspondence in this office, con- 
sisting of compensation claims, contracts, licenses, leases, bonds, insurance 
policies, etc., are not briefed on this slip. This class of correspondence, which 
is usually drawn up on forms especially provided for that purpose, is almost 
self-explanatory, and as they are invariably referred to the same persons and 
segregated from other office work the blue slip is quite unnecessary. 

1 The file clerk indicated that correspondence of unusual importance is sometimes re- 
ferred directly to the chief clerk or solicitor. 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 737 

Record sheet : Commuuicatious are briefed ou " record sheets " in order to 
enable the file clerk to make the proper entries on the index cards (hereinafter 
considered under "recording and indexing"). The form used for this purpose 
is a white sheet 8 by lOi inches. The name of the department and office ap- 
pears at the top in the center. A blank space in the upper left-hand corner is 
provided for the insertion of the case (file) number. Columns are provided for 
the following data : Date received, subject number, name, subject, and action. 

Under the '' subject " column is typewritten a brief but complete abstract 
of the correspondence, said brief usually consisting of from 20 to 35 words. 
This record is made from the original correspondence itself, and is retained 
by the file clerk until the correspondence is acted upon. After action has been 
taken copies of the outgoing correspondence is returned with the incoming cor- 
respondence, the action taken is noted by the file clerk in the column for that 
purpose, and the record sheet is filed (as hereinafter described under " filing 
of correspondence"). It should be noted that the primary purpose of this 
record is to enable the file clerk to prepare the index cards that constitute 
the indexes to the files. These index cards are, of course, made up before the 
record sheet is filed. 

The record sheet is not prepared for two classes of mail, namely, (1) claims 
for injuries sustained by United States employees under the compensation act, 
and (2) alien bonds. As hereinafter shown, the card indexes for these two 
classes of correspondence, which are filed separate from the general correspond- 
ence of the office, indicate not only the file number and the subject of the cor- 
respondence (which is the character of the record of the index for the general 
files), but also the subsequent action in the disposition of the case. For this 
reason the purpose of the record sheets is served by the index cards. 

3. Daily record sheet : Communications are briefed on Form No. 3, " Daily 
record sheet," to furnish the head of the office complete information in regard 
to cases on hand. The form used for this purpose is 8 by lOi inches in size, 
white in color, with special rulings. Columns provide for the insertion of the 
following information : Number, deseription of work referred to, and date 
completed. 

As is obvious, only the first three items are filled out by the file clerk. He 
retains the sheets on hand until action has been taken, at which time he indi- 
cates same in the column provided for that purpose. The current sheets are 
retained in his desk until such action is taken, at which time they are filed 
in a loose-leaf bill file. The file clerk, Mr. Collins, makes up the foregoing 
records, which have been considered under " briefing," spending 20 per cent 
of his whole time on such work. The net cost, therefore, of this item is $320 
per annum. 

Recording and indexing {incoming correspondence). 

Under the head " briefing " we have discussed the methods followed in the 
preparation of the solicitor's memorandum (blue slip), the record sheet, and 
the daily record sheets, together with the purpose of each. Closely allied to 
this work, which, for the sake of clearness in this report, we have styled 
" briefing," is what we shall term " recording and indexing." Recording and 
indexing of incoming correspondence consists in the preparation of records on 
the index cards. We have indicated that in relation to the files the corre- 
spondence classifies itself into four divisions, to wit: 

1. Legal opinions, requests for. 

2. Contracts, etc. 

3. Claims, compensation. 

4. Miscellaneous correspondence. 

72734— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 47 - 



738 KEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The nature of the recording varies slightly for these different classes. The 
recording and indexing, however, as we use the term here, is done on small 
white cards, 3 by 5 inches in size. For retaining in the file cabinet, a notch is 
IHinched in the bottom of the card. The recording is also similar to the extent 
that for the vai'ious classes the following information appears on the card : 
File subject, year, file number, and subject matter of the letter. 

In the case of recording and indexing of alien bonds and compensation 
claims, the record is made from the original correspondence. As has been 
noted, for these two classes of correspondence the record sheet (which is the 
basis of the recording and indexing of the other classes) is not prepared. 
At the time the correspondence is received by the file clerk, he makes the 
typewritten record, which, in the case of alien bonds, consists of the name 
of the alien, his country or nationality, and the year (in capital leters on a 
continuous line at the top), the file number (the letter B indicating bond 
files), hospital treatment for disease, amount of bond, and the date (lower 
ease letters on continuous line). The record of compensation claims is similar. 
On the first line, in capital letters, is shown the name, the place of work or 
service (War, Navy, etc.) and date. On the next line is shown the file number 
(the letter C, referring to compensation files), character of employment, and 
place, salary, nature of accident, receipt of claim in this office. The foregoing 
indicates the nature and extent of the initial record made by the file clerk 
for each of these classes. For his own convenience he places these cards in 
temporary files on his desk. Here the cards are held up until definite action 
by the office has been taken and the case finally disposed of. When the corre- 
spondence is returned (as all correspondence is) he indicates on this card the 
nature of the action taken by the office. For instance, if the ofiice prepares 
a memorandum opinion for the Bureau of Labor, as is often the case with 
compensation claims, a notation is made on the card, i. e. memo, and date, 
and again, when the correspondence is returned to the office for the approval 
or disapproval of the claim, further notation is made, i. e., " R. B." and date, 
etc. It is not until the case is finally disposed of that the card (compensation 
or bond) is filed. The processes of recording and indexing of these two classes 
of mail furnishes not only an index and brief of the incoming correspondence, 
but also subsequent action taken thereon, so that there is presented a complete 
history of the case. 

With reference to the miscellaneous correspondence, requests for legal opin- 
ion, etc., the recording and indexing differs from the foregoing in two essen- 
tial details. In the first place the record is not made up from the original 
correspondence, but, as already indicated, from the record sheet which is pre- 
pared therefrom. In the second place on the index card is not shown the 
subsequent action taken with reference to the correspondence. The latter 
cards are filed in the index, which might be called the " general files index." 
In other words, it is the index to files which contains all of the correspondence 
incoming and outgoing, save that which falls either in the bond files or the 
compensation claim files. This index, the general index, is kept by names and 
subjects fully indexed. ■ The arrangement is alphabetical. Inasmuch as these 
files serve not only as a reference to the correspondence but also as an index 
to the several files, they will be further considered under " filing of corre- 
spondence." 

It is estimated that in the neighborhood of 5,000 cards are used annually for 
recording and indexing correspondence. All of this work is done by Mr. Collins, 
the file clerk (who, by the way, is a competent typewriter). He estimates that 
20 per cent of his whole time is consumed on this work, making a net cost of 
$320 per annum. 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 739 

Distribution. — From the file clerk tlie incoming correspondence is delivered 
by the messenger to the Assistant Solicitor, Mr. Quigley ; in some cases to the 
Solicitor, Mr. Earl, who divides it into the following classes for convenience and 
distribution among the clerks : 

1. Questions arising out of the administration of the immigration and natu- 
ralization laws. 

2. Chinese exclusion laws. 

3. Contracts, bonds, etc. (for approval or disapproval). 

4. Compensation claims of injured employees of the Government. 

5. Navigation and steamboat inspection laws. 

6. Miscellaneous questions arising in the different bureaus of the Depart- 
ment of Commerce and Labor, such as appointments, supplies, etc. 

The Assistant Solicitor indicates in the column provided for that purpose on 
the Solicitor's memorandum the initials of the clerk to whom it is assigned for 
action. A red tag is placed on it if it requires immediate attention. 

The chief clerk stated that the time of himself or the Solicitor employed in 
this work of classifying and distributing is negligible, that about 5 per cent 
of the messenger's time is so consumed, making the expense therefor about $42 
per annum. 

Work related to outgoing correspondence. 

Preparation. — It is estimated that in the neighborhood of 5,000 communica- 
tions are prepared annually in this division. It is estimated that 20 per cent 
of this number are typewritten letters, about 15 per cent consist of indorse- 
.ments, 6 per cent of acknowledgments, and the balance action taken on the 
great variety of legal questions presented to the division. The communications 
prepared in this office (outside of mere acknowledgments) are either of an 
advisory nature for the use of the head of the Department of Commerce and 
Labor or replies prepared for his signature. The incoming correspondence, 
as already noted, is assigned to the clerk who is engaged on the particular 
class of work to which the question raised relates. If the action which he takes 
is in the form of a typewritten letter, it is submitted to him by the stenographer 
preparing same and by him it is referred (bearing his initials and the initials 
of the person typewriting it) to the Solicitor or chief clerk who signs or initials 
it as the case may require. This procedure is followed except in the case of 
communications intended for the signature of the Secretary of Commerce and 
Labor, in which case they are initialed only by the head of the office. All com- 
munications except those prepared for the signature of the Secretary are 
signed by the Solicitor or the chief clerk. It is estimated that 90 per cent 
bear autograph signature. 

Preparation of carbon copies. — In the preparation of the correspondence four 
carbon copies are made of opinions; two carbons of letters prepared for the 
signature of the Secretary or Assistant Secretary, and one carbon of the 
" approval " or "disapproval " of the compensation claims. In the case of opin- 
ions, one copy is retained in the general file, one copy is referred to the division 
or bureau requesting the opinion, one copy is referred to the solicitor for his 
private file, and the fourth copy is retained by the clerk preparing the opinion- 
In the case of communications prepared for the signature of the Secretary and 
Assistant Secretary, both copies are held by the office and retained in the gen 
eral file, except in the case of lighthouse matters, in which case one copy is sent 
to that bureau. The carbon copy of the action taken in the compensation claims 
is filed in the compensation files. 

Carbon copies are not ordinarily made for the miscellaneous outgoing cor 
respondence. It will be noted that for this miscellaneous correspondence two 



740 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

press copies ure made, one of wbicli is retaineil in a hound press coijy book and 
the other, a loose-leaf copy, goes to the general files. 

For alien bonds no carbon is made. In addition to the record of its receipt 
and the action taken (which is shown on the index card before described) there 
is filed in the general file the office memorandum indicating the exact action 
which has been taken. 

Inasmuch as the preparation of the foregoing classes of correspondence re- 
lates to or is substantive work of the office, the head of this division felt unable 
to submit an estimate of the time consumed on such work distinct from the time 
involved in research, and charged 100 per cent of the time of the whole office 
force against this work, except in the case of the file clerk and messenger. The 
statement furnished is as follows: 



Name. 



Charles Earl (solicitor) 

E. T. Q.uigley (assistant solicitor) 

E. R. Magie 

F. G. Wixso]' 

H. B. Collins 

C. I. Simms 

J. J. Byrne 

J. C. Brooke 

R. I. Egan 

D. P. .T. McKenna 

B. J. Maloney 

W. H. Skinner 

B. W. Faire 



Annual 
salary. 



?5,000 
2,250 
1,80C 
1,800 
1,600 
1,600 
1,400 
1,400 
1,400 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
840 



Total . 



Portion of 
whole time 

engaged 
upon work. 



Per cent. 
100 
100 
100 
100 
40 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 



Net cost. 



$5,000 
2,250 
1,800 
1,800 
640 
1,600 
1,400 
1,400 
1,400 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
42 



20,932 



Briefing (outgoing correspondence). 

Copies of the correspondence, after final disposition and dispatch, are sent 
to the file clerk, who. in the case of the correspondence which has not origi- 
nated in the office (and very little does), indicates on the record sheets opposite 
the brief of the incoming correspondence the action which has been taken 
thereon. This record sheet is now ready for filing in the general files. It has 
a case number (the determination of which will be discussed under filing), and 
it is filed in front of all the papers given that case number. Each entry on the 
record sheets contains a brief of the incoming correspondence, its date, to 
whom referred, and the action taken, as indicated by the outgoing communi- 
cation. If subsequent correspondence is had upon that case or subject, this 
record sheet will be removed from the files, and the subsequent correspondence, 
incoming and outgoing, will be recorded on this sheet, as hereinbefore shown. 
In other words, at any time these record sheets will furnish a complete chrono- 
logical history of the action taken on a certain subject. On the daily record 
sheets he also Indicates the clerk or officer to whom the incoming correspondence 
were referred, the date action of it was completed, and, in a word, (opinion, 
memorandum, letters, etc.), the action taken. If the subject matter of the 
outgoing correspondence originates in the office, it is briefed on the record 
sheets, the character of the brief being the same as for incoming correspondence. 

The cost of briefing outgoing correspondence is included in the figures with 
reference to incoming correspondence. In the " disposition " column of the 



DEPAETMEN'T OF JUSTICE. 741 

daily record and bine slip, a notation is made showing the character of the ont- 
going correspondence in reply to the incoming. This notation consists of a 
word or two indicating the natnre of the correspondence (snch as letter, opinion, 
etc.), together with the date. Of course, no such briefs or records are made 
in the case of alien bonds or compensation claims. 

Recording and indewing. — For the outgoing correspondence of a miscellaneous 
character (the carbons of which are placed in the general correspondence files) 
no record is made on the index cards. 

Press copying. — All typewritten communications, except letters for the sig- 
nature of the Secretary of Commerce and Labor, are press copied. The printed 
forms used for the formal approval and disapproval of compensation claims 
which are filled in by the typewriter, the indorsements on contracts, bonds, etc.. 
are not press copied. Press copying is done in bound volumes of 500 pages each. 
It is estimated that about five books are used annually. Each book is indexed 
on the front, alphabetically. In addition to the press copy made in the bound 
volume, a second copy is made on a loose leaf, which goes into the general files. 
In case of opinions, a third copy on loose leaf is made for the files of the de- 
partment. It is estimated that the work of press copying consumes about 10 
per cent of the whole time of the messenger (Mr. Faire), which would make an 
annual net cost therefor of $84. 

Filing. 

It is estimated that in the neighborhood of 6,500 communications are filed 
annually. Globe-Wernicke vertical letter cabinets are used for general corre- 
spondence and Globe-Wernicke card indexes, No. 35, with lock drawers, for 
index cards. 

As indicated, there are three distinct files, the files for the compensation 
claims of injured employees, alien bond files, and the general corresiwndeuce 
files. In the last mentioned is filed everything which does not fall under the 
first two heads. 

Compensation files. — Four forms, each S by 44 inches, are used for the action 
taken in re claims of injured employees for compensation under the act of 
May 30, 190S. One is for approval (cream), another for continuance of com- 
pensation (brown), another for denial for further compensation (blue), another 
for disapproval (white). As indicated, the carbon copies are made of the 
respective action taken on the claim, and this copy of the outgoing correspond- 
ence is herein filed. These papers are filed accoi'ding to the number assigned 
by the file clerk. The number is continuous, each claim being arbitrarily 
assigned the next number after the one last used. 

Alien hand files. — In these files are placed in nimierical order, according to 
the number assigned by the file clerk, the office memorandum of the action 
taken on the case. These are bound in tens in the file. 

Surety files. — In the room across the hall from the file room is kept the surety 
files. These consist of the powers of attorney for sureties issued by the surety 
companies with which the office deals. Two Globe-Wernicke legal-cap filing 
cabinets are used for this purpose. The arrangement is primarily by .geo- 
graphical location ; secondlj', by the companies under which the various sureties 
are filed in alphabetical order. 

Card index to surety files. — On small cards 3 by 5 inches, containing the names 
of surety companies and their agents, etc., is recorded information similar to 
that contained upon the powers of attorney themselves. These cards are filed 
according to States; alphabetically, according to the names of the agents. In 
another drawer is filed index cards showing authorities which have been revoked. 
These are arranged alphabetically. The two card indexes enable the office to 
determine at any time the outstanding authorities. 



742 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

General correspondence files. — The iucoming correspoadence of miscellaneous 
character, together with the carbon or press copies (loose leaf) is filed here. 
The correspondence is locked in jackets, blue in color, the papers being fastened 
by two small wire staples. These jackets are then placed in a vertical one-half 
cut folder, on the projection of which is indicated the file number. The folder 
is made of press board After notation has been made on the record sheets of 
the action taken, all communications intended to be permanently lodged in the 
general correspondence files of this office are placed in these jackets in chrono- 
logical order under proper file numbers and placed in the folder in the cabinet 
for the subject number. 

Each subject concerning which correspondence is had has a general subject 
or file number. This is assigned arbitrarily, the numbering being continuous. 
According to the present practice under each such subject, serial numbers are 
assigned. For instance, Ellis Island Immigration Station would take the case 
or subject number 4294. All of the correspondence relating to Ellis Island 
Immigration Station would be given this subject number and would be filed 
under this number in the folder in the files cabinet. Under this subject, how- 
ever, serial numbers 1, 2, 3, etc., would be used for the individual communi- 
cations and replies thereto under this general subject. In the front of the 
folder would be filed the record sheet, already described, which would contain 
a history of all the incoming and outgoing correspondence relating to this 
subject, namely, Ellis Island Immigration Station. 

It will be noted that neither the general nor special files are self-indexing. 
To determine the file number which is the basis of the filing reference must be 
had to the files indexes. The indexes for the several files are similar. Small 
cards, 3 by 5 inches, are used for this purpose. The nature of the record which 
appears on these cards has been described in detail under briefing, recording, 
and indexing. For compensation claims and bonds the cards are filed in alpha- 
betical order according to the name of the claimant or the alien. In the general 
index a similar arrangement — that is, alphabetically — is observed, but a most 
elaborate system of indexing and cross indexing prevails. Each letter or com- 
munication will be indexed under the name of the individual concerned, the 
subject matter of the letter, the act of Congress under which the case arises 
(if that be material), etc. For instance, communication No. 3425-10, concern- 
ing a penalty imposed upon a vessel for a violation of section 9 of the immigra- 
tion act of 1907, was indexed under the name of the alien, act of Congress, 
" diseased alien," " seamen," and " immigration " laws. 

Special indexes to the general files. — The file clerk is now preparing a special 
index to the general files. On cards, the same as used for the other indexes, 
is being assembled all of the file or subject number of correspondence which 
deal with certain subjects. This is necessary for two reasons. In the first 
place the practice of so classifying correspondence that one file number will 
serve for all correspondence on a given subject has not prevailed for more than 
a year and the correspondence back of that date is somewhat scattered in the 
files. In the second place important action is often taken on a subject which 
is really collateral to the subjects under which the correspondence is indexed 
and filed. For instance, under the subject "moral turpitude" the file clerk 
has assembled seven numbers, indicating the several different places in the files 
in which correspondence on that subject is filed. 

Special index to the general files for 'bonds, contracts, leases, etc. — This is the 
index to that portion of the correspondence classified as bonds, etc., which does 
not fall under compensation claims or alien bonds. This special index is arranged 
primarily according to bureaus and officers from which correspondence origi- 
nates and under those headings alphabetically. 



DEPAETMENT OF JUSTICE. 743 

Consultation of files. — Any employee of tlie oflSce lias access to tlie files for 
tlie withdrawal of papers iu the use and handling of any subject in which he 
may be engaged. He may go to the files in person or send for the papers by 
messenger. Theoretically, a charge slip is made out giving the name of the 
document, name of person withdrawing the same, and date of withdrawal, 
which is inserted in place of the absent file, removed and destroyed on return 
of the paper to the file. In practice, however, this rule is not observed. 

Disposition of old files. — All the files are considered as permanent and nothing 
is ever withdrawn permanently or destroyed. 

All of the filing is done by Mr. Collins, who estimates that 20 per cent of 
his time is occupied in this work. His annual salary is $1,600, which would 
make the net annual cost $320 per annum. 

Dispatching. — Correspondence pertaining directly to the office (which is not 
referred to the Secretary or Assistant Secretary for signature) is placed in the 
envelope by the messenger and mailed in the chute on the eighth fioor or is taken 
by him to destination. The remainder of the correspondence is placed on the 
desk of either the solicitor or the chief clerk and by them taken to the Secretary 
or Assistant Secretary, as the case may require. 

13. ORGANIZATION AND 1IP;TH0DS OF BTJRKAU DEFENDING SUITS IN THE COURT OF 
CLAIMS AND DISTRICT AND CIRCUIT COURTS.^ 

General statement pertaining to organization and duties: 

This bureau is charged with the defense of suits instituted against the Gov- 
ernment of the United States in the Court of Claims and in the various United 
States district and circuit courts under the act of Congress, March 3, 1883, 
commonly tei med the "Bowman Act," and the act of Congress, March 3, 1887, 
known as the " Tucker Act." The business handled by this bureau is essentially 
legal in character. Cases in the Court of Claims are classified as follows : 

1. General jurisdiction cases, or those which are commenced in the Court of 
Claims, where the cause of action against the Government has arisen within 
six years prior to the filing of the petition, and in which the court is authorized 
to render and enter judgment. 

2. General jurisdiction cases, wherein Congress passes a special act con- 
ferring jurisdiction on the Court of Claims to hear, determine, and render judg- 
ments in matters between the Indians and United States, and between various 
citizens and the Government where claimants have not the right to bring the 
action under the general statutes. 

3. Departmental cases, or those referred to the Court of Claims by heads of 
the various executive departments of the Government. 

4. Congressional cases, or those claims referred by Congress or any com- 
mittee of either House of Congress to the court for investigation and report to 
Congress. 

The bureau is under the charge of an Assistant Attorney General, who directs 
and supervises 17 attorneys who are engaged in the preparation of the Gov- 
ernment's defense in the various cases, and a corps of clerks, messengers, etc. 
Work relating to incoming correspondence. 

The volume of the bureau's correspondence aggregates 7,000 communications 
annually. The character of the correspondence is similar to that of any large 
law office. It might be classified as follows : 

(a) Reports of various departments upon pending cases 3,200 

(6) Communications with reference to pending cases 2,600 

(c) Miscellaneous correspondence 200 

1 The Court of Claims branch, Department of Justice, is located at Nos. 6-8 Jack- 
son Place. 



744 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCr. 



About 75 per ceut of tlie mail iu this bureau is received direct by Mr. DaAid- 
son, and. opened by Mrs. Kidwell. The remainder of the mail is received from 
the Mail and Files Division, where it is opened by Mr. Haney. 

If inclosures are found not properly protected, they are connected by clips, 
rubber bands, or other feasible means. 

Mrs. Kid\Yell (annual salary of $1,800) opens, considers, and distributes all 
incoming mail, spending 7 per cent of her whole time on such work, the net 
cost amounting to $126 per annum. 

Distribution. — At the time the correspondence is initially handled by Mrs. 
Kidwell the mail is classified for purpose of distribution, as follows : 

(a) That which goes direct to attorneys having charge of specific oases to 
which communications relate. 

(h) That which goes to the file room for docketing prior to filing in court or 
being transmitted to attorneys. 

(c) Miscellaneous correspondence. 

In case the letter or connnunication does not disclose for whom it is intended, 
the name of the person to whom it is to be delivered is noted in pencil. The 
chief messenger of the bureau distributes all incoming correspondence, spending 
about 5 per cent of his whole time on such work, the net cost thereof being 
$42 per annum. 

Briefing. — For a portion of the communications which are received in the 
bureau briefs ai-e made. These are the communications which are to be filed 
iu the Court of Claims with record of respective cases, or which are to be kept 
with official and confidential files of the attorney having charge of the defense. 
This brief is in the form of an indorsement of about 20 words. For this pur- 
pose a stamp is used which is filled in by pen. The following is an illustration 
of the stamp used : 

COURT OP CLAIMS. 

No. : 



UNITED ST.\TES. 

The brief shows the number and name of case; if an executive department 
report, the name of department ; if a letter, the subject of letter and date. 
The purpose of the brief is solely for convenience in filing. 

The names and salaries of persons engaged in briefing incoming correspond- 
ence, the cstimatetl portion of his whole time consumed by each person in such 
work, and the cost thereof are as follows : 



Name. 



I'ortioii of 
Annual j whole time 
salary, j engaged 
upon work. 



Per cent 

Wright, T. H ! -SI, 000 

Wright, ,1. R i 1, 200 5 

Bollinger, Arthur ! 1, 000 

Total iiel cosi 




Net co.st. 



$80 
60 
50 



)90 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 745 

Recording and indexing. — After the coninnuiioations (letters or reports) are 
briefed as above described they are recorded in the doclvet before being trans- 
ferred to tlae various attorneys in charge of tlie cases to which they relate. 
Such a docket record is kept of all incoming correspondence which relates to a 
specific case. These dockets are bound volumes, 12 by 16 inches, containing 
500 pages each. The record therein contained is similar to the court record of 
a pending case. The purpose is to furnish a duplicate record of the proceedings 
in each case. 

Similar (but separate) dockets are maintained for the "general jurisdiction" 
and " congressional " cases. The former is called the " general jurisdiction " 
docket, the latter the " congressional " docket. The cases are entered in numeri- 
cal order, the numbering being continuous from 1 up. The " general jurisdic- 
tion " cases are over 30,000 in number, and the " congressional " cases over 
15,000. The following special designations are provided for on each page of the 
docket : Name of the attorney having charge of the case, number, when filed, 
name of claimant, amount, nature of claim, claimant's attorney, and proceedings. 

Under "proceedings" entry is made of the abstract of proceedings in each 
case ; that is, the steps that are taken not only in the prosecution but in the 
defense of the case. 

Other than the above there is no specific index of incoming correspondence. 
The dockets, however, contain not only a record of all papers filed in court, but 
also communications relating thereto. These dockets are indexed. Separate 
card indexes are also kept for the " general jurisdiction " and " congressional " 
cases which have been instituted in the Court of Claims. These indexes refer to 
the dockets in which records thereof, as above described, can be found. 

Separate card-index records are maintained for the " general jurisdiction " 
and " congressional " cases. The " congressional " cases are recorded on a thin 
white 3 by 5 card, specially ruled, containing the following designations : 

No. 14194. Congressional. 

Vol. 28. 

Name. A bott, Chas. H. • . : 

The items underlined are the entries which appeared on an exhibit furnished 
this office. On the card is inserted such additional data, by way of cross-refer- 
ence, etc., as might be valuable. These cards are arranged in alphabetical order, 
according to the name of the claimant, in " Macey " card cabinets, 3 sections, 
containing 18 drawers. 

The " general jurisdiction " card index is similar to the above. A different 
style of card, 6* by 3^ inches, is used. The following illustrates the rulings and 
designations, together with the entries (which are underlined), on an exhibit 
furnished this office : 

Akin, Martha. Deceased. 

M. W. Woodard. Administrator. 



No. SWO- Vol. J,0. 

The cards for this index are prepared as soon as the case has been recorded 
on the docket; the cards are then returned to the file room and filed by the file 
clerk. The making up of these cards does not consume any considerable por- 
tion of the time of the clerk who has chai-ge of this work ; possibly three or four 
hours a week. 



746 REPOBTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Tlie names and salaries of persons engaged in recording and indexing iueom- 
iug correspondence and the estimated portion of eacli consumed in such work 
and the cost tliereof are as follows : 



Name. 



AVright,T.H 

Wright, J. R 

Bollinger, Arthur. 



Total net cost. 



.\nmial 

salary. 



* 1,600 
1,200 
1,000 



I'ortion of 
whole time 

engaged 
upon work. 



Per cent. 



Net cost. 



-?113 
84 
70 



' 266 



1 These figures refer only to the indexing and recording of the reports and letters and not to the numerous 
entries which furnish a complete record of litigation of suits against the Government. 

Work relatecL to outgoing correspondence. 

Preparation of. — It is estimated tliat in the neighborhood of 7,000 communica- 
tions are prepared annually in this bureau. It is estimated that 40 per cent 
thereof are typewritten ; the balance is on printed forms. 

The distribution of the mail among the 17 assistants (attorneys) and the 
Assistant Attorney General himself is on the basis of the cases assigned to 
each attorney. The preparation of general correspondence is incidental to the 
preparation of the defense of cases assigned. All letters (printed forms ex- 
cepted) are dictated to stenographers. The typewritten letter is returned to 
the person who dictated same for his approval, who later submits it to the 
Assistant Attorney General in charge of this bureau for signature. Letters 
are initialed in typewriting by the stenographer and with pen by the person 
who dictated same. Letters emanating from this bureau are signed by John Q, 
Thompson, Assistant Attorney General ; 85 per cent thereof bear his autograph 
signature, the balance being stamped. 

Inasmuch as the preparation of this correspondence is incidental to the prepa- 
ration of the cases, the Assistant Attorney General felt unable to furnish any 
classification of salary expense based upon the apportionment of time con- 
sumed in this work. Each of the assistant attorneys prepares correspondence 
relating to his cases. In addition to a fourth-classl clerk who acts in the 
capacity of private secretary to the Assistant Attorney General and prepares 
certain miscellaneous correspondence and a third-class clerk (stenographer) 
who, in addition to certain clerical work, performs stenographic service upon 
call, there are three first-class clerks (at $1,200) and two clerks (at $1,000) 
who are employed in taking dictation from the various assistant attorneys in 
writing out briefs and correspondence. This furnishes an approximation of 
the aggregate cost of stenographic service required in the preparation of 
correspondence. 

Preparation of carbon copies. — In addition to the press copying hereinafter 
described, a carbon copy is made of all typewritten letters. When the number 
of carbon copies warrant (about 600) they are bound chronologically in book 
form, including the index. This index is made up of loose sheets of index paper. 
The entries which make up the index are arranged alphabetically according to 
the name of the addressee. The index contains the following information: 
Date, addressee, subject, page. This index is prepared from day to day by 
Miss Herron (clerk, class 3). It is estimated that the time spent in the prepa- 
ration of it is insignificant — not over 2 per cent. 



DEPAETMENT OF JUSTICE. 



747 



Recording, indexing, and press copying. — All outgoing letters originating in 
this office pertaining to cases recorded in the index, already described, under 
the specific case referred to in the communication. This entry consists of the 
date of the communication, the person addressed, and the subject. No further 
entry is made on the card indexes, described under incoming correspondence, 
for the reason that these indexes are not records of the status or history of 
the cases. Originals of all typewritten letters are press copied in a bound 
book by the chief messenger of the bureau, Mr. Davidson. The arrangement, 
of course, is chronological. Each press-copy book is indexed alphabetically 
according to the name of the addressee, such indexes containing the date, 
addressee, and page of the press-copy book on which the communication appears. 
It should be noted that if the communication press copied relates to cases of 
which the bureau has charge, as practically all the correspondence does, further 
notation of same is made (from the press-copy book) in the docket. 

The names and salaries of persons engaged in recording, indexing, and press 
copying, the estimated portion of the time of each, and the cost thereof are 
as follows : 



Name. 


Annual 
salary. 


Portion of 
whole time 

engaged 
upon work. 


Net cost. 


Wright, J. R 


$1,200 

1,000 

840 


Per cent. 
2 
2 
2 


$24 


Bollinger, A 


20 


Davidson, A. M 


16 






Total net cost 


' 60 











1 This does not include the expense of the numerous entries made by the file clerk in the docket showing 
t he history of the litigation. 



Filing of correspondence. 

A separate room in the basement floor is used for the filing of incoming and 
outgoing correspondence of this bureau. It should be noted that the incoming 
and outgoing correspondence are not filed together. In other words, replies 
are not filed with the incoming letters to which they pertain. Separate files are 
maintained for the incoming correspondence and for the printed matter (peti- 
tions, evidence, briefs, etc.) relating to the various cases. 

Letters and papers which do not relate to pending cases are filed in alpha- 
betical order in " Protection " letter-file boxes. These boxes come self -indexed. 

Letters and papers relating to specific cases (which are recorded in the 
docket) are placed in the document file. 

Separate document files, 4j by 9i, are maintained for the incoming correspond- 
ence relating to specific cases. These are arranged in alphabetical order ac- 
cording to the name of the complainant. 

The reports, etc., from field or special attorneys who are sent out to take 
testimony and prosecute investigations and inquiries do not lend themselves to 
this arrangement. A separate file is kept for these reports, which are filed in 
numerical order according to the number of the case. 

The above correspondence, which is folded in jacket form, is filed flat and 
vertically. 

Each complainant is required to send a copy of the original petition (which 
is filed in the Court of Claims) to this office at the time the case is instituted. 
These, together with copies of subsequent pleadings, are filed in numerical 



748 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

order, separate liles being iiiaiutaiuea for "general .iurisdlction " and "Con- 
gressional " oases. These documents are filed Hat and vertically in folding 
filing boxes G by 10 inches in dimension. 

Printed matter such as briefs, evidence, etc., are filed in similar boxes in 
alphabetical order according to the name of the complainant. One hundred and 
twenty file boxes are used for the pending cases. 

Files may be considered as divided into cui-rent and storage files. About 800 
file boxes are employed for this work. The storage files arranged on shelves 
which are outside of the file room proper are easily accessible for reference. 

Files may be withdrawn only by persons employed in this bureau. Receipt 
therefor is temporarily substituted. 

JlandUng of French spoliation cases (hareau defending suits in the Court of 
Claims ) . 

The French spoliation cases are assigned to one at the attorneys (J. W. 
Trainer), who has charge of the docket, indexes, and files relating thereto. 
These cases arose in the Court of Claims under the French spoliation act of 
January 20, 1SS5. Many of the cases are still pending. 

A docket is maintained of tliese cases. This is similar to the ordinary court 
docket. It' contains a comxDlete history of each case from the time of its incep- 
tion to its final determination. Eleven bound volumes containing 500 pages 
each are used for this docket. For each case is shown : Docket number, when 
filed, name of claimant, amount, claimant's attorney, and proceedings. Under 
■" proceedings " are shown all the steps taken in the case. 

The incoming correspondence is very light. Most of the cases under the 
charge of this attorney are handled through interviews and conferences with 
resident attorneys. There is no recording, briefing, or indexing of the cor- 
respondence which is received in or emanates from this office. 

Card index of findings. — A card index of findings is kept on these white cards 
5 by 6 inches in dimensions. On each card is shown : Name of the claimant 
(whose case has been passed upon), vessel on which the claim arose, amount 
allotted under claim, and date of appropriation for settlement of judgment. 

The cards are arranged alphabetically, according to the name of the claimant. 

Preparation of correspondence. — The little correspondence that is prepared 
is written out in longhand by the assistant attorney in charge of this work, sent 
down to one of the typewriters of the bureau, who copies same. Two carbon 
copies are made of each communication, one of which is retained in the files of 
the bureau, the other being filed in the files of this office. 

Filing correspondence. — ^The printed matter in the case, pleadings, briefs, etc., 
are placed in jackets 4 by 16 inches in dimensions. On these jackets are shown : 
Name of claimant, name of vessel and master, date of filing petition, and num- 
ber of case. These are filed on shelves used for this purpose in numerical 
order, according to the docket number of the case. 

The miscellaneous correspondence is filed in " protection " self-indexing letter 
files, one of which is used for the correspondence received, the other for the 
carbon copy of the outgoing communication. 

Defense of suits in United States district and circuit courts. 

In addition to the defense of suits against the Government in the Court of 
Claims, thtis office is charged with the defense of suits under the second section 
of the Tucker Act (act of Congress, Mar. 33, 1SS7). in United States district 
and circuit courts; evidence is collected by this office from the various depart- 
ments and forwarded to the respective United States district attorneys in the 
districts where the cashes are pending, with such instructions and suggestions as 
may be pertinent to the Government's defense. An assistant attorney (P. M. 



DEPAETMENT OP JUSTICE. 749 

Cox) is ill charge of the collection of this evidence. In his office are kept 
dockets of the suits instituted under the concurrent jurisdiction of the foregoing 
act and the files relating thereto. 

The incoming correspondence is very light, not exceeding over 300 letters 
annually. Practically all of the correspondence comes through the Division of 
Mail and Files (main building of the Department of Justice), where it is briefed 
and recorded. This is due to the fact that the institution of suits under the 
Tucker Act requires service on the Attorney General of a copy of the petition 
and all pleadings in the case. When the correspondence reaches this bureau It 
is handled personally by the assistant attorney, who prepares answers thereto. 
After the correspondence is prepared and reviewed by the assistant attorney 
inditing same it is referred to the Assistant Attorney General for his signa- 
ture. Three carbon copies are made of each outgoing communication, one for 
the files of this office as hereinafter described, one for the general file of the 
bureau, and the third is retained in the attorney's desk for such use as it may 
serve. 

Recording and iiidexing. 

Docket cases : In two large volumes is maintained docket records for the 
cases instituted in the circuit and district courts under the foregoing act. A 
separate docket is maintained for each court. This record is a complete history 
of each suit from the time of its inception to its final disposition or determina- 
tion. This record consists of: District in which the case arises, number (as- 
signed by the central file), date received, plaintiffs name, amount claimed, 
nature of suit, and date of filing pleadings. 

In addition thereto all the pleadings ; all correspondence with the executive 
departments ; all instructions and directions to United States attorneys ; inter- 
locutory and final judgments, decrees and orders ; certifications to Congi-ess and 
correspondence with the Members or committees thereof, are recorder therein. 
In each volume are 500 pages, one page being devoted to each case. The cases 
in this docket are given a serial number; that is, the docket number (this num- 
ber is not to be confused with the central file number). The numbering of 
docket cases is continuous from one up. This numbering: that is. the number 
assigned on the docket, is the basis of the filing of the papers and correspondence 
relating to the various cases as hereinafter described. 

Filing. — The old-style folding document files are used in this office. All 
papers, communications, etc., incoming and copies of outgoing, are filed together 
according to the number assigned on the docket. The papers are folded in 
jacket form and filed vertically. Each file carries from 3 to 15 cases according 
to the volume of correspondence and reports relating thereto. 

Handling and filing correspondence in offices of assistant attorneys. 

It has been pointed out that a corps of 17 attorneys are engaged, under 
the direction of the Assistant Attorney General, in the defense of suits instituted 
in the Court of Claims. Each attorney is required to keep a docket record of 
all cases assigned to him. 

The attorneys also maintain temporary files of all the papers In the various 
cases for which they are preparing the defense. Several copies are required of 
all printed matter filed in the Court of Claims. One copy thereof is kept in the 
personal files of the attorney who has charge of the respective cases. 

The offices of the attorneys are equipped, for the most part, with vertical flat 
fi^les. They are self-indexing, division being made for the congressional and 
general jurisdiction cases. Separate files are usually kept in the ordinary "pro- 
tection " self-indexing letter files for general and special correspondence. An 



750 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON" ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

additional copy of all outgoing correspondence is prepared in order tliat the 
attorney may retain a copy for Ms own file. 

Practically all of tlie printed or manuscript matter retained in the files of 
the various attorneys is also filed in the central file for the bureau. This is 
accomplished with little additional expense save the time of the attorneys who 
personally care for files and card indexes pertaining to business in their charge. 

For convenience, attorneys also keep card indexes of the cases assigned to 
them. On these indexes is shown the description or status of the cases being 
handled. 

14. ORGANIZATION AND METHODS OF DIVISION OF INDIAN DEPREDATIONS.^ 

This division is in charge of the defense of suits against the United States 
on account of Indian depredations. These suits are instituted before the 
Court of Claims. 

The administrative officer in charge of this division is an Assistant Attorney 
General. The employees of this bureau consist of one attorney, one clerk (ste- 
nographer, $1,400), and a messenger (at $840). The correspondence of this 
office is similar to that of a law office, the work of the office being of a legal 
character. 

Work related to handling incoming correspondence. 

The volume of incoming correspondence received annually in this division 
aggregates 500 communications.^ 

About 90 per cent of the correspondence is received direct. The remainder 
of the mail (about 10 per cent) is transmitted to this office from the chief 
clerk's office where it is recorded in the division of mail and files. The mail 
is received and opened by the Assistant Attorney General in charge. 

Briefing. 

The reports which are received from the special attorneys (who are sent to 
the different localities to meet claimants, or their attorneys, for the purpose of 
examining witnesses, etc.), are briefed. This brief consists of the following 
entries which are made on the back of the report : Docket number, name of the 
claimant, and subject of the letter. 

Recording and indexing. 

No records are kept of incoming correspondence. 
Work related to outgoing correspondence. 

It is estimated that the outgoing correspondence will not exceed 400 letters 
annually. This does not include the various pleadings or other papers filed in 
the cases which are prepared in this office. The latter will vary according to 
the number of cases pending before the Court of Claims. All of the letters are 
dictated to stenographers, most of them being prepared by the office attorney 
(Mr. Stormont) ; such communications are signed by the Assistant Attorney 
General in charge. 

Preparation of carJjon copies. — But one carbon copy is made of communica- 
tions prepared in this office except where the letter is for the signature of the 
Attorney General, in which event an extra copy is made. One copy is for the 
files of this division as hereinafter described, the second, in the event men- 
tioned, for the files of the Division of Mail and Files. The carbon copies are 



1 This bureau has its offices in the Bond Building, Fourteenth Street and New York 
Avenue, seventh floor. 

2 This includes reports and communications, such as letters. 



DEPABTMENT OF JUSTICE. 751 

bound in book form in cbronological order for permanent record. A loose-leaf 
index of carbon copies is maintained from day to day. This index is alpba- 
betically arranged according to the name of tbe addressee ; it also contains the 
following information, i. e., date of letter and subject. At frequent intervals 
this index is bound witli the carbon copies in book form as above mentioned 
and serves as a permanent index for tlie carbon copies. If the letter is ad- 
dressed to a person holding office it is cross indexed under the person's title. 
The stenographer (clerk at $1,400) does all the stenographic work in connec- 
tion with the preparation of outgoing correspondence and makes the index for 
the carbon copies. He estimates that 15 per cent of his time is consumed in 
this work, which would make a net annual cost of $194 therefor. He also 
estimates that the time spent in writing briefs and other papers to-be filed in 
the Court of Claims consumes about 75 per cent of his time, which would make 
a net annual cost of $900 for this work.^ 

Press copying. — By reason of a suggestion of the President's Commission on 
Economy and Efficiency, press copying has been abandoned. 

Filing of correspondence. 

Miscellaneous or general correspondence files. — The general correspondence 
which does not have reference to a pending case is filed in the " Macey '' flat 
letter files. These fiiles are self -indexing, the arrangement being alphabtical. 
No card index is maintained for these files. Separate drawers in the cabinet 
are maintained for the miscellaneous correspondence and that which comes 
from the field attorneys. One drawer is maintained for the special correspond- 
ence (other than reports) from each of the field attorneys. 

It should be noted that the foregoing files contain only the incoming cor- 
respondence. As hereinbefore indicated, the carbon copies of outgoing corre- 
spondence are bound separately in volumes for permanent record. No segre- 
gation is made of these files on the basis of current or old business. When the 
files get full, the correspondence is taken out and placed in large envelopes, on 
the faces of which are indicated the period covered by the correspondence. 
These are stored away and never referred to. 

Jacket files. — Copies of all the pleadings filed in the case, reports relating 
thereto from the field attorneys, and miscellaneous correspondence directly per- 
taining thereto, are filed in the jacket files, 10 by 5 inches. On the face of such 
jackets are the following designations : 



INDIAN DEPREDATIONS. 

Case No. 



vs. 
U. S. 

Petition filed 

Amount claimed .$ 



These files are arranged in numerical order, according to the docket number, 
which is continuous ; a separate docket is maintained in the Court of Claims for 
cases with the defense of which this office is charged. The number assigned 
by the Court of Claims determines the number of the jacket. 

Testimony files. — Long document files are employed for the filing of the evi- 
dence or testimony (printed) in the cases. The filing thereof is numerical, 
according to the docket number of the case. 



^ At the present time a temporary stenographer is employed at $75 per month. The 
services of this clerk will be required for but a month or two. 



752 REPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Briefs. — Briefs (printed) in the various eases are filed iu a similar ruaiir.er 
(that is. lumiericii], according to tlie docket number), on shelves used for this 
purpose. 

Dispalchiiiy. — The dispatching of the mail is done bj^ the office messenger, 
except vi'here the outgoing communications demand tht; signature of the 
Attorney (Jeneral, in which case the messenger delivers it to the office of the 
chief clerk. 

COMMISSION TO INVESTIGATE TITLES OF THE UNITED STATES TO LANDS IN THE 

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.^ 

This commission is charged with the investigation of the title of the United 
States to lands in the District of Columbia ; a special assistant to the Attorney 
General is the secretary and chief administrative officer thereof. A stenog- 
rapher assists him in the preparation of data. The incoming and outgoing 
correspondence of this office is very light, the volume thereof not exceeding 200 
communications annually. Of course this does not include the papers, docu- 
ments, reports, etc., prepared in this office in the various cases which are being 
investigated. There is no recording, indexing, or briefing of incoming or out- 
going correspondence. 

Preparation of outgoing correspondence. 

Outgoing correspondence in the form of letters or other similar communica- 
tions are dictated by the secretary to a clerk ; two carbon copies are made for 
each communication, one of which goes to the Division of Mail and Files 
for permanent disposition there, the other being retained in the files of this 
oflBce. 

Letters of a miscellaneous nature, reports of various kinds, minutes of meet- 
ings, etc., are filed in a Yawman & Erbe flat filing cabinet containing four 
drawers. Three of these drawers are classified or indexed subjectively; that 
is, according to subjects to which the correspondence relates and is filed; 
the fourth drawer is for general miscellaneous correspondence which does not 
fall within subject classification and is filed according to the name of the 
addressee. 

All of this material is now current, but upon the completion of any case all 
the papers relating thereto will be arranged in chronological order and identi- 
fied with the department's file index by a list of the department's numbers 
contained therein, and removed from the current file to a permanent-record 
file, which will follow the order of and refer to the permanent card index of 
squares and lots. This arrangement will be made in order that there will be 
mutual references between the permanent card index and the permanent verti- 
cal file of papers relating to the lands involved. On completion of any item of 
the permanent vertical file, a list of the department's file numbers involved will 
be furnished the file room of the department, with the suggestion that an 
appropriate notation of the permanent file subject shall be placed on the 
department's index slips bearing these numbers. 

Card index of lots. 

In explanation of the foregoing statement relative to the final filing scheme 
for the papers relating to these investigations, it should be noted that a card 
index is made of all the lots included in the squares laid out in the original 
city of Washington. These cards are filed by squares in numerical order. The 
division of lands between the United States and the original proprietors is the 



^ The offico of this commission is locatod in tho Bond Building, Fourteentli Street and 
Now YorI< Avonuc. 



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, 753 

first notation appearing thereon. From an examination of the records of the 
District of Columbia, conveyance of lots belonging to the United States were 
ascertained, which conveyance was noted on the card. The completion of this 
work found that the title of the United States under the original trust deeds 
had been extinguished in the cases of the greater proportion of the lands in- 
volved. The cards for all the lots, the titles of which had not been so deter- 
mined, were separated from the other index cards (which now serves as a 
permanent record file) and made a separate file for further investigation and 
action. 

The foregoing comment relative to this index does not concern the handling 
and filing of correspondence. Its only value is to indicate the method under 
which it is contemplated to file the correspondence relating to the correspond- 
ence, records, etc., pertaining to the investigations prosecuted. 

Filing of maps. 

Four long drawers are used for the filing of rbaps relating to the squares 
being investigated. 

Press copying. 

Press copying is not done in this division. The correspondence of the office 
(except miscellaneous letters which are written to district officials) is signed 
by the Attorney General. These communications are referred to the office of 
the chief of the department for this puri)Ose : here the letters are press copied 
and dispatched. 

72734— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 48 



METHODS OF KEEPING EFFICIENCY 
RECORDS OF EMPLOYEES IN THE 
NATIONAL BANK REDEMPTION 
AGENCY OF THE DEPART- 
MENT OF THE TREASURY. 



755 



REPORT TO THE PRESIDENT ON METHODS OF KEEPING EFFICIENCY 
RECORDS OF EMPLOYEES IN THE NATIONAL BANK REDEMP- 
TION AGENCY OF THE TREASURY. 



Washington, December 11^ 1912. 
The Peesident: The Commission on Economy and Efficiency has 
the honor to transmit herewith the report of a joint committee of 
the Department of the Treasury and of this commission, appointed 
to inquire into the methods of keeping efficiency records of employees 
in the National Bank Redemption Agency. 

INTRODUCTORY NOTE. 

A study of efficiency of organization and personnel in Government 
involves the making of two classes of inquiries : 

(1) Inquiries which relate to the question of provisions made for 
cooperation in obtaining group results — that is, the question of the 
adaptation of the organization to the work to be done. 

(2) Inquiries into the conditions affecting the efficiency of the 
individual employee. 

A report of the commission on the organization of the Government 
was sent to Congress by the President January 17, 1912.^ This was 
followed by an analysis of cost based on the correlation of organiza- 
tion to activities.^ Both of these reports belong to the first class 
above mentioned ; they covered the full scope of the organization pro- 
vided for doing work and the work done by each organization unit. 

The study of conditions which make for efficiency and inefficiency 
in individual employees in the service is so complex a problem that 
it could not well be covered satisfactorily except as it was gone into 
piecemeal. The commission therefore adopted the policy of inquir- 
ing into one aspect of the question at a time. Its report, with rec- 
ommendations, on the subject of political appointments was made 
December 15, 1911, and was transmitted to Congress by the President, 
with his approval, on April 4, 1912.^ On April 18 the commission 
submitted its report, with recommendations, on the " Retirement from 
the Classified Service of Superannuated Employees."* This was 

1 Published in two volumes as H. Doc. 458, 62d Cong., 2d sess. 

2 Published in one volume as H. Doc. 854, 62d Cong., 2d sess. 

3 Methods of appointment. Printed as H. Doc. G70, G2d Cong., 2d sess. 
* Printed as H. Doc. 732, 62d Cong., 2d sess. 

757 



758 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

sent to Congress by the President, with his approval, May 6. Since 
that time three inquiries have been prosecuted to a conclusion. One 
of these inquiries has been made by the commission directly; two 
others have been prosecuted cooperatively with the representatives 
of departments. The report submitted herewith is one of the coop- 
erative results. 

This report represents the views of the committee which was ap- 
pointed by Secretary MacVeagh and by this commission.^' The con- 
clusions set forth therein were reached after a careful study of the 
records kept in the office as Avell as of the elements of efficient work- 
manship in each of the processes which combined make up the 
activities of the office. The constructive recommendations are also 
based on a careful inquiry into what may be accepted as a fair day's 
work. In other words, it was conceived that if the records recom- 
mended are to serve as a basis for judgment the data entered thereon 
must be collected on the assumption that efficiency or meritorious 
performance means the accomplishment of a standard quantity and 
quality of work within a given time; that the workman who does not 
come up to this is relatively inefficient, while the one that does come 
up to it or surpasses it is relatively efficient. 

The significance of this inquiry may be generally understood when 
it is stated that every record which the Commission on Economy 
and Efficiency has found in use in the departments of the Govern- 
ment, for the purpose of measuring individual efficiency, is based on 
negative instead of positive factors. To explain : Positive ratings are 
given for such qualities as " attendance," " punctuality," " attention 
to duty," "dispatch," "thoroughness," " neatness of work," "judg- 
ment," " resourcefulness." " disposition and tact " — factors which 
must be assumed to be present in an efficient workman. If these 
qualities are not present, then the only manner in which their absence 
should operate would be to reduce the positive rating which is estab- 
lished for quantity of work performed. In the records referred to 
" quantity " of standard results, the real test of efficiency, is only 
one factor out of perhaps ten. In nearly every record which has 
been found in use in offices of the Government, the employee may do 
absolutely nothing and yet get a good rating for efficiency, simply 
because he has been constantly in " attendance," has been " prompt," 
has been " polite," and has had the appearance of industry and good 
conduct. 

This work was undertaken before the enactment of the law of 
August 23, 1912, which makes the Civil Service Commission respon- 

1 The representatives of the Department of the Treasury were : Mr. E. A. Gongwer, 
Auditor for the Treasury Departnlent ; Miss Lydia S. Shoemaker, of the Bureau of En- 
graving and Printing; and Mr. R. S. Tower, oflSce of the Auditor for the Post Office 
Department. The representative of the Commission on Economy and Efficiency was Mr. 
Herbert D. Brown. 



METHODS OP KEEPING EPPICIEISrCY KECOKDS. 759 

sible for establishing efficiency records throughout the Government. 
For this reason it seemed in every way desirable to make available 
the results of inquiry in this office, conferences being had, however, 
from time to time with representatives of the Civil Service Com- 
mission. In the opinion of the commission, this is the most impor- 
tant piece of work that has ever been done which has to do with the 
subject of establishing records of individual efficiency, the purpose 
of which is to give to the employee an opportunity to make a record 
for himself instead of leaving him subject to conditions Over which 
he can have no control and which may operate to put him at a dis- 
advantage, whatever may be his ability to efficiently perform the 
work to which he may be assigned. 
Respectfully submitted. 

Frederick A. Clevei/And, 
Walter W. Warwick, 
Merritt O. Chance, 

Commissioners. 



METHODS OF KEEPING EFFICIENCY RECORDS OF EMPLOYEES IN THE 
NATIONAL BANK REDEMPTION AGENCY OF THE DEPART- 
MENT OF THE TREASURY. 



Treasury Department, 
* Washington, June 21^ 1912. 

Mr. E. A. GoNGWER, 

Auditor for the War Department. 
Sir: You are hereby appointed as chairman of a committee to 
make an investigation of the methods of keeping efficiency records 
of employees in the National Bank Redemption Agency of the Office 
of the Treasurer of the United States. 

It is my desire that this matter be gone into thoroughly, to ascer- 
tain whether the present methods are thoroughly fair and impartial, 
and also to ascertain wherein such methods can be improved. 

Your associates on this committee will be Miss Lydia S. Shoe- 
maker, of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and Mr. R. S. 
Tower, of the Office of the Auditor for the Post Office Department. 
Respectfully, 

Franklin MacVeagh, Secretary. 



Treasury Department, 
MVashington, August 23. 1912. 
Dr. F. A. Cleveland, 

Chairman^ Presidents Gorrhmission on 

Economy and Efflcieney. 
My Dear Sir: I have the honor to request the appointment of 
Mr. Herbert D. Brown, of your commission, to serve on a joint com- 
mittee to consider the efficiency methods in use in the National Bank 
Redemption Agency of the office of the Treasurer of the United 

States. 

Respectfully, Franklin MacVeagh, Secretary. 



The White House. 
The President's Commission on Economy and Efficiency. 

Washington, August 26, 1912. 
The honorable the Secretary or the Treasury. 

Sir : I have received your letter of the 23d instant, requesting the 
appointment of Mr. Herbert D. Brown to serve on a joint com- 
mittee to consider the efficiency methods in use in the National Bank 
Redemption Agency of the office of the Treasurer of the United 
States. 
760 



METHODS OF KEEPING EFFICIENCY EECOKDS, 



761 



In compliance with your request, the commission has directed Mr. 
Brown to serve on the joint committee, which it is understood will 
submit a joint report to your department and to this commission. 
Very respectfully, 

F. A. Cleveland, 

Chairmian. 
REPORT. 



The honorable Secretary of the Treasury, and 

The Presidents Commission on Economy and Efjiciency. 
Gentlemen : In compliance with the letter of the Secretary of 
the Treasury, dated June 21, 1912, we have examined the methods 
of keeping efficiency records of employees in the National Bank 
Redemption Agency, with a view — 

I. To ascertaining whether the present methods are thoroughly 
fair and impartial; and, 

II. To ascertain wherein such methods can be improved. 
On these questions we have the honor to report as follows : 

I. An efficiency record was established in the National Bank Re- 
demption Agency in 1892, which, with slight modifications, has been 
continued down to the present time. The system was one of the 
first devised for the public service in Washington, and, while it does 
provide for making a record of facts as a basis for judgment with 
respect to the relative efficiency of the employees instead of leaving 
the rating entirely and arbitrarily to the judgment of superior offi- 
cers, it does not, in the opinion of your committee, insure fair and 
impartial results. 

PEOVISIONS OF PRESENT METHOD. 

Briefly stated, the system is based on elements which are desig- 
nated as " punctuality," " attendance," " accuracy," " industry," and 
" ability." The employee is rated on each of these elements on a 
basis of 100. These ratings are then weighted as shown in the fol- 
lowing tabulation: 



Elements. - 


Rating. 


Relative 

weight. 


Product 

of rating 

multiplied 

by weight. 




100 
100 

ino 

100 
100 


3 

4 

5 

-6 


300 


Attendance 


400 


Accurao V 


500 


Industry 


600 


Ability 


700 






Total . 


2.j 


2, 500 










100 











762 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Punctuality. — A penalty for tardiness is applied, which increases 
in arithmetical progression during the calendar year, as follows: 
Deductions from the rating of 100 for punctuality are made as fol- 
lows : For the first tardiness a deduction of 1 is made, for the second 
tardiness a deduction of 2 is made, for the third tardiness a deduc- 
tion of 3 is made, and so on. The remainder of the rating of 100, 
after these deductions are made, is then multiplied by the weight 
of 3 given to punctuality, and the product is added to the other 
weighted ratings. The deductions from the monthly total of 2,500 
points are therefore 3 points for the first tardiness, 6 points for the 
second tardiness, 9 points for the third tardiness, and so on during 
the calendar year. The monthly total of 2,500 points is thus de- 
creased by the sum of the penalties incurred during that month. 

Attendance. — For absence on account of sickness a penalty is ap- 
jjlied which bears the relation to 100 that 1 day bears to the total num- 
ber of da3''s in the month, including Sundays and holidays. This pen- 
alty in a month of 30 days ( Sundays being counted in all calculations 
of sick leave) therefore equals 3.33, which, multiplied by the weight 
of 4 given to attendance, makes a deduction for each day's extension 
of leave on account of sickness during ai month of 30 days of 13.33 
points from the monthly total of 2,500 points. 

Accuracy. — Deductions for errors are as follows: 

In counting deduct 2 points for 1 error; in first assorting deduct 1 point for 
10 errors or less; in second assorting deduct 1 point for 20 errors or less; in 
tbird assorting deduct 1 point for 2 errors or less ; in settling deduct 2 points 
for 1 error ; in proving deduct 5 points for 1 error ; in making up deduct 1 
point for 1 error ; in miscellaneous deduct 1 point for 1 error. 

These deductions multiplied by the weight of 5 given to accuracy 
give the number of points deducted from the total of 2,500 points. 

Industry. — The rating on " industry " is a rating on attention to 
duty. The marking is made on the basis of 100 and represents the 
chief of the bureau's estimate of the clerk's attention to duty. The 
rating multiplied by the weight of 6 given to industry makes the 
product to be added to the other weighted ratings. 

Ability. — The standing of each clerk as to ability (quantity of work 
performed) is determined in competition once a year by the daily 
average number of notes handled during the month of January. 
Those clerks who have the highest and lowest daily average are given 
the ratings or standings shown in the following tabulation, and those 
whose daily averages are between the highest and the lowest are given 
proportionate ratings. 



METHODS OF KEEPI]SrG EFFICIENCY KECOEDS. 763 



Class of work. 


Lowest. 


Highest. 


Counters 


80 
SO 
75 
70 
70 
70 


89 


Third assorters 


89 


Seoond assorters 


H 


First assorters 


79 


Provers (fit) 


79 


Provers (unfit) .• 


79 







The standing so obtained is multiplied by the weight of 7 given 
to " ability " and added to the other weighted ratings. This rating 
remains unchanged during the balance of the year. 

CRITICISM OF PRESENT SYSTEM. 

AVhile there are many commendable features about the present 
method of rating the clerks in the National Bank Redemption 
Agency — and it is indeed one of the best that has come to the atten- 
tion of your committee — yet on analysis it is found to be essentially 
unscientific and unfair. In justice to the present chief of the agency^ 
it should be explained that the system was installed many years 
before he took charge of the office. As has been shown, the stand- 
ing of a clerk in the office depends on the rating given her — the 
clerks under consideration are all women — in " punctuality," " attend- 
ance," " accuracy," " industry," and " ability," which are designated 
on the present record as " the elements of efficiency " and are vari- 
ously weighted to show their relative importance. Your committee 
does not believe, in the first place, that " efficiency " can be rightly 
analyzed into these five elements, and it does not believe, in the second 
place, that were these five elements the indubitable component parta 
of efficiency they could, in the nature of things, be correctly weighted 
under any system and added up so as to represent a total of efficiency,^ 
inasmuch as all but one are negative elements and could not, there- 
fore, be put on the same side of the account as the one positive 
element. 

WORK PERFORMED IS MEASURE OF EFFICIENCY. 

What is meant by the word " efficiency " ? " Efficiency " is de- 
fined as " the quality of being efficient." " Efficient " is de- 
fined as " causing effects " or " producing results." The efficiency of 
an individual can be measured only by the effects caused by him, 
the results produced by him; i. e., the work performed by him. 
The work of the clerks in the National Bank Eedemption Agency 
is to count and sort paper money. A clerk's efficiency in this office 
is measured, therefore, by the results which she produces in count- 
ing or sorting. If she is able to count or sort a large number of bills. 



764 REPORTS OF COMMISSION OX ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

quickly and without error, she is efficient; if not, she is inefficient. 
If she counts a larger number and makes fewer errors than another 
clerk in a given time, she is more efficient than that other clerk. 
Her work can be measured absolutely as to quantity and quality, 
and it follows that its value can also be shown relatively in compari- 
son with that of all the others in the office if the work of the others 
has been rated in the same way. This showing of the results pro- 
duced by each clerk, both absolutely and relatively, makes an efficiency 
record. 

PURPOSE OF KEEPING EFFICIENCY RECORD. 

Now, what is the purpose of such a record? 'Your committee 
believes that the one great purpose served in keeping such a record 
of the results which have been produced (i. e., the work which has 
been performed) by each individual employee of the office is to give 
a basis for the proper distribution of the appropriation allotted by 
Congress for the compensation of those employees. With the aid 
of a true efficiency record the head of an office can accomplish four 
things : 

(1) He can distribute equitably the money appropriated by Con- 
gress among the clerks in proportion to the value of their services as 
nearly as the manner in which Congress has appropriated the 
Inoney will permit. 

(2) He can establish fair standards of compensation for each 
class of work and determine accurately what constitutes a fair 
amount of daily work in each class of labor. 

(3) He can ascertain each clerk's relative efficiency in each class 
of work and will thus be enabled, as nearly as the work of the office 
will permit, to assign each clerk to the particular kind of employ- 
ment to which she is best adapted. 

(4) He can so make up his yearly estimates as to enable Congress 
to appropriate the money allotted to the office in such manner as will 
most nearly pay each clerk the full amount she earns. 

The reason that the present system does not serve the purpose 
which a system of efficiency records should serve is because, in a 
record made up from ratings on the five so-called " elements of 
efficiency " variously weighted, the actual results produced by the 
clerk in quantity and quality of work are completely obscured by 
other data which may be interesting but which do not answer the 
one most important question:. What proportion of the appropriation 
granted by Congress to this office has this clerk earned ? 

ONLY ONE POSITIVE ELEMENT OF EFFICIENCY. 

The data in the present records which obscure the quantity and 
quality of work performed by the clerks are important in a negative 



METHODS or KEEPING EFFICIENCY EECORDS. 765 

way, but can not rightly be considered as positive " elements of effi- 
ciency." Of the five so-called " elements of efficiency " on which the ' 
clerks are now rated, " ability," which means quantity of work per- 
formed, is the only positive element. The other elements, " punctu- 
ality," " attendance," " accuracy," and " industry," do not show any- 
thing positive in regard to the value of the work performed by the 
clerk. They show merely the debits that are to be charged against 
the credits given on " ability." The only function which markings 
on " punctuality," " attendance," " accuracy," and " industry " can 
properly perform in an efficienc}'^ record, which is essentially a record 
of results, is a negative one. The present system of keeping efficiency 
records in this office is, therefore, fundamentally unsound in that it 
gives credit for qualities for which no credit especially should be 
given, since all the credit to which those qualities are entitled should 
be counted in the credit given for " ability " ; that is, for quantity of 
work performed. Standings in " punctuality," " attendance," " aC' 
curacy," and " industry " are reflected in the results and are therefore 
not to be credited separately. To do so means to count them twice, 
to give double credit. These elements are to be especially noted only 
when they are minus quantities. They are merely negative virtues, 
like a clean face or respectful speech. They should be expected of 
all, but noted only when not found. When there is a departure from 
perfection in any of these elements, the value of the results — that is, 
the quantity of the work performed— is affected by this departure. 
It is proper, therefore, to debit the account of the clerk with the 
amount of the loss which has been sustained by her departure from 
perfection in " punctuality," " attendance," or " accuracy." 

NEGATIVE ELEMENTS OF EFFICIENCy. 

Failure to recognize the principle of credits and debits is chiefly 
responsible for the "unfair results found in the application of the 
present system. Your committee believes that the account should be 
kept with a credit and a debit side, the record as to " ability " or 
quantity of work being entered on the credit side and debited, when 
necessary, by records of failures in " punctuality," " attendance," and 
" accuracy." Account should be taken of only these four elements of 
efficiency. Your committee believes, as will be shown later, that the 
element of " industry " should be omitted from the record. Thus only 
can a scientific and equitable record be kept of the absolute and also 
of tlie relative value of each clerk's work. 

UNFAIRNESS OF CONSIDERING ALL ELEMENTS OF EFFICIENCY AS CREDITS, 

If there is any "doubt as to the soundness of this division of the 
" elements of efficiency " into positive and negative elements, it is only 
necessary to consider the confusion and unfairness which has resulted 
from considering them all as positive elements and of entering them 



766 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION OX ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

on the record as credits. The most obvious result is that clerks of 
different capacities are put on the same or on nearly the same level. 
The fact that a credit of 13 points is given out of a possible total of 
25 points to punctuality (3), attendance (4), and industry (6), puts 
those of small capacity on the same or nearly the same level with 
those of large capacity whenever the latter have been so unfortunate 
as to be ill and lose time from the office or when they have made an 
Unfavorable impression on the chief of the office in the matter of 
" industry." Indeed, it is even possible, under the present system, 
for a clerk's output to be practically negligible in quantity and poor 
in quality, and that clerk, by reason of the weights assigned to the 
social virtues of punctuality, attendance, and attention to duty (desig- 
nated as " industry ") to have a very fair standing in the office. The 
result is that promotions in salary based on the efficiency records of 
this office are recognition of irreproachable conduct rather than of 
meritorious work. (A'\Tiatever fairness exists in the distribution of 
salaries in accordance with the value of the service performed is due 
to the good judgment of the chief of that office rather than to the 
scientific construction of the efficiency record.) In the opinion of 
your committee such an arrangement is not the proper basis for the 
distribution of the funds appropriated by Congress for compensation 
of those who do the work of this agency. 

DISASTROUS RESULTS OF LIMITING RATINGS ON ABILITY. 

This fundamental error of not recognizing the credit and debit 
sides of the efficiency account is the most serious error in the present 
system of keeping efficiency records, but there are other grave faults 
in the system. One is the arbitrary limitation of the ratings on abil- 
ity. The element of "ability" (quantity), the one positive element 
in the account, is recognized as the most important of all the ele- 
ments to be considered, in that it is weighted the most heavily, but 
the arbitrary limitation put on the ratings on ability destroys the 
effect of emphasizing this importance. The rule is that the clerks 
standing lowest in point of output in the January test are given a 
certain arbitrary rating in ability, and the clerks standing highest 
in the same test are given another arbitrary rating in ability, and all 
those standing between the lowest and the highest are given ratings 
between the two extremes. There is a difference of only 10 points 
between the minimum and the maximum ratings on all classes of 
work. The practical effect of thus arbitrarily limiting the ratings 
on ability is to put the incapable clerk on a level with the capable 
one. This will be more readily understood by examining the follow- 
ing form, used by the agency in making up the monthly efficiency 
record, in which we have entered certain combinations of ratings for 
purposes of illustration: 



METHODS OF KEEPING EFFICIENCY EECOEDS. 

National Bank Redemption Agency. 
Monthly efficiency record, calendar year 191-. 



Elements of efficiency. 


Weight. 


January. 


February. 


March. 


Standing. 


Product. 


Standing. 


Product, 


Standing. 


Product. 


Punctuality 


3 
4 
5 
6 

7 


100 
100 
100 
100 
70 


300 
400 
500 
600 
490 


100 
100 
100 
100 
80 


300 
400 
500 
600 
560 


100 
100 
100 
100 
00 


soo 


Attendance 


400 

300 


Accuracy 


Industry 


600 


Ability 


00 






Total 


25 




Z,S90 
91.60 




2,360 
94.40 




1 . SCO 


General average 








72 CO 















Since the minimum rating for " ability " is fixed at 70 or 80, the 
general average of the clerk doing the smallest amount of work is 
91.60 where the rating is 100 for " punctuality," " attendance," 
'• accuracy," and " industry," and the rating on ability is 70, and it is 
94.40 where the rating on " ability " is 80. The effect of the applica- 
tion of these arbitrary minimum ratings for ability is to make it im- 
possible for a clerk who' is punctual, regular in attendance, accurate 
on the work she does do, and industrious, however unproductive, to 
receive a general average which would ordinarily be considered a 
justification for demotion or dismissal; in fact, as shown in the third 
column of the foregoing illustrations, it would be impossible to show 
ti general average below what is generally considered a passing mark, 
viz, 70, even if the clerk was given no rating at all for ability (or 
quantity of work done). A clerk receiving for ability would thus 
be given a general average of 72, which is 2 points above what is 
generally considered a passing mark. 

300+400-f 500+600+00 _YQ 
25 
The first effect of a minimum rating on " ability " is a loss to the 
Government since the thing for wliich the Government is supposed 
to be spending its money, namely, quantity of work, is subordinated 
to the less essential and negative elements of " punctuality," " at- 
tendance," "accuracy," and "industry." The second effect is in- 
justice to the clerks who do the work. It may be added that a 
method which lays such undue emphasis upon minor considerations 
as to make them compensate entirely for lack of ability is discourag- 
ing to the ambitious. 

" INDUSTRY " SHOULD NOT BE RATED. 

With respect to the four other so-called " elements of efficiency " 
taken into account by the present system, three should, in the opinion 
of your committee, be transferred to the debit side of the account, and 



768 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

the fourth, that is, "industry," should not be considered at all. It is 
not believed that the element of " industry " as understood in this 
connection is one that has a proper place in an efficiency record. The 
marking under this head is made by the chief of the agency, and is, 
in fact, a rating based on his opinion as to the extent to which the 
employee is to be disciplined for inattention to duty. It might more 
properly be called " deportment " than " industry," It is a mark on 
the mere appearance of the clerk's industry, not on the actuality of 
industr3^ since whether the clerk has really been industrious or not 
will appear in the rating on her ability. Her industry or her lack of 
it is shown by the output. To mark her especially on industrj?^ is a 
duplication of credits. If it is possible for her to appear busy all the 
time and yet her output be inconsiderable, then surely there is no 
merit in crediting her with anything for industry. The Government 
is not interested primarily in anyone's industry ; it is only interested 
in a clerk's industry as it affects her output. Since the element of in- 
dustry (which is, on analysis, merely recognition of an attempt to do 
the best one can) has no actual relation to the quantity- or quality 
of the employee's work not expressed by the elements of ability and 
accuracy, it has no proper place in an efficiency record. And since 
this effort to do the best one can is something that can not be meas- 
ured absolutely, as can " punctuality " and " attendance," an attempt 
to measure it is fraught with great danger of abuse. It is impossible 
for the most conscientious chief to discipline all clerks alike in this 
matter. His judgment may be entirely wrong in regard to the effort 
put forth by any clerk, but under the present system the weight given 
to this element of industry on which he is called to pass judgment 
is so large that his error may result in disciplining very unduly a 
clerk whose efficiency, as proved by her actual output, is high and 
who should be paid more nearly the value of her work ; or it may, on 
the other hand, result in promoting a clerk whose efficiency is very low 
and who is already paid all she earns. 

OFFICE DISCIPLINE NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH MEASUEEMENT OF 

EFFICIENCY. 

It may be argued that, in eliminating the element of " industry " 
or deportment from the record, the chief of the agency is being de- 
prived of a valuable aid to discipline. This argument we do not think 
sound, and we believe that means of discipline can be found without 
distorting the record of efficiencA^ The record as now kept is prac- 
tically worthless because the measurement of service is confused with 
the question of office discipline. If an insubordinate clerk does a 
thousand dollars' worth of work in a year, the fact of her insubordi- 
nation does not change the fact that her output has been worth a 
thousand dollars to the Government. The two problems of dealing 



METHODS OF KEEPING EFFICIENCY KECORDS. 769 

with her insubordination and of determining the value of the work 
she does are entirely distinct and should be dealth with separately. 
She can be disciplined by reprimand, by suspension, by dismissal, or 
by demotion, but if the discipline exercised takes the form of demo- 
tion or refusal of a promotion, that discipline should not be accom- 
plished by distorting her record of work performed. It is in no way 
connected with the measure of the quality or the quantity of her 
work and has no place on an efficiency record. To put it there is to 
apply a false standard of measurement. 

The objection to the use of a false standard in measuring the value 
of work is that it does not make clear where the clerk's weakness lies 
and why her record is unsatisfactory. By pronouncing her inefficient 
when she is really comparatively efficient, an injustice is done her, and 
at the same time the moral effect of the penalty inflicted because of 
her misconduct is lost, since she does not even realize that she is being 
disciplined. Neither the office nor the clerk gains by the discipline. 
If, on the other hand, the record shows that the clerk's work entitles 
her to promotion and the promotion is withheld because of miscon- 
duct, then the clerk will realize that she is being disciplined and will 
probably endeavor to amend her conduct so as to secure the compen- 
sation which the quantity and quality of her work places within her 
reach. 

For these reasons your conunittee believes that the element of 
" industry " should not be taken into account in making an efficiency 
record. While we do not suspect that this element of industry in the 
system of the National Bank Redemption Agency has been used to 
unfairly advance or retard the progress of any clerk, yet it is appar- 
ent that it might easily be used by a prejudiced or unfair chief for 
that purpose. 

WHEN NEGATIVE ELEMENTS OF EFFICIENCY SHOULD BE RATED. 

The three remaining " elements of efficiency," i. e., " punctuality,'^ 
" attendance," and " accuracy," should only be taken into account in 
making up a clerk's efficiency record when that clerk's record in those 
respects is not perfect. The penalties attached to failure in punctu- 
ality seem to your committee reasonable and necessary to the proper 
conduct of the office, but those attached to failure in attendance and 
in accuracy are subject to some criticism. 

PENALTIES FOR TARDINESS SUITABLE. 

Punctuality on the part of the clerks is peculiarly necessary in this 
office. The penalty attached to tardiness is admirably adjusted, your 
committee believes, to the needs of the office. The fact that the 
72734— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 49 



770 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFPICIENCY. 

penalty increases in arithmetical progression during the calendar 
year is wholesome, and while it works no serious hardship on the 
person who is tardy a few times, it weighs heavily on those who are 
habitually late. Since it applies alike to all, and there can be no 
dispute as to when it is merited, there is no possible objection to its 
application but, on the contrary, every reason why it should be im- 
posed. When imposed, it should be set down on the debit side of the 
elerk's efficiency record to be counted against her in reckoning the 
value of her services. 

PENALTIES rOE FAILURE IN AT'ITSN DANCE TOO SEVERE. 

The penalties attached to failure in attendance seem to your com- 
mittee too severe. While there is no doubt that the privilege of sick 
leave is sometimes abused, a clerk's failure to be present at the office 
is generally due to phj^sical inability to attend to her duties. The 
practice of the Treasurj^ Department is to grant clerks 10 days' sick 
leave during the year on proper certificate of a reputable physician, 
and an extension of that allowance to 30 days on the approval of 
the Secretary of the Treasury. At the end of the 10 days the clerk's 
compensation ceases, unless the Secretary grants additional time. 
In any event, the clerk's pay stops at the end of 30 days. Therefore. 
the most that the Government can lose through anyone taking sick 
leave is one month's pay in any year, and 20 days of this can only 
fee lost when, in the judgment of the Secretary of the Treasury, 
the clerk's record justifies the loss. The real loss to the Government 
for sick leave is, in the last analysis, the value of the work which 
the clerk would have performed had she not been absent — and this 
only while she continues to draw her pay. ^Vhile, under the ])resent 
arrangement, the clerk may be absent a month and actually lose no 
part of her salary, yet the penalty for taking sick leave is so severe 
that a short absence on account of illness in any month will so reduce 
her general average standing as to place her far below other clerks 
whose services are much less valuable. The present method of calcu- 
lating the rating on attendance is as follows : 

Multiply the number of days in the month in which the leave is taken 
by 100, and from the product subtract 100 for each day of leave. The remainder 
divided by the number of days in the month gives the standaig for attendance. 

The standing thus obtained when multiplied by the weight 
of 4 is added to the products of the other elements. The result of 
this system of penalizing the taking of leave on account of illness 
may be illustrated by the following case: Clerk G is a proA^er of 



METHODS OF KEEPING EFFICIENCY RECORDS. 



771 



unfit notes at a salary of $800 a year. The following tabulation is 
a copy of her efficiency record for the month of January, 1912 : 



Elements of efliciencj'. 


Weight. 


January. 


Standing. 


Product. 


Punctualitv 


3 

4 
5 
6 

7 


100. 00 
70.96 
95.00 

100.00 
79.00 


300.00 


Attendance 


Accuracy 


475.00 
finn nn 


Industry 


A bility 


553 00 






Total 


25 




2,211.84 






General average 


88 47 











It will be observed that on all of the elements of efficiency except 
attendance this clerk received the highest rating that can be given 
under the present system. The highest rating given for accuracy, 
even when the record is perfect, is 95. For provers the highest rating 
is 95 for accuracy and 79 for ability. During the month of January 
she was absent nine days on account of illness. Her standing for 
attendance, calculated according to the rules given above, was 70.96, 
which pulled down her general average to only 88.47. The effect of 
that rating can be seen in the following tabulation of all the clerks 
in that class of work, arranged according to their general average, for 
the month of January : 



Name. 


General 
average. 


Average 

notes 
per day. 


Annual 
value. 


D ■ 


92.84 
92.44 
92.36 
92.28 
92.28 
92.00 
92.00 
92.00 
92.00 
91.76 
91.28 
90.96 
90.80 
90.60 
90.24 
88.47 


6,273 
5,733 

5,715 
5,515 
5,340 
5,057 
4,995 
4,723 
4,835 
5,603 
4,647 
4,877 
3,339 
1,993 
3, 644 
7,160 


$941 


EU 


860 


DH 


857 


BI 


827 


CO 


801 


EK 


759 


BH 


749 


DQ 


708 


DU 


725 


DR 


840 


EG 


697 


DK 


732 


EL 


501 


EP 


299 


BS 


547 


G 


0) 





1 See text following. 



772 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

It will bo observed that while Clerk G surpassed all others in 
point of quantity of work performed during the month and had a 
perfect record in all respects save for the nine days' absence, her 
general average is considerably below all others. She is even two 
places below the clerk whose daily average was the lowest in the 
class, only 1,993 notes, as against her 7,160 notes. The latter's daily 
average was indeed only 27.8 per cent of Clerk G's. In the last 
column of the foregoing tabulation is given the annual value (in 
dollars) of the work performed by the various clerks, calculated on 
the basis that the average day's work of the office for this month 
is worth $800 a year. On this basis the annual value of the work 
of this clerk, if no time were lost on account of illness, would be 
$1,074, or $133 a year more than the next most efficient clerk; or if 
it be assumed that her absence record for the month of January is her 
average for the entire year and that from this annual value of 
$1,074 should be deducted the value of the work of nine days a 
month for 12 n^onths, then the net annual worth of her work is $644. 

\^^* = $3.98 = value of work per day. $3.98 X 9 X 12 = $430. 

$1,074 -$430 = $644. 

On this severe basis of rating she should stand thirteenth on the list 
instead of sixteenth. In calculating the annual value of the work 
of the other clerks no account was taken of their sick leave. If 
this were taken into account she would probably stand near the head 
of the list. 

If we consider this case on a basis of actual monthly output, the 
unfairness of the present system is even more apparent. Let us 
compare the results of the work of the clerks who have the largest 
and smallest daily averages for the .month of January. The daily 
average number of notes handled by Clerk Gr was 7,160. The daily 
average of Clerk EP was 1,993, or only 27.8 per cent as great as 
Clerk G. On this basis Clerk G in 17 days (25- (9-1 Sunday) =17) 
would actually handle 121,720 notes, while Clerk EP in 25 days 
would handle only 49,825 notes. The total output for the month 
of Clerk G would therefore, despite her handicap of absence during 
eight working days, be 144.3 per cent greater than the output of 
Clerk EP. 

After such study of the effect of the penalties imposed for failures 
in attendance, it seems to your committee that to attach a penalty for 
absence greater than the value of the service rendered if present gives 
a wholly false result and is unjust to the clerk. 



METHODS OF KEEPING EFFICIENCY KECORDS. 773 

PENALTIES FOR ERRORS SUITABLE, WITH ONE EXCEPTION. 

The penalties attached to failure in accuracy seem to your com- 
mittee suitable, with one exception. The general scheme of penalties 
has been in force for a long time. Modifications in the penalties 
have been made at different times until now, so far as your com- 
mittee can ascertain, they are satisfactory to the clerks and to the 
office. The arrangement is now almost in the nature of a trade agree- 
ment with the clerks. The system provides for a scale of penalties 
for errors ranging from 25 points out of 2,500 points for 1 error in 
proving down to 0.25 of a point out of 2,500 points for an error in 
second assorting (see pages 762, 782). Notwithstanding this provi- 
sion, however, no clerk is given a rating for accuracy above 95 even 
though she makes no errors — probably on the theory that no one's 
work is perfect, the record notwithstanding. This is, in the opinion 
of your committee, not just or necessary. A clerk whose errors aggre- 
gate penalties of 25 points or less out of a total of 2,500 points is given 
the same rating as a clerk whose record is perfect. Thus a second 
assorter making 100 errors during the month would be rated the 
same for accuracy as a clerk making no mistakes whatever. This 
practice has a tendency to place all clerks in a level, regardless 
of their accuracy, and to defeat the purpose of an efficiency record, 
namely, to disclose the value of the clerk's services. It seems, there- 
fore, to your committee that full credit should be given for work 
that is without error, especially as errors in the work of this office can 
be determined absolutely, and are in no way matters of opinion. 

PRESENT SYSTEM NOT FAIR AND IMPARTIAL. 

In view of all the foregoing your committee is forced to conclude 
that the present method of rating the efficiency of the clerks of the 
National Bank Redemption Agency is not fair and impartial. The 
general effect of the method is to reward mediocrity beyond its 
deserts and to put the most capable clerks on a level with the least 
capable. It gives a chance, too, for the exercise of favoritism on the 
part of the head of the office, a condition that, as a matter of prin- 
ciple, should never be permitted, even though the probability of its 
abuse is admittedly remote. 

HOW PRESENT METHODS SHOULD BE CHANGED. 

11. In compliance with the second request of the Secretary's letter 
■of June 21, your committee has undertaken to ascertain wherein the 
present method of rating the efficiency of the clerks of the National 
Bank Redemption Agency may be improved, and now submits the 
following : 



774 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

EXACT VALUE OF EACH CLERK's SERVICES CAN BE RATED IN TERMS OF 

MONEY. 

As has been shown in the foregoing pages, the true purpose of an 
efficiency record is not served by the present system. It is impossi- 
ble from the record, as now kept, to tell how much of the work of 
the office is done proportionately by each clerk and to determine the 
true value of her services. Your committee finds, however, that the 
work of the counters, sorters, and provers, which is exclusively that 
of counting and sorting national-bank notes sent in for redemption, 
is peculiarly susceptible of rating. The efficiency of these clerks can 
be expressed not only in relative but in absolute terms as well. While 
ordinarily it is possible to accomplish little more by an efficiency 
rating than to establish an order of relative standing for the clerks, 
in this office it is possible, by careful measurement of each clerk's 
output, to go a step further and to express in terms of money the 
absolute value of the work performed by each clerk. This your com- 
mittee has done. 

STANDARD ON WHICH RATING IN TERMS OF MONEY IS BASFD. 

In order to express in terms of money the value of each clerk's 
services it was necessary to adopt certain standards in regard to the 
following : 

(1) What constitutes a fair day's work in each class of employ- 
ment (a) in notes handled and (&) in straps made; 

(2) What constitutes a fair wage for each class of employment; 

(3) What credit, if any, should be given for the increasing skill 
in the detection of counterfeit notes that comes with increased length 
of service; 

(4) What penalties should be applied for errors in the various 
classes of work ; 

(5) What penalties should be applied for tardiness; and 

(6) What penalties should be applied for extension of leave on 
account of sickness. 

(l) STANDARD FOR A DAy's WORK. 

In the following tabulation is given the number of notes that 
should constitute a day's work by clerks engaged on the different 
classes of work : 

IN IIANnLING NOTES. 

Notes. 
Counters 17, 500 

First assorters: 

V's 10,000 

X's 11,000 

All other clenomiuations 10,500 



METHODS OF KEEPING EPnCIENCY EECOEDS. 775 

Second assorters : 

All denominations — 

New England section 10, 000 

Middle section 7, 500 

All other sections 8,500 

Tliii'd assorters: 

One denomination — 

Groups 2 and 4 8,000 

Group 99 9, 000 

All other groups 7,000 

More than one denomination — 

All groups 6, 000 

Provers : 

Fit notes—-, 5, 62§ 

Unfit notes 11,770 

Odd notes___. 11, 770 

In adopting these standards for a day's work we have been guided 
largely by the advice and experience of the chief of the agency, but 
such verification as we have been able to make leads us to believe that 
it requires substantially the same amount of labor to handle the num- 
ber of notes set opposite any one of the respective classes of work. 
If, however, a greater or less amount of labor is required to handle 
the number of notes in one class than in another, that fact will be dis- 
closed in the work record from month to month which we have pre- 
pared, as will hereafter be explained, and the standards can be 
changed accordingly. 

In making straps. — While the principal work of the clerks under 
consideration is that of counting, sorting, and proving national-bank 
notes, your committee found that an important part of the time of 
the sorters is consumed in making up the notes into bundles after 
they have been sorted. This work consists of three operations: 
(1) Evening up the edges of the pile of notes, (2) binding the notes 
together by means of a paper strip called a " strap," and (3) noting 
on the strap the essential facts concerning the contents of the bundle. 
The amount of time required to even up the edges of a bundle of 
notes depends upon the condition of the notes. More time is re- 
quired to even up a pile of limp, ragged, and badly soiled notes 
than to even up a pile of clean, crisp ones. The length of time 
consumed in binding the notes together depends upon the manner in 
which the strap is attached to the notes. Bundles of notes in even 
hundreds are bound together b}^ placing the strap tightly around 
the center of the bundle and securing the strap by means of a pin. 
Odd notes are bound together by placing the strap over the end of 
the notes and securing it with a pin. The latter method requires 



776 KEPOETS OE COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

considerably less time than the former. The time consumed in 
making endorsements on the strap depends on the amount of de- 
scriptive matter that must be noted on the strap. 

Your committee found that the number of straps handled by 
different clerks varies so greatly on the different assortments, and 
also on the same assortment from day to day, that any method of 
valuing the work of the sorters which did not give credit for the 
number of straps handled would necessarily be inaccurate. Your 
committee accordingly made a time study of the operation of strap- 
ping the bundles of notes, covering the time consumed from the 
completion of the sort of one bundle to the starting of the sort of 
the next (which included the three operations of evening the edges 
of the notes, attaching the strap, and making the notation on the 
strap), and found that the difference in time required to even up 
the edges of the notes of different denominations and notes from 
different sections of the country was not sufficient to require any 
consideration, but that the time consumed in attaching the strap to 
the notes and in making the endorsement varies considerably as 
between the first, second, and third sorters. Your committee found 
that the average time consumed in strapping a bundle of notes on 
the various sorts was as follows : 

Seconds. 

First assortment 22. 5 

Second assortment 22. 3 

Third assortment 15. 8 

Your committee also found from an actual count of straps made 
for a period of four days that the average number of straps made 
per day on the different assortments was as follows : 

straps. 

First assortment '- 108 

Second assortment 119 

Third assortment 163 

(2) STANDARD FOR WAGE FOR EACH CLASS OF EMPLOYMENT. 

In the following tabulation is given the annual compensation that, 
under present appropriations, may fairly be given for the various 
classes of work described above : 

Counters $1- 000 

First assorters SOO 

Second assorters 900 

Third assorters !> 000 

Provers (fit) SOO 

Provers (unfit) 800 

Provers (odds) 9^ 



METHODS OF KEEPING EPEICIENCY RECORDS. 777 

(3) STANDARD FOR RECOGNITION FOR SPECIAL SKILL. 

We are informed by the chief of the agency that with increasing 
experience clerks become more expert in the detection of counter- 
feit notes. We believe that this special ability developed by years 
of service should be rewarded, and we have accordingly provided for 
a bonus of 0.6 per cent of whatever salary the clerk earns for each 
year of service up to a maximum of 10 per cent for 20 years of 
service or more. 

(4) STANDARD FOR PENALTIES FOR ERRORS. 

We have adopted, without modification, the penalties now in force 
in the agency for errors in the various classes of work, as described 
on page 762 of this report. We reject the theory, however, that abso- 
lute accuracy is impossible and propose that full credit shall be given 
where work is found to be without error. 

(5) STANDARD FOR PENALTIES FOR TARDINESS. 

We have also adopted, without modification, the penalties now in 
force for tardiness. We have done so because under these penalties 
the record for punctuality for the office as a whole is excellent, and 
because we are not informed that any serious complaint has been made 
of their severity. 

(e) STANDARD FOR PENALTY FOR ILLNESS. 

In the penalty for extension of leave on account for sickness we 
can not concur, for the reason that the penalty now imposed is so 
severe as to hopelessly destroy the record of a clerk who might- be so 
unfortunate as to be absent but a few days on account of illness. 
Since the purpose of an efficiency record is to measure as accurately 
as possible the value of the clerk's services, it follows that the 
amount that should be deducted for extension of leave is the value 
of the service she would have rendered if she had been present, and 
this only while her pay continues. We accordingly recommend that 
the penalty for extension of leave on account of illness be fixed on 
this basis, and since a working year consists of 270 days, we recom- 
mend that while the clerk's pay continues that the annual value of 
her work, as expressed on her efficiency record, be decreased by 
•2-YTr for each working day absent. 

Forms recommended for heeping of records. — Having adopted 
these standards for a day's work, compensation, and penalties for 
errors, we have modified the forms now used by the agency for 



778 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

recording daily the quantity of work done by the clerks in such a 
way as to have them present facts at the end of each month that will 
readily enable the office to express in terms of money the value of 
the services rendered by each clerk. These forms are given and ex- 
plained in Appendix A. From them a monthly record can be pre- 
pared which will show the following totals : 

(1) The total number of notes handled by each clerk of each class 
during the month; 

(2) The total number of hours and minutes employed by each 
clerk during the month on each class of work ; and 

(3) The total number of straps made by each clerk on each class of 
work. 

These monthly totals should be carried forward at the close of 
each month to Form F following: 



(Form F.) 



National Bank Redemption Agency. 
Record of work done. 



Name 

Class of work^ Group or section. 



191—. 




Number of 


Time. 


Num 


berof 


Number of errors. 


Month. 


notes. 


Hours. 


Minutes. 


straps. 




S. 


MU. 


P. 


M. 














.. 






































































































































































































Total.. 






























Total brot. 




























































Grand total 


•(a) 


n 


)) 


( 


c) 


((i1 


(( 


)) 



































Total number of hours employed (c)+ -gQ (f)- 

Total number of 6-hour days employed -^ (g). 

(b) 



Average number of notes handled per day present t-t 

(b) 

(g) 



Average number of notes handled per 6-hour day 



(e) 



Average number of straps per 6-hour day t-t 
Average number of hours employed per day ,^ 



(f) 



.(h). 
..(i). 
■ 0). 



I Use separate form for each of the classes, groups, and sections shown on the eflficiency record. 



METHODS OF KEEPING EFFICIENCY KECOEDS. 779 

This form, when filled out completely, will show a record of the 
clerk's accomplishments during a full year as follows : 

(1) The total number of days she was employed during the period 
(that is, the actual number of days present) ; 

(2) The total number of notes handled by her; 

(3) The total time, in hours and minutes, she was actually em- 
ployed, and the total number of six-hour days she was employed; 

(4) The total number of straps made by her; and, 

(5) The total number of errors of each kind made by her. 

From these totals the following daily averages may be deduced in 
regard to the clerk's work: 

(1) The average number of notes handled by her during each day 
she was present (calculated by dividing the total number of notes 
that she handled by the actual number of days she was present) ; 

(2) The average number of notes handled by her during each 
six-hour day (calculated by dividing the total number of notes han- 
dled by the number of six-hour days she was employed) ; 

(3) The average number of straps made by her each day (calcu- 
lated by dividing the total number of straps which she made by the 
number of six-hour days she was employed ; and, 

(4) The average number of hours she was actually employed each 
day. 

Your committee believes it highly important that the semiannual 
ratings should be based on the work performed during the whole 
period rathe^ than on the record made during a single month of the 
year, as is done at present. Furthermore, your committee believes 
that the daily average should be computed on the basis of the number 
of hours employed, six hours constituting a full day, rather than as 
is now the case on the basis of the days present, without reference to 
the number of hours employed. The clerks of the National Bank 
Redemption Agency are in the office about seven hours or a little 
less, and are engaged in counting and sorting on the average about 
six hours a day, the remaining hour being consumed in receiving the 
money from the tellers and returning it to them. Your committee 
finds that under the present system a strong tendency exists among 
the clerks to spread over the entire day whatever amount of work 
may be given them, so that it is difficult to determine with accuracy 
the capacity of any particular clerk. It is proposed, therefore, that 
the clerk should be charged only with the time the notes are in her 
possession, and that her daily average should be determined by divid- 
ing the total number of notes handled by her during a given period 
by the number of six-hour days she has been employed during that 
period. The number of six-hour days she was employed would be 



780 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

calculated by dividing the total number of hours she was actually 
employed by six. The average number of notes handled each day 
would be calculated by dividing the total number of notes handled 
during any period by the number of six-hour days so calculated. 
The daily average number of notes so calculated will be the number 
of notes that will be required to occupy the clerk for six hours each 
day. If her average daily task consumed more or less than six hours 
each day that fact will be disclosed by item (k) of Form F given 
above. It is apparent that under the proposed plan a clerk's record 
will in no way be affected by the quantity of work given her, since 
she will be charged only with the time the notes are in her possession 
and her record for quantity will be based upon her rapidity rather 
than upon the average amount of work performed each day present. 
Your committee recommends this change in the method of rating on 
quantity in the belief that each clerk should be rated on her capacity, 
as that depends upon herself rather than upon the average number of 
notes handled by her each day, a circumstance which depends upon 
the amount of work given her, a matter over which she has no control. 
For another reason it is very important that the records of work 
should be reduced to the form of daily averages. It makes conveni- 
ent the calculation of the annual value of services rendered by clerks 
who are employed for various lengths of time. Adopting the two 
factors of daily average and annual salary as a basis for calculation, 
because they are the most easily understood, a coefficient may be de- 
rived from them which can be readily used in calculating the annual 
value of any clerk's services, whatever her daily average may be. 
This coefficient is obtained by dividing the annual salary which has 
been adopted as a standard by the daily average also adopted as a 
standard. Thus, if the average number of notes handled per day by 
the counters during a given period was 17,500 and this number is 
adopted as our standard of what a $1,000 clerk should do in a day, 
the value of counting one note per day per year can be obtamed by 
dividing $1,000 by 17,500. Multiplying any clerk's daily average by 
this coefficient, we have the annual value of her services. Table A 
following shows how this calculation is made. Table B shows how 
the value of making one strap per day per year is calculated. 



METHODS OP KEEPING EFFICIENCY EECOEDS. 



781 



Table A. — Showing method of calculating the value {in dollars) of counting or 
sorting 1 note per day per year {1 year = 210 working days of 6 hours 
each). 



Class of work. 



Total working 
time per day. 


Time em- 
ployed in 
making 

straps. 
(Table B, 

col. d). 


Average 
time em- 
ployed on 
work (in 
minutes) 
b-c). 


Stand- 
ard 
day's 
work. 


Stand- 
ard 
annual 
salary 

for 
stand- 
ard 
day's 
work. 


Value of 
time em- 
ployed on 

work 
per day, 


Hours. 


Mins. 
ax 60 


(0) 


(&) 


(c) 


(d) 


(e) 


(/) 


(g) 


6.00 








17,500 


$1,000 


$1,000,00 
710.00 


6.0 


360.0 


40.5 


319.0 


10,000 


800 


6.0 


360.0 


40.5 


319.5 


11,000 


800 


710. CO 


6.0 


360.0 


40.5 


319.5 


10, 500 


800 


710. 00 


6.0 


360.0 


44.2 


315.8 


10,000 


900 


789. 50 


6.0 


360.0 


44.2 


315.8 


7,500 


900 


789. 50 


6.0 


360.0 


44.2 


315.8 


8,500 


900 


789.50 


6.0 


360.0 


42.9 


317.1 


8,000 


1,000 


880. 83 


6.0 


360.0 


42.9 


317.1 


9,000 


1,000 


880.83 


6.0 


360.0 


42.9 


317.1 


7,000 


1,000 


880. S3 


6.0 


360.0 


42.9 


317.1 


6,000 


1,000 


880.83 


6.0 
6.0 
6.0 


360.0 
360.0 
360.0 






5,625 
11,770 
11,770 


800 
800 
900 


800. 00 
800. 00 
900.00 















Value of 
1 per day 
per year. 



Counters 

First assortment: 

V's 

X's 

All others 

Second assortment: 
All denominations — 

New England section. 

Middle section 

All others 

Third assortment: 

One denomination- 
Groups 2and4 

Group 99 

All others 

More than one denomina- 
tion — 

All groups 

Proving: 

Fit 

Unfit 

Odds 



(ft) 
$0. 0571 

. 0710 
.0645 
.0676 



.0789 
.1053 
.0929 



.1101 
.0979 
.1258 



.1468 

.1422 
.0680 
.0765 



Table B. — Showing method of calculating the value (in dollars) of making 1 
strap per day per year (1 year=270 working days of 6 hours each). 



Class of work. 


Time 
(in sec- 
onds) 
per 
strap. 


Aver- 
age 
num- 
ber of 
straps 
per 
day. 


Total time per day 

in making straps 

aXb. 


Stand- 
ard sal- 
ary for 
stand- 
ard 
day's 
work of 
class. 


dXe. 


Value of 
making 
(b) straps 
per day 
per year. 

360 


Value of 1 
strap per 
day per 


Seconds. 


Minute. 
c 
60 


year, 
g 
b 


First assortment 


(a) 
22.5 
22.3 
15.8 


(6) 
108 
119 
163 


(c) 

2,430 
2,654 
2,575 


(d) 
40.5 
44.2 
42.9 


$800 

900 

1,000 


(/) 
32,400 
39,780 
42,900 


(9) 

$90.00 
110.50 
119. 20 


(ft) 
0. 8333 


Second assortment 


.9286 




.7313 







In connection with Form F must be considered Form G, which 
shows the number of errors from overs and shorts. This form is the 
one used in the office and will serve the purpose of the new record. 



782 EEPOETS OF COMMISSIOlSr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 



Errors other than overs and shorts are kept in memorandum form, 
which will also answer the purpose of the new record. 



<Form G.) 



OVERS. 



Nature 
of error. 


Case 
section 

or 
group. 


Strap 
date. 


Denomi- 
nation. 


Reported. 






On— 


By- 


Date. 













































































SHORTS. 



Nature 
of error. 


Case 
section 

or 
group. 


Strap 
date. 


Denomi- 
nation. 


Reported. 






On— 


By- 


Date. 













































































The penalties for errors under the old system have been retained, 
and the following table shows how they have been converted into 
money equivalents: 

Table C. — Showing method of calculating the value {in dollars) of 1 error in 
the various classes of work. 



Class of worif . 



Basis for 
penalty. 



Penalty X 
weight. 



Points. 



Rates. 



Month- Value 
Rates, ly of 
salary. 1 error. 



■Counters 

First assortment.. 
Second assortment 
Third assortment. 

Proving 

Settling 

Making up 

Miscellaneous 



2 for 1=2 
1 for 10= .1 
1 for 20= .05 

1 for 2= .5 
5 for 1=5 

2 for 1=2 
Ifor 1=1 
1 for 1= 1 



2 X5=10 
.1X5= .5 
.05X5= .25 
.5X5= 2.5 
5 X5=25 
2 X5=10 
1 X5= 5 
1 X5= 5 



10 in 2,500= 1 in 250 

. 5 in 2,500= 1 in 5,000 

.25 in 2,500=1 in 10,000 

2. 5 in 2,500=1 in 1,000 

25 in 2,500= 1 in 100 

10 in 2,500=1 in 250 

5 in 2,500=1 in 500 

5 in 2,500= 1 in 500 



^ X$S3. 33=10.3333 



T0OT7 X 66. 66= 
rjshnsX 75.00= 
ttJW X oo. o3= 
tJtj X 66.66= 
^ X 66.66= 
rhs X 66.66= 
^Jjf X 66.66= 



.0133 
.0075 
.0833 
.6667 
.2667 
.1333 
.1333 



Form H will show the number of times the clerk has been tardy 
and the amount of leave she has taken on account of illness and the 
coefficient to be used in calculating the amount to be deducted for 
each from the annual value of her work. A separate sheet will be 
required for each clerk each year who is tardy or who takes sick 
leave. Form H follows : 



METHODS OF KEEPING EFFICIENCY EECOKDS. 



783 



(Form H.) 

Record of tardiness and extension of leave on account of sickness. 

Name Year, 19-_ 

Note.— The coefficient opposite the last entry below multiplied by the amount of the "Total annual 
credits" on Form H will give the amount to be deducted on Form H for tardiness or extension of leave 
on account of sickness as the case may be. 



Tardiness. 


Extension of leave on account of sickness. 


Date. 


Coefficient. 


Date. 


Coefficient. 




0.0001 
.0003 
.0006 
.0010 
.0015 
.0021 
.0028 
.0036 
.0045 
.0055 
.0066 
.0078 
.0091 
.0105 
.0120 
.0136 
.0153 
.0171 
.0190 
.0210 
.0231 
.0253 
.0276 
.0300 
.0325 




00370 






00741 






01111 






01481 






01852 






02222 






. 02593 






. 02963 






. 03333 






. 03704 






. 04074 






01144 






04815 






. 05185 






. 05556 






. 05926 






. 06296 






. 06667 






07037 






07407 






07778 






. 08148 






. 08519 






.08889 






. 09259 









784 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Having thus accumulated all of the essential facts on which to rate 
each clerk on each class of work, it will only be necessary to carry 
forward from Forms F, G, and H to Form I, (1) the items indicated 
by an asterisk at the bottom of Form F; (2) the errors made by the 
clerk, as shown on Form G; and (3) the penalties for tardiness and 
leave computed, as shown on Form H. 

With these facts entered in colmnn (a) of Form I the annual value 
of the service rendered by each clerk will be readily ascertained by 
multiplying the entries in column (a) of Form I by the coefficient 
shown opposite in column (b), which represents the value of 1 trans- 
action per day per year of 270 days. By summing the amounts thus 
entered in column (c) or column (e), as indicated on the form, the 
total gross value of the clerk's services will be shown. To this amount 
will be added 0.5 per cent for each completed year of service for the 
reason stated on page 777 of this report. The sum of these figures 
will give the total annual value of the clerk's services, from which 
must be deducted the penalties for errors, as shown in the form, 
as well as the penalties for tardiness and extension of leave on 
account of illness. The balance at the bottom of Form I shows for 
rating purposes the value of the clerk's work per year in terms of 
money. Appendix D, under separate cover,^ contains a set of these 
forms for the entire office, showing the results for each clerk under 
the proposed system, based on work done during the month of May, 
1912. In future the data shown on such records would be based on 
the work of the whole year. The debits shown on these forms are 
actual records of the entire year. 

1 Not shown in this report. 



3IETH0DS OF KEEPING EFFICIENCY EECORDS. 



785 



(Form I.) 
Name 



Date , 191. 



Class of work. 



Counting 

First assortment: 
Notes— 

5's , 

lO's 

All Others 

Straps- 
All sections 

Second assortment: 

Notes (all denominations) — 

New England 

Middle 

All others 

Straps — 

All sections 

Third assortment: 

Notes (one denomination) — 

Groups 2 and 4 

Group 99 

All others 

Notes (more than one de- 
nomination) — 

All groups 

Straps — 

All groups 

Proving (fit) 

Proving (unfit) 

Proving (odds) 



A verage 
number of 
notes and 
straps per 
6-hour day 
for period. 



Value of 1 

per day per 

year (coefli- 

eient). 



(a) 



Total. 



(6) 
X0.0571 



X .0710 

X .0645 

X .0676 

X .8333 



X .0789 

X .1053 

X .0929 

X -9286 



X .1101 
X .0979 
X .1258 



X .1468 

X .7313 
X .1422 
X .0680 
X .0765 



Value of 

work per 

year. 



(c) 



Days on 

each "class of 

work. 



W 



X'(. 



XK- 



X. 



X>(- 
X.. 
X.. 
X... 



Value of 

work times 

days on each 

class of work. 



ie) 



Total annual value. (Note: If emploj^ed on but one group or section of work — straps are not a 
group or section — enter the total of column (c): if employed on more than one group or sec- 
tion of work, enter the quotient obtained by dividing the total of column (e) by the total of 
colunin (d) '■ 

Experience: Add 0.5 per cent of above total for each completed year of service prior to January 
lor July 1 for which this record is made (but not to exceed a maximum addition of 10 per cent) 

Total annual credits : 

Deduct for errors: 

In counting 

In first assortment 

In second assortment 

In third assortment 

In settling 

In making up 

In proving 

In miscellaneous 

Deduct for tardiness: (Enter the-amount derived from Form H) 

Deduct for extension of leave: (Enter the amount derived from Form H) 



X 0.3333= 

X .01.33= 

X .007.5= 

X .0833= 

X .2667= 

X ,1333= 

X .6667= 

X .1333= 



Value of work per j^ear %.. 

1 Enter total number of days employed on alt groups or sections within class, but do not include in the 



total of column (d). 

72734— H. Doe. 1252, 62-3- 



-50 



786 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 
THE READJUSTMENT OF COEFFICIENTS. 

As stated, the coefficients shown in Form I accompanying this 
report are based on the experience of the agency and the record for 
the month of May with regard to the amount of daily work per- 
formed by the ditferent classes of workers. It is probable that, 
under the proposed system, the work will be handled by the clerks 
somewhat more rapidly than under the present system, and therefore 
these coefficients should be adjusted frora time to time. This 
readjustment will be readily accomplished by adding together the 
total number of notes for all of the clerks in a given class, as shoAvn 
on Form F, and dividing that total by the total number of six-hour 
days, which will give the average number of notes per clerk per six- 
hour day for that class. By dividing the standard salary for the 
work by this average so obtained, a new coefficient wdll be derived 
that can be substituted for the coefficient given in Form I. In calcu- 
lating the average number of notes per six-hour day, the records of 
clerks whose averages are extremely low should be omitted. 

NEED OF READJUSTMENT OF SALARIES SHOWN BIT NEW RATINGS. 

We recommend the adoption of the system of efficiency records 
wliich we have prepared and described in the foregoing pages. A 
readjustment of salaries follows necessarily. Under this system of 
keeping the record the value of each clerk's services will be accu- 
rately measured in terms of money, so that each clerk may be given 
as nearly what she earns as the number of salaries appropriated by 
Congress at the ditferent rates will permit. Appendix B at the end 
of this report shows the results to be accomplished by the application 
of the proposed system. In column (c) of this appendix is given the 
annual salary of each clerk on May 30, 1912; in column (g) is given 
the annual value of the service of each clerk, based upon her work 
during the month of May, 1912; and in column (h) is given the dif- 
ference between her annual salary and the value of her work. The 
clerks with their ratings are arranged in this appendix in the order 
of the difference between their salaries and the value of their serv- 
ices. At the head of the list is given the clerk earning the greatest 
excess above her salary, and therefore most entitled to promotion, and 
at the bottom of the list is given the clerk paid the greatest excess 
above her worth, and therefore most deserving of demotion. The 
clerks between the two are arranged in the relative order of their 
differences. While this table is based on the record of work for the 
single month of May, it is yet sufficiently representative of the whole 
year's work to show the extreme need of an immediate readjustment 
of salaries. Your committee can see no justification for paying one 



METHODS OF KEEPING EFFICIEZSTCY EECOKDS. 787 

clerk $493 a year less than her work is actually worth to the Govern- 
ment while paying another $732 more than she earns. We have com- 
pared the results shown in this table with the record of work done in 
previous years, as recorded during the month of January in each 
year, and have come to the conclusion that justice to the clerks re- 
quires us to recommend the following : 

(1) That all who are earning less than 60 per cent of their salaries 
be reduced immediately to the next lower grade of pay, and that their 
salaries be given to the clerks in the next lower grade who are earn- 
ing the greatest amount in excess of their present salaries. Ap- 
pendix C shows the clerks who will be affected by these changes. 

(2) That on January 1, 1913, all clerks who earn less than 70 pei* 
cent of their salaries during the remainder of November and the 
month of December, 1912, be reduced to the next lower grade, and 
that the salaries of the clerks so reduced be given to the clerks in the 
next lower grade who are earning the greatest amount in excess of 
their present salaries. 

(3) That a similar readjustment be made on the 1st of July and 
January in each year thereafter and that at such times all clerks 
be reduced who earn less than 85 per cent of their salaries, and that 
their salaries be given to the ckrks in the next lower grade who are 
then earning the greatest amount in excess of their salaries at that 
time. 

At the end of Appendix B are the names of two clerks who have 
been assigned to miscellaneous work in proving which could not 
be rated. These clerks receive $1,200 each, which is the maximum 
salary of the office. In order that their proper standing may be 
determined, we recommend that they be transferred to one of the 
regular classes for a period of six months in order that their efficiency 
may be established, and that during this time other clerks Avhose 
ability rating has been fixed in the accompanying record be assigned 
to that work. 

With the clerks arranged as shown in Appendix B it is easy to 
determine who is receiving more compensation than her services 
justify and who is receiving less. Since the number of salaries at . 
the various grades is fixed arbitrarily by Congress, the most that . 
can be accomplished toward readjustment is to transpose the sal- 
aries as we have indicated above. Appendix C shows the clerks 
that would be affected if all clerks shown in Appendix B who were 
earning less than 60 per cent of their salaries were reduced one 
grade, and the clerks in the next lower grade earning the greatest 
amount in excess of their salaries were promoted to the salaries so 
released. Appendix C should be considered as illustrative only for 



788 BEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

the reason that since this rating- was made certain clerks shown on 
Appendix C have resigned or have been transferred to the clerical 
work of the office not covered by this system of efficiency records. 

"We believe that in the interests of good administration these 
changes should be made gradually as we have indicated, and that at 
all times promotions and demotions should be made one grade at a 
time. 

DISTRIBUTION OF WORK. 

In closing, your committee desires to emphasize two points that 
should never be lost sight of in the distribution of the Avork: 

(1) The work should be distributed to the clerks according to 
their recorded capacity in a C-hour day, as shoAvn under the pro- 
posed system. Each clerk must be given her capacity of work for 
a G-hour daj^, so that, as nearly as possible, all clerks Avill be em- 
ployed a like number of hours. When work is light care should be 
exercised to reduce pro rata the quantity of work given to the 
different clerks. 

(2) The packages of money for distribution to the counters should 
be arranged strictly in the order in Avhich ihej are received, and 
they should be given out to the clerks in precisely that same order, 
except that toward the close of the day the counters should be given 
such sized packages as will enable them to close their work at the 
proper time. When, in order to accomplish this, it is necessary to 
pass over the package that stands first for deliveiy, then the first 
package foUoAving of appropriate size should be given. If this rule 
is folloAved each clerk will, on the aA^erage, receive her share of good 
and bad notes, and no just cause for complaint will arise. 

COST OF KEEPING RECORD. 

We have made a careful estimate of the time required to keep 
the efficiency record proposed in this report and believe that it will 
take not more than the time of one efficient clerk at $1,200 per annum. 
The Avork involved in keeping the present records consumes a little 
less than the time of one clerk at $1,200 a year. We feel that the 
many advantages to be derived from the proposed system Avill offset 
this additional labor many times. 



METHODS OF KEEPING EFFICIENCY RECORDS. 



789 



ACKN O WLEDG MEN T. 

Your committee desires to express its indebtedness to the chief of 
the agency for his assistance and hearty cooperation during the 
v.-hole of this investigation. 
Res]3ectfully submitted. 

E. A. GoNGWER, Chairman. 
Lydia S. Shoemaker. 
R. S. Tower. 
Herbert D. Brown. 
Washington, D. C, November 19^ 1912. 

Appendix A. 

The following form is the one nsed for recording the work done by the coun- 
ters, and will answer the purpose of the new record by the addition of the time 
the clerk begins and ends her work, as indicated at the head of the sheet. The 
space for entering the time may be added to the present stock of forms by the 
use of a small rubber stamp'. 



Count. 
Time : 



National Bank Redemption Agency. 
Report of icork done. 

m. to m. Name: 



-, 191- 



Case 
number. 


I's. 


2's. 


5's. 


lO's. 


20's. 


SO's. 


lOO's. 


Total. 


Eeeeivinj; clerk's 
signature. 



























































































































































To!e 


I 



































































The following form is proposed in order to expedite the woi'k at the close 
of the month. On this form the counter may enter from day to day the amount 
of the bills handled by her. The use of this form will make it unnecessary for 
the time clerk to handle the daily rejiorts of the counters. 



790 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Monthly record of work done. 
(Form B.) 

Name : 

Class of work 



Month 


I's. 


2's. 


5's. 


lO's. 


20's. 


oO's. 


lOO's. 


Total. 


Time. 


'igi-* 


Hours. 


Mins. 


1 













































3 






















4 












































6 






















7 






















s 






















g 






















10' 






















11 






















12 






















13 






















14 






















15 






















16 






















17 






















IS 






















19 






















20 
















* 






21 






















22 






















23 






















24 






















'>o 






















2(i 






















27 






















28 






















29 






















30 






















31 












































Total.. .. 
































































In order that the value of the diflerent classes of work iiivolved in sorting 
may be accurately shown, it will be necessary to discontinue the use of the 
following form and to use in its place the two forms immediately following. 
Form C will be used for recording the work of first assorters and Form D for 
recording the work of second and third assorters. 



METHODS OP KEEPING EFFICIENCY EECOEDS. 



791 



National Bank Redemption Agency. 
Report of icork done. 



assortment. 



., 191- 



Day. 


Section 

or 
Group. 


5's. 


lO's. 


i 1 

1 ! 
20's. SO's. : lOO's. i Total. 

i ■ 1 

i ! 


Receipt. 
















1 


























i 




















1 




1- 






















j 








Total 












1 




1 




















1 


i 







792 KEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 



C^ 



O K 




METHODS OF KEEPING EFFICIENCY EECOEDS. 



793 



fi^ 



ft 










































































































































ft 






ft 
m 


























s 


^3 




6 


i 
i 

i 
























o 

K 












































"3 
o 






























o 
o 
■-1 






























o 
■o 






















o 

C>1 






























o 


































«3 












































22 


1 
























































.3 bi 

PqC 






























































a ft 

•2 3 
o 




























































:::::::::::::; 


a 3 

o O 





03 •'d~ 

III 



C t, o 

"S ^ "■' 

o go 
C C » 
^ O t« 

f^3-r 



° S J3 

w O +^ 



2 



ri C ft 









794 REPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 



The followiug form will answer the purposes of the new record for provera 
if the necessary space on which to enter the time of beginning and ending 
work, as indicated at the head of the form, is stamped at the top. 



National Bank Redemption Agency. 
Report of work done. 



Proof : 
Time : 



-, 191. 



M to M 



Name 



Group. 


Baiik No. 


5's. 


lO's. 


20's. 


50'S. 


lOO's. 


Total. 


Delivery clerk's signature. 




i 




























I'" 






















































T( 


)tal . . . 






















































Appendix B. 
Table 1. — Showing the counters, sorters, and probers in the National Bank 
Redemption Agency May 31, 1912, their annual salaries, the annual value of 
th'Hr services, and the difference between their salaries and the value of their 
services (arranged in order of differences) . 



Name. 


Class of 
work.i 


Present 
salary. 


Amount 
earned. 


Allowance for 
experience. 


Total. 


Difference. 

(g)-(c). 




Years. 


Amount. 


(a) 
A 


(6) 
P 
P 
C 
P 
2 

2 
P 

2 
2 
2 

2 
3 
3 

2 

3 

P 
C 
3 

1 
2 

3 
3 
1 
2 
1 


(c) 
$900 

700 
1,000 
1,200 

700 

700 
800 
700 
800 
800 

800 
900 

1,000 
800 

1,000 

900 
1,000 
900 
700 
800 

1,000 
900 
700 
800 
700 


(d) 
$1,266 

919 
1,148 
1,262 

836 

822 
913 
818 
888 
863 

879 
958 
1,003 
847 
996 

938 
1,012 
929 
715 
815 

975 
882 
721 
816 
716 


(«) 
20 
12 

9 
34 

9 

12 
10 
8 
11 
14 

9 
11 
21 
12 
22 

11 
16 
13 
26 
16 

22 
18 
11 
11 
12 


(/) 
$127 
69 
62 
131 
39 

51 
46 
33 
49 
63 

41 
55 

101 
53 

101 

56 
81 
63 
73 

72 

101 
85 
40 
45 
43 


(?) 
$1,393 

978 
1,200 
1,393 

875 

873 
959 
851 
937 
926 

920 
1,013 
1,104 

900 
1,097 

994 

1,093 

992 

788 
887 

1,076 
967 
761 
861 
759 


(ft) 
$493+ 


B 


278+ 


C 


200+ 


D 


193+ 


E 


175+ 


F 


173+ 


G 


159+ 


H 


151+ 


I 


137+ 


J 


126+ 


K 


120+ 


L 


113 + 


M 


104+ 


N 


100+ 





97+ 


P 

Q 

R 

S 


94+ 
93+ 
92+ 
88+ 


T 


87+ 


U 


76+ 


V 


67+ 


W 


61+ 


X 


61+ 


Y 


59+ 



C=counting; l=first assortment; 2=second assortment; 3=third assortment; P=proving; 0=odds. 



METHODS OF KEEPING EFFICIElsrCY KECOEDS. 



795 



Appendix B — Continued. 



Table 1. — Showing the counters, sorters, and provers in the National Bank 
Redemption Agency Mag 31, 1912, etc. — Continued. 











Allowance for expe- 






Name. 


Class of 
work. 


Present 
salary. 


Amount 
earned. 


rience. 


Total. 


Difference. 


Years. 


Amount. 


(S)-(C). 


Z 


(&) 

2 

3 

2 
1 
2 

3 
3 

2 

3 

2 

3 
2 
3 
3 
2 

3 
2 
3 
3 
P 

2 

2 
1 
1 
3 

3 
3 

1 
3 
3 

1 


(c) 
800 
900 
900 
700 
900 

1,000 

1,000 

800 

900 

900 

1,000 
900 

1,000 
900 
900 

900 

800 

1,000 

900 

800 

800 
900 
800 
800 
900 

1,000 

1,000 

800 

900 

1,000 

800 


792 
905 
900 
702 

875 

990 
971 

786 
871 
878 

931 

886 
929 
869 
881 

880 
767 
967 
870 
737 

759 
833 
72-1 
723 
833 

903 
937 
734 

844 
922 

732 


14 
10 
11 

12 
14 

10 
14 
13 
14 
13 

20 
10 
20 
13 
10 

9 

14 
9 
8 

17 

11 
16 
21 
22 
15 

20 
12 
16 
11 
14 

15 


(/) 
61 
45 
50 
44 
70 

51 
69 
51 
64 
57 

102 

45 
99 

58 
46 

42 
55 
46 
37 

67 

44 
67 
73 
73 
63 

92 

• 57 
59 
47 
66 

56 


(<7) 
853 
950 
950 
746 
945 

1,041 

1,040 

837 

935 

935 

1,033 
931 

1,028 
927 
927 

922 

822 

1,013 

907 

804 

803 
900 
797 
796 
896 

995 
994 
793 

891 

988 

788 


53+ 


A A 


50+ 


AB 


50+ 


AC 


46+ 


AD 


- 45+ 


AE 


41 -f- 


AF 


40+ 


AG 


■ 37+ 


AH 


35+ 


AI 


35+ 


A J 


33+ 


AK 


31+ 


AL 


28+ 


AM 


27+ 


AN 


27+ 


AO 


22+ 


AP 


22+ 


AQ 


13+ 


AR 


7+ 


AS 


4+ 




3+ 


AU 







3— 


AW 


4— 


AX 


4- 


AY 


5— 


AZ 


6— 


B A 


7— 


BB 


9- 


BC 


12— 


BD 


1^- 


BE 


1 


800 


740 


13 


4S 


788 


12- 


BF 


P 


1,000 


934 


10 


49 


983 


17- 


BG 


3 


1,000 


916 


14 


65 


981 


19- 


BH 


P 


1,000 


900 


Ifi 


72 


972 


28- 


BI 


P 


900 


796 


IS 


74 


870 


30- 


BJ 


3 


900 


812 


13 


55 


867 


33- 


BK. 


1 


800 


724 


11 


40 


764 


36- 




3 


1, 000 


873 


22 


90 


963 


37- 


BM 


3 


900 


819 


10 


42 


861 


39- 


BN 


3 
2 


1,000 
SOO 


906 
70S 


12 
14 


55 
52 


961 
760 


39— 


BO 


40— 


BP 





1,200 


1,054 


40 


306 


1.160 


40— 


BQ 


1 


SOO 


697 


17 


62 


759 


41- 


BR 


1 


SOO 


707 


14 


52 


759 


41- 



796 KEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Appendix 1> — Coiitiiuied. 

Table 1. — Shoiving the counters, sorters, and pro-vers in the National Bank 
Redemption Agency May 31, 1912, etc. — Continued. 



Name. 









Allowance for expe- 


Class of 


Present 
salary. 


Amount 
earned. 


rience. 


work. 


Years. 


Amount. 


(6) 
P 


(c) 
700 


id) 
619 


12 


«40 


1 


800 


686 


IS 


69 


i 


SOO 


708 


11 


40 


1 


700 


613 


11 


34 


1 


800 


692 


14 


51 


1 


800 


710 


9 


32 


C 


1,200 


1,034 


36 


107 


3 


1,000 


911 


6 


28 


3 


1,000 


890 


10 


48 


2 


900 


801 


8 


34 


P 


1,000 


883 


12 


52 


2 


900 


794 


10 


40 


C 


1,000 


869 


14 


63 


C 


1,000 


877 


12 


54 


1 


700 


601 


9 


27 


3 


900 


772 


12 


SO 


1 


800 


671 


14 


49 


3 


900 


745 


19 


75 


3 


1,000 


867 


12 


52 


3 


1,000 


831 


17 


76 


1 


800 


667 


11 


39 


3 


1,000 


841 


15 


64 


2 


900 


764 


10 


40 


P 


900 


725 


21 


78 


C 


1,200 


1,000 


35 


103 


2 


900 


750 


13 


49 


3 


1,000 


821 


18 


77 


2 


900 


763 


8 


32 


3 


900 


743 


13 


51 


1 


900 


759 


9 


34 


3 


900 


732 


14 


57 


C 


1,200 


1,014 


14 


74 


3 


1,000 


832 


12 


55 


P 


800 


665 


6 21 


1 


900 


711 


22 


72 


3 


1,000 


842 


6 


27 


C 


1,200 


968 


37 


98 


P 


700 


531 


10 


27 


3 


900 


720 


10 


38 


3 


1,000 


808 


12 


49 



Total. 



(a) 

BS 

BT 

BU 

BV 

BW 

BX 

BY 

BZ 

CA 

CB 

CC 

CD 

CE 

CF 

CG 

CH 

CI 

CJ 

CK 

CL 

CM 

CN 

CO 

CP 

CQ 

CR 

CS 

CT 

CU 

CV 

CW 

CX 

CY 

CZ 

DA 

DB 

DC 

DD 

DK 

DF 



(?) 
?6o9 

755 

748 

647 

743 

742 
1,141 
939 
938 
835 

935 
834 
932 
931 
628 

822 
720 
820 
919 
907 

706 
905 
804 
803 
1,103 

799 
898 
795 
794 
793 

789 
1,088 
887 
686 
783 

869 
1,066 
558 
758 
857 



METHODS OF KEEPING EFFICIENCY EECOEDS. 



797 



Appendix B — Continued. 



Table 1. — Showing the counters, sorters, and probers in the National Bank 
Redemption Agency May 31, 1912, etc. — Continued. 



Name. 


Class of 
work. 


Present 
salary. 


Amount 
earned. 


Allowance for expe- 
rience. 


Total. 


Difference. 


Years. 


Amount. 


(g)-(c) 


(a) 
DG 


(&) 
3 

P 

3 
3 
P 

3 
C 
1 
C 

1 

P 
P 
1 
3 
P 

3 
3 
3 
3 
P 

C 
P 
P 
P 


C 

P 

C 

C 

p 
p 
p 
p 



p 

1 
p 


(c) 

900 
1,000 
1,000 
1,200 
1,000 

1,000 
1,200 

800 
1,200 

700 

1,000 
800 
900 
900 

1,000 

1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,000 
900 

1.200 
900 

1,000 
800 

1,000 

1,200 
1,000 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 

1,200 
1,000 
- 1,200 
1,200 
1,200 

1,000 
1,000 
1,200 
1,200 
1,200 


id) 
710 
791 
797 
967 
754 

777 
929 
559 
924 
468 

734 
569 
662 
625 
730 

888 
928 
892 
716 
624 

867 
601 
638 
454 
605 

755 
562 
701 
696 
682 

682 
494 
667 
625 
605 

307 
291 

424 


12 
15 
12 
14 
22 

12 
33 
20 
23 
20 

23 
12 
10 
17 
14 

23 
8 
16 
12 
11 

37 
9 
26 
10 
16 

42 
24 
37 
37 
23 

17 
14 
17 
13 
29 

8 

5 

20 

24 

12 


(/) 
43 

60 

53 

68 
78 

49 
97 
61 
95 

47 

77 
36 
34 
60 
53 

94 
40 
73 
46 
35 

90 
27 
67 
24 

48 

76 
58 
72 
70 
71 

58 
36 
62 
44 
61 

12 

7 
44 


(?) 
753 

851 

850 

1,035 

832 

826 
1.026 

620 
1.019 

515 

811 
605 
696 

685 
783 

982 
968 
965 
762 
659 

957 
628 
705 
478 
653 

831 
620 
773 
766 
753 

740 
530 
729 
669 
666 

319 

298 
468 


(ft) 
147 


DH 


149 


DI 


150 


D J 


165 


DK ■-. 


168 


DL 


174 


DM 


174 


DN 


180— 


DO 


181— 


DP 


185 


DQ 


189— 


DR 


195— 


DS 


204— 


DT 


215— 




217— 




218— 


DW 


232— 


DX 


235— 


DY 


238— 




241— 




243— 


EB :... 


272— 


EC 


295— 


ED 


322— 




347— 




369— 


EG 


380— 


EH 


427— 


EI 


434— 




447— 


EK 


460— 


EL 


470— 


EM 


471— 


EN 


531- 


EO 


534- 


EP 


681- 


EQ 


702- 


ER 


732- 


ES 





























798 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Appendix C. 

Table 1. — Shoiving the counters, provers, and sorters in the National Bank 
Redemption Agency %oho earned less than 60 per cent of their salaries during 
the month of May, 1912, and the promotions that should lie made if those 
earning less than 60 per cent of their salaries are demoted one grade. 



Demotions. 



Promotions. 



Name. 



ER 
EO 

EN 
EQ 
EP. 
EL, 
ED 



From— To— 



U, 200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 
800 



81,000 
1,000 
1,000 
900 
900 
900 
700 



Name. 



C. 
M 
O 
A 
L. 
P. 
B. 



From— To 



$1,000 
1,000 
1,000 
900 
900 
900 
700 



$1,200 
1,200 
1,200 
1,000 
1,000 
1,000 
800 



REPORT ON THE ELECTRIC LIGHTING 

OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS OF THE 

DEPARTMENT OF THE 

TREASURY. 



799 



LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT. 



November 25, 1912. 
The President : Herewith we are transmitting for your considera- 
tion a report on the electric lighting of Federal buildings. We sug- 
gest that this report be sent to the Secretary of the Treasury, with 
the request that he report to j^ou not later than December 10 on the 
recommendations of the commission, and, specifically, whether or not, 
in his opinion, any reduction should be made in the estimates for the 
operation and maintenance of public buildings on the ground of the 
possible savings which may be realized during the next fiscal year. 
Very respectfully^ 

F. A. Cleveland, Ghaiinnan. 
800 



REPORT OF THE COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY ON 
THE ELECTRIC LIGHTING OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 



The President: The Commission on Economy and Efficiency has 
the honor to submit the following report on the electric lighting of 
Federal buildings. 

This report gives the results of a detailed investigation made by the 
commission of the electric-lighting systems as now installed in the 
Chicago, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Birming- 
ham, and Macon post offices, court, and custom houses. 

As a result of this investigation the commission recommends as 
follows : 

First. That complete investigations be made of the electric-lighting 
systems in use in all the Federal buildings throughout the United 
States which are under the control of the Treasury Department where 
the annual cost of operating the same is $500 or over per year. 

Second. That detailed plans be made and specifications be drawn 
showing and covering the changes which should be made to bring the 
electric-lighting systems in said Federal buildings up to date and to 
present recognized standards of efficiency and economy. 

Third. That such modifications and changes in the present electric- 
lighting systems in said Federal buildings as are found to be neces- 
sary to obtain the required efficiency and economy be made by th<j 
Government. 

Fourth. That such modifications and changes shall be made under 
the supervision of and as directed by the Supervising Architect. 

Fifth. That during the progress of such investigations a consult- 
ing engineer to the Supervising Architect shall be appointed at a 
compensation sufficient to obtain the services of a high-grade engi- 
neer, who shall have charge of, the making of such investigations, 
and shall recommend plans, specifications, changes, revisions or 
modifications of existing electric lighting systems, as well as have 
general supervision of such installation or charges as are ordered 
subject to the supervision and direction of the Supervising Architect. 

The commission is of the opinion that the adoption of these recom- 
mendations will result in an economy of at least $150,000 annually. 

72734— H. Doe. 1252, 62-3 51 801 



802 eeports of commission on economy and efficiency. 

Introduction. 

In order that the Government employee ma}^ work to the best 
advantage his proper housing is a subject of great importance, for 
upon his surroundings and facilities for work depends his effective- 
ness of operation. 

No matter how well placed he may be as to room space, desk and 
furniture outfit, heating and ventilation, telephone and stenographic 
service, filing and card systems, and all other appliances and facili- 
ties, all of which tend to the best of service, if the lighting arrange- 
ments are not properly devised and placed, both as to position, 
quantity, and quality of light, he can not perform his work to the 
best advantage ; he must be properly lighted to do his best work. 

This being the case, it becomes of the first importance that the 
lighting conditions of the Federal buildings shall be those which are 
best adapted to the requirements and needs of the work to be done 
and are as modern and up to date as possible and at the same time are 
as economical in operation as the requirements will permit. 

Efficiency and economy in artificial lighting by electricity or gas 
does not necessarily mean the obtaining of a maximum of light from 
a minimum of electric current or gas. But it does mean, first, the 
placing and giving of that quality and amount of light which will 
enable the operator by its use to do his particular kind of work in 
the most efficient manner, and, second, the obtaining of such lighting 
at the minimum of expenditure compatible with producing such an 
electric current or a gas supply as will admit of attaining the specific 
lighting requirements. 

To see easily and comfortably, without danger to the ej^esight and 
health, it is necessary to arrange and place the light sources in such 
position as will best suit the particular conditions which have to be 
met and select the lamps, fixtures, shades, globes, and other appa- 
ratus with this end in view. 

Because a light source looks glaring and brilliant, it does not fol- 
low that it is giving a good light ; it may be giving too much light 
in the wrong place. A well shaded or inclosed light source may ap- 
pear to be dim because it is well shaded, but may be giving a first- 
class light for working purposes. There must be sufficient light to 
see by, but as things are seen chiefly by the light they reflect, it is 
evident that a well-shaded source of light which may have very little 
intrinsic brilliancy when looked at directly, may be so directed on 
the object to be seen as to give ample light for all required purposes. 
Unshaded or brilliant lights so placed as to be in the line of vision 
are fatiguing to the eye and greatly diminish the seeing ability of the 
user, while a moderate light properly shaded and placed above the 



ELECTEIC LIGHTING OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 803 

range of vision causes no discomfort and enables the user to see 
easily and comfortably. 

Artificial lighting has two requirements to fulfill — general and 
special illumination; general as applied to the ordinary diffused 
lighting of a room, and special as applied to the local lighting of 
desks, tables, or other special locations, Qach of which requires 
special treatment as to the location of the source of light. It will 
therefore be evident that the placement or positioning of the light 
source is of first importance, and that no general rule can be fol- 
lowed, but that each case must receive careful consideration. 

The quality of the light used is of next importance. By this is 
meant the character of the light, whether white, yellowish, reddish, 
or bluish white, according to the character of the work to be done. 
For instance, in sorting the letters, packages, etc., in the workrooms 
of the post offices, it is often quite necessary that the different colors 
of the envelopes and stamps shall be clearly and distinctly discernible 
and this can best be accomplished by a light as nearly white as possi- 
ble, while in other cases a yellowish or reddish white light is more 
grateful to the eyesight and can be used to better advantage than the 
pure white light. 

The quantity of light received from a light source on a given object 
is of the next importance. What is the light to be used for? Gen- 
eral illumination, to read or write by, to bring into view the working 
parts of a machine, to match colors, to display goods or pictures, or 
to make a pathway safe and plain? Is the color of the object to be 
illuminated light or dark, or is the object smooth or polished or 
rough or unpolished? All of these and kindred questions must be 
carefully considered in determining the amount of light required by 
a given light source. 

Each case must be studied by itself and the required effect accom- 
plished by the use of such lamps, fixtures, shades, globes, and other 
apparatus properly disposed, as will, by means of direct, semidirect, 
or indirect lighting, insure ample lighting without undue brilliancy 
or fatigue to the eye and yet in the most economical manner com- 
patible with the result to be accomplished. 

Enormous advances have been made in the last few years in the art 
of artificial illumination, until at the present time it has become 
almost an exact science and forms a separate branch of engineering. 
Not alone has the character of the light sources been improved and 
rendered highly efficient, the character and forms of reflectors, globes, 
and shades have been changed and made in endless variety and shapes 
of exact reflecting or diffusing surfaces, so that it is possible to select 
a form of shade or reflector which will apply to any given require- 
ment; the character and design of fixtures made applicable to any 
lighting condition, but the combination of the placement, quality, 



804 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

and quantity of light has been reduced to so scientific a basis that it 
is possible for an expert engineer to accurately design the proper 
illumination required by any given condition, and this at a maximum 
of efficiency and economy. 

From this it will be seen that lighting systems installed even five or 
six years ago, and at that time considered satisfactory^, are at the 
present time considered crude, inefficient, and uneconomical to a high 
degree, and this is evidenced by the enormous amount of changes and 
reinstallations now taking place in every direction in such back- 
number systems of illumination. 

The preliminary investigations made by the commission into the 
electric lighting now in use in several of the Federal buildings, viz, 
Chicago, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Birming- 
ham, Macon, Norfolk, and Brooklyn post offices, court and custom 
houses, show this statement to be correct, as shown by the apj)ended 
reports on these various buildings. 

In all of them so far as examined the sources of light are either 
badly placed, are of too great a quantity, or are of poor quality, are 
inefficient, uneconomical and wastefully used, and the fixtures, shades, 
globes, etc., are not appropriate to the use for which they are 
intended, and are inefficient to a degree. Particularlj^ is this the case 
in the workrooms or departments where the mail is received, canceled, 
sorted, and distributed. 

These workrooms are the verj vitals of the post offices, for on the 
expedition and efficiency with which the work in those rooms is 
accomplished, and the absolute continuity of the same, depends the 
successful working of the postal system, and these rooms above all 
others should have every facility and should be as systematically 
arranged and as perfectly lighted as possible. 

In reality, so far as the investigations of the commission have 
gone, these rooms are generally in very bad condition. They are 
much crowded, the progression of the work is not directed, but is 
impeded by the crowded conditions; they are poorly ventilated and 
heated, and the general and special illumination faulty, inefficient, 
and uneconomical. 

They all require careful investigation and revision, and all should 
be brought up to the highest standard of efficient and economical 
operation, and the lighting system in particular should receive imme- 
diate and most careful revision. 

In order to accomplish the desired results and to make the required 
investigations and recommendations in an entirely impartial manner, 
this work should be done under the direction and supervision of a 
civilian engineer, one who has no connection with any Government 
department, and one who has had large experience in all manner of 



ELECTRIC LIGHTING OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 805 

lighting installations, and who is familiar with the various lamps, 
shades, fixtures, and other lighting apparatus now on the market, 
and one who is also familiar with the various direct, semi-indirect, 
and indirect lighting systems now in use, their installation and 
effective use. Such an engineer should be attached to the Office 
of the Supervising Architect, and under his direction and control, 
and to whom his reports on investigations and his plans and recom- 
mendations as to changes and revisions of the various lighting sys- 
tems in the Government buildings should be made. 

By such a method of procedure all possible bias one way or the 
other would be eliminated, and only such reports and recommenda- 
tions made as are the result of an absolutely independent consider- 
ation of existing conditions. 

The commission has been unable to obtain exact information as to 
the total number of Federal buildings at the present date. 

For the fiscal year 1911-12 there was listed in the Treasury De- 
partment Index of Public Buildings, consisting of only post offices, 
court and custom houses, about 989 buildings, on 608 of which the 
total yearljr cost of operating the electric-lighting systems for 1911 
and 1912 was given at about $460,000, no costs being given on 381 of 
the buildings, as they were at that time unoccupied or to be occupied 
later on. 

The War, Army, Navy, Agricultural, and Interior Departments 
and the Marine-Hospital Service also have several thousand build- 
ings, none of which have been investigated by the commission, no 
complete list of these buildings being obtainable at the present time. 

Taking the cost of operating the buildings under the control of the 
Treasury Department for the year 1911-12 as $460,000 and estimating 
that their electric-lighting systems are mostly in similar condition 
to those already investigated by the commission, and assuming that 
a saving of at least 25 per cent of this amount can be made annually 
by a proper investigation, revision, and remodeling of these lighting 
systems, the total annual saving would amount to $150,000. 

This is only a portion of the saving which could be accomplished, 
as what could be done with the buildings under the control of the 
other departments is only a matter of conjecture, but that it would 
amount to many thousands of dollars more is certain if the recom- 
mendations herein set forth are carried out. 

The urgent necessity for this work to be undertaken and carried 
out by the Commission on Economy and Efficiency as herein recom- 
mended is therefore most apparent, resulting as it will in better, more 
efficient, and economical lighting systems in the Federal buildings 
and through this in better, more efficient, and economical work on the 
part of the Government employees, the value of which in dollars and 
cents can only be surmised, but that it would be very great is certain. 



806 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

While the commission feels that this work is of great importance 
and that further careful investigations should be made of the lighting 
conditions in the Federal buildings in the other Government depart- 
ments as well as the Treasury Department, it does not feel warranted 
in so doing to a great extent at the present time, due to the lack of 
sufficient funds for this purpose. It is strongly of the opinion, how- 
ever, that this work should be carried on and that the expenditure 
of a few thousand dollars would result in large savings being made, 
which would pay for such expenditure many times over and which 
would result in a large gain in efficiency and economy in the lighting 
of these buildings. 

Frederick A. Cleveland, 
Walter W. Warwick, 
Merritt O. Chance, 

Commissioners. 
November 25, 1912. 



REPORT ON THE ELECTRIC LIGHT AND POWER INSTALLATIONS IN THE 
FEDERAL BUILDING, CHICAGO, ILL. 



The President's Commission on Economy and Efficiency, 

Washington, D. C. 

Gentlemen : We have tlie liouor to submit the following report on electric 
light and power installations in the Chicago (111.) post office and courthouse. 

This report gives the results of a detailed investigation of the electric light 
and power installations in this building. The purpose of this investigation was 
to determine the present condition of tliese installations and whether any 
changes could be made in these installations that would result in an increase 
in the economy and efiiciency of these installations. 

As a result of these investigations we recommend as follows : 

First. That detailed plans be made and specifications be drawn showing and 
covering the changes which should be made to bring the electric light and 
power systems in this building up-to-date and to the present recognized stand- 
ard of efiiciency and economy. 

Second. That such changes and modifications in the present electric light 
and power systems in this building as are found by the Commission on Economy 
and Efiiciency to be necessary to obtain the required efiiciency and economy be 
made. 

Third. That a detailed plan of the workroom in this building, its furniture, 
letter-distributing racks, bag and paper racks, distributing, sorting and can- 
celing machines, lights, etc., be made by an actual survey at the building, and 
that a working scheme and plan be worked out for this workroom after care- 
ful discussion with the postmaster and other officials interested, looking to such 
changes and rearrangements of this workroom as will eliminate waste motion 
and time and progress the work in the most direct manner, resulting in an in- 
crease in economy and efficiency. 

Fourth. That such changes, modifications, and working plans shall be made 
under the supervision of and as directed by the Supervising Architect. 

Fifth. That a consulting engineer to the Supervising Architect shall be 
appointed at a compensation sufficient to obtain the services of a high-grade 
engineer, who shall have chai'ge of the making of such investigations, plans, 
specifications, changes, revisions, or modifications of existing electrical lighting 
system, subject to the supervision and direction of the Supervising Architect. 

Sixth. That the commission take up the subject of the character of the paper 
used for requisitions, statements, reports, etc., with a view to the substitution 
for the present smooth-finish paper of a dull nonrefiecting-finish paper, thus 
removing the difficulties arising from the use of a smooth refiective surface 
and increasing the efficiency of the emj)loyees and the economy of operation. 

807 



808 REPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF BUILDING. 

Tlie Cliicago Federal Building is located on and occupies the full block 
bounded by Clark, Dearborn, Adams, and Jackson Streets, Cliicago, 111. 

It is an imposing granite structure, 320 by 390 feet square, designed by 
Henry Ives Cobb, architect, and constructed in such a manner as to obtain a 
maximum of available room space, natural illumination, and ventilation, with 
a minimum of floor-space loss. 

The principal officials and assistants are Hon. S. A. Campbell, postmaster ; 
Hon. J. C. Ames, custodian ; Mr. Carl M. Peterson, chief engineer ; Mr. W. A. 
Richardson, chief electrician. 

The basement, first, and second floors cover the entire block; the third to 
the eighth floors, inclusive, are built in the form of a cross, each arm central 
with the axes of the block, leaving rectangular spaces at each corner for the 
skylights in the roof of the second floor. 

Each arm of the cross has a central corridor, and all of the rooms are ar- 
ranged on the sides and ends of these corridors, so that all rooms are exposed 
to daylight on at least one side. 

The main entrances, three in number, are on the first floor, one for Clark, 
Adams, and Dearborn Streets, respectively, and conform in location to the 
corridors throughout the building. 

The central portion of the building where the axes of the cross intersect 
is formed into a large rotunda which extends up through the building to the 
eighth floor and is continued from there up to the fifteenth floor, terminating 
in a dome. 

At each floor a circular corridor runs entirely around the rotunda connecting 
with each of the corridors in the cross arms of the building. 

There are two main stairways and two sets of elevators, three in each set, 
arranged alternately at points midway between the corridor entrances. 

The basement is used largely for mail-delivery purposes and also for the 
various machines and. apparatus used to operate the light, power, heating, ven- 
tilation installations, and such repair and upkeep operations as are required 
for such a building. 

The city-mail distribution, general-letter distribution, registry, inquiry, cus- 
toms mail, and subtreasury are on the flrst floor, and the general workrooms 
for sorting mail are on the second floor. 

The rest of the building is occupied by the many and varied Federal depart- 
ments and court rooms, the weather bureau being located on the fourteenth 
floor. 

The whole ;irrangenient of the building is very compact and economical of 
waste space, the finish and decoration of the rotunda and corridors are rich 
and harmonious, all of the rooms above the second floor have good daylight 
illumination, and the building seems in every way suited to the purpose for 
which it is used. 

Generally the finish and furnishings of the various rooms are artistic and 
satisfactory, with the exception of the colors of the various walls and ceil- 
ings, particularly in the oflices, which are generally painted with a sage-green 
color on the side walls and a dirty or brownish yellow on the ceilings, all of 
which are too dark and absorptive of light and necessitate the use of consider- 
able more artificial illumination than would be required if they were of lighter 
colors and ones less absorptive of light. 



ELECTRIC LIGHTING OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 809 

The work and other rooms on the first and second floors and the basement 
are also very dark in color and require a much larger amount of lighting than 
would be necessary were they lighter in color. 

GENERAL DESCEIPTION OF LIGHTING SYSTEM. 

The lighting system in this building as originally laid out was quite elaborate, 
with heavy fixtures, mostly three, four, and six light chandeliers, there being ap- 
proximately 1,500 chandeliers and brackets, 1,109 portables, and 9,400 lamps, all 
sizes, not counting various other lighting apparatus in the building, with the 
result that the occupants of the building have become habituated to the use 
at all times of much more general artificial illumination than is necessary. 

In addition, dueeto the large number of desks, tables, and other like furni- 
ture of a movable type in the various offices, a very large number of portable 
desk and table lights have come into use and to whose use the occupants- have 
become accustomed and are now considered by them as absolutely necessary 
to the proper carrying on of their work. 

Originally the building was equipped with carbon-type incandescent lamps, 
mostly of 25 and 50 watts capacity, and also a large number of Cooper-Hewitt 
mercury vapor lamps in the workrooms and basement. 

These have been mostly replaced by the more modern tungsten and tantalum 
lamps, in nearly all cases without bowl frosting, and in order to reduce the 
current consumption this replacement has been made by placing generally two 
40-watt tungsten lamps on the three and four light chandeliers and three or 
four 40-watt tungstens on the six-light chandelier, with the result that while 
the current consumption has been lowered the lighting has been made irregular 
in distribution and lowered in efficiency, and the general appearance of the 
system is mutilated and UQsatisfactory. Nearly all of the fixture lights 
have been provided with old-style holophane reflectors, concentrating type, 
and, although efficient, they are not of the proper type for general illumina- 
tion and do not screen the filament. 

The portable desk and table lights are of two types, the Dale upright and the 
Universal adjustable, and are generally equipped with green glass shades on 
the Dale type and metal reflectors on the Universal adjustable type, and mainly 
with 25-watt carbon or tantalum lamps, although in a number of instances 
25 and 40 watt tungsten lamps are in use. 

As at present equipped the Dale type gives too much light for proper illumi- 
nation and this in one spot and not spread out or diffused over the desk or 
table top, and the Universal type is of very little value, its reflected light being 
almost concentrated at one spot. 

The wiring system throughout the building is on the standard three to two 
system, the voltage is 115 to 115 volts and the current is supplied by the local 
Commonwealth Edison Co., on terms which we have herein stated in connec- 
tion with the amount of current used in this building, there being no isolated 
plant established in the building, although space has been left in the basement 
for such a plant and a switchboard has been installed for use with the same. 

There are some 415 electric motors of various sizes in use in this building, 
a list of which is hereto annexed. (See Table No. 2.) 

All of the lights operate at nominally 115 volts pressure and the motors at 
nominally 230 volts pressure. 

The wiring system, switchboards, and cut-out panel boards are all in good 
condition and ample for the service required. The cut-out panel boards and the 



810 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

switchboards are not as clean as tliey should be, there being a considerable 
accumulation of dust in them. 

The electric motors are of standard makes and are in good working condition. 

The portable desk and table lamps and electric fans are supplied by current 
through flexible twin wire conductors, about 40 per cent being connected by 
plug attachments to the various chandeliers in the rooms, with the result that 
many of the rooms are disfigured by these " clothes lines " running in various 
directions, to say nothing of the unsafe character of such an arrangement. 

The floor outlets originally provided are of very little use in this connec- 
tion, as they are rarely at the point where the desk is located. Base-plug 
outlets would be much more satisfactory, and should be installed wherever fan, 
desk, or table connections are required, thus removing all of the " clothes 
lines," so called, and leaving the rooms clear of all such obsU'uctions.. 

Mr. W. A. Richardson, the very eflScient chief electrician of this building, has 
devised a way of overcoming this difficulty, which consists of cutting a small 
groove or trough in the floor by means of an electrically operated cutter which 
he has constructed, said groove running from a base or floor outlet to the point 
where a lighting connection is desired, then placing therein a lead-covered 
twin-wire conductor, and afterwards closing the groove by means of a closely 
fitting strip of wood driven tightly home and smoothly planed off on its upper 
surface. By this means an outlet can be provided at almost any required 
point and in a completely concealed and inconspicuous manner. 

There are six Edison Co. service and two maximum demand meters from 
which the readings for current used are taken, the light and power current 
being paid for at the same rate per kilowatt-hour and being taken from the 
common Edison service and not from separate services and at different rates, 
as is frequently the case. 

COST OF CURRENT. 

The annexed table, No. 3, gives the current consumed and the cost of the 
same from the time when this building was put in operation to the 1st of Feb- 
ruary, 1912, as well as the contracts with the Commonwealth Co. for the same, 
from which it will be seen that there has been a yearly reduction in the cost of 
current from fiscal year 1906 to the fiscal year 1912, the fiscal year 1906 being 
the first year of occupancy. These reductions are in part due to the betterment 
of rates with the Commonwealth Co., and also recently to the introduction of 
the tungsten and that tantalum lamps in place of the carbon lamps. 

It is always an open question, only to be determined by a cai-eful considera- 
tion of all of the conditions of each case, whether an isolated electric plant 
should be installed in a building or whether the local Edison Co. service 
should be used and the plant omitted. 

In this particular case the Commonwealth Edison Co. have made their costs 
for current so favorable that it would hardly seem possible, taking all thiags 
into consideration, that an isolated plant could oe installed which would gener- 
ate the electric current at any better rate. 

DIVISION OF LIGHTING. 

As at present constituted the electric lightiog of the Chicago Federal building 
divides itself into two parts: First, public lighting; second, private lighting, 
and the private lighting again divides itself into two parts: (a), general illu- 
mination, (6), special illumination. 



ELECTRIC LIGHTING OP FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 811 

Under tlie heading of public lighting is included the lighting of the rotunda, 
corridors, court rooms, driveway in basement, outside lighting, and, in fact, all 
places to which the public has access. 

Under the heading of private lighting is included all of the offices and work- 
rooms and all other of the business departments of the Federal building to 
which the public do not have access. 

In private lighting, under the head of general illumination, is included all 
of the lighting in the various rooms which is general in character, and under 
the heading of special illumination is included all desk, table, filing case, book- 
case, typewriter, and all other special and local lighting. 

The annexed table, No. 1, gives in a condensed form the number and char- 
acter of all of the fixtures and lamps in the building, and their total wattage, 
together with suggested changes and the approximate wattage saving which 
will result from such changes. 

EFFICIENCY AND ECONOMY OF LIGHTING SYSTEMS. 

The efficiency and economy of operation of a lighting-installation system 
depends on quite a number of elements other than just the relative amount of 
current consumed for a given amount of light emitted by different types of 
illuminants. First and foremost is the proper amount and kind of light required 
for the work to be done, and the whole problem of efficiency centers aromid 
this fact. 

Any installation which does not provide the right kind of light in the right 
place is of no value, whether it fills all other requirements of economy and 
efficiency or not. After this has been determined and the other elements of 
the problem, such as the cost of installation, the cost of operation and upkeep 
come into consideration, and if the results obtained by the proper placement 
of the required amount and kind of light are satisfactory and fill all the 
requirements of illumination, any extra cost of installation and maintenance 
above what might obtain with a less efficient placement of the lights is more 
than justified. 

Efficiency and economy go hand in hand and the one should not be varied 
or changed at the expense of the other, and all conditions bearing on the case 
in hand should carefully be considered before any radical changes are made. 

In the present case, first, we unfortunately have to deal with an old installa- 
tion, one which was laid out for a type of lamp, the carbon, and not readily 
adapted to the modern tungstens or tantalums; one which has been in use for 
a considerable period of time, and one which, therefore, can only be made to 
approximate to ide;il conditions. 

Next, it is a difficult matter to arrange general artificial illumination to be 
used during the day where the rooms are more or less lighted by daylight. 
The two conditions do not agree one with the other, and artificial lighting 
should be used as little as possible under such conditions, and only when 
absolutely needed. 

Again, the artificial lighting in the offices in this building is very little used 
after 5 o'clock p. m., and when such lighting is required the local portable 
lights give nearly, if not quite all, of the illumination required. 

In the following statements we have endeavored to embody these various 
elements and conditions, and from their consideration we have arrived at the 
conclusions which we have herein stated. 



812 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

PUBLIC LIGHTING. 

This we have carefully considered and we are of tlie opinion that the archi- 
tectural beauty and the appearance of the rotunda, corridors, and entrance ways 
to the building should be maintained at their best, and that the lighting of 
these portions of the building should be kept at the highest point of efficiency 
both as regards the lighting required for public use and also as regards the 
lighting which brings out and maintains the many beautiful features of the 
building, and we have stated in the annexed tables such changes and rearrange- 
ments of the lighting in these places as we have deemed requisite and necessary 
for this purpose, at the same time maintaining at as high a point of economy 
as is possible the cost of operation of the same. 

"We find that the middle landing on each stairway between floors is not suffi- 
ciently lighted to prevent persons stumbling and being in danger of falling 
at these points and suggest the installation of an appropriate wall bracket at 
these points. 

In the main entrance halls we find that there are a number of lamps in use 
on the under sides of the various arches. 

We suggest their removal and the substitution at the central points of the 
ceilings, in the spaces between these arches, of hemispherical art glass bowl 
fixtures, arranged for semiindirect lighting. By so doing a considerable saving 
in current consumption will be accomplished and the artistic appearance of the 
lighting at these points greatly enhanced. 

We also suggest that a large cigar sign now in use at one of the small 
booths on the ground floor of the rotunda be eliminated. It is unsightly, 
unnecessary, and uneconomical. 

On the outside of the building the lighting at night does not seem sufficient, 
especially at the main entrances, and we suggest that a bracket of proper design 
be installed just over each central entrance door of the main entrances, these 
brackets to be provided with art glass globes to match the other globes at 
these points and to be each provided with one 500-watt tungsten lamp. 

Originally it was intended, as shown on the plans, to place four standard 
fixtures at each corner of the building, two on each street, but only two have 
been installed. The corners of the building are insufficiently lighted at night, 
and we suggest that the other two standards as originally intended should 
now be installed at these points, the same to correspond in every way with 
those now in position. 

There are a number of minor changes suggested in these public places, which 
show in the tables, all of them conducive to economy and efficiency. 

The public writing desk in the main hall near the Clark Street entrance is 
poorly lighted at present, pendent 25-watt lamps with green glass shades being 
hung by flexible cords from a supporting conduit frame and at such a height 
as to be frequently hit by the persons using the desk. 

This lighting is not in keeping with the rest of the main-hall lighting, and 
we suggest that two properly arranged two-light brackets of such ornamental 
character as to be in accord with the surrounding fixtures be properly installed 
in their place, each bracket provided with two 100-watt tungsten lamps. 

We are also of the opinion that all of the lighting in the public places and 
rotunda should be kept in uniform operation and no one part left out of opera- 
tion at the expense of another, but that symmetrical operation of the lights 
should be continuous at all times during working hours, so that the dignified 
and artistic appearance of the public portions of the building, especially the 



ELECTRIC LIGHTING OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 813 

rotunda, will be maintained, all of which can be done, as suggested by us^ 
without any material increase in cost and, in fact, at a slight reduction. 

PRIVATE LIGHTING. 

We have already alluded to the fact that the offices and other rooms require 
more lighting than would normally be required, due to the colors with which 
the rooms are painted. They are dark in tint and very absorptive of light, 
and the general illumination would be greatly bettered without any increase in 
current consumption were they painted with a white ceiling and light-tinte<3 
colors on the walls. 

In all of the offices, workrooms, and other rooms occupied by the various 
Government departments, after a careful consideration, we are of the opinion 
that the present division of lighting into general and special illumination should! 
be maintained but that the character and placement of the general illumina- 
tion should be changed so as to increase the economy and efficiency of operation. 
To accomplish this we are of the opinion that in nearly all cases, except in 
certain offices occupied by the Federal building officials and also the various 
court rooms, which should be maintained exactly the same as at present, the 
three, four, and six light chandeliers should be eliminated and single or Unit 
light pendants substituted therefor, each equipped with an approved size tung- 
sten lamp (as indicated in Table No. 1) with an approved type of reflector and 
each provided with a " chain pull " socket so that each light can be turned off 
or on independently and not in groups as at present. We have indicated in the 
annexed table, No. 1, the changes which we have suggested in each room 
throughout the building. 

In this way, by suspending the lights at a proper height, the general illumi- 
nation of the rooms can be greatly improved and made symmetrical and at the 
same time the amount of current required greatly reduced and this without the 
occupants, who have been used to an overabundance of light, feeling that the 
lighting has been curtailed in any way. 

COST OF SUGGESTED CHANGES. 

The gain in economy and efficiency accomplished by such an arrangement will 
be obtained in several ways. 

In the first place the cost of changing the fixtures from the present type of 
cluster chandeliers to a single-light pendent can be made without any increase 
in cost for fixtures. The cluster balls, arms, sockets, and glassware of the 
present fixtures are worth, more in exchange with the manufacturers than the 
complete new pendent fixture required as a substitute, and there should be 
little difficulty in getting the manufacturers to make such an exchange without 
cost, especially as the present stem of each chandelier can be used to form the 
stem of the new pendent. 

In the second place the cost of the lamps and shades for the present chande- 
liers, should they be retained, will be at least twice that of the single-unit lamp 
and shade, the cost of the lamp renewals per year will be at least twice as 
great for the chandeliers as a single unit, and the cost of keeping the lamps 
and reflectors clean and in good order will be nearly twice as great for the 
chandeliers. In addition there is a gain in lamp efficiency by the use of large- 
units, they taking less watts per candlepower than the small units. 



814 REPOKTS OP COMMISSION OF ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Relative cost of clusters v. Unit — 100-ivatt equipment. 
Cluster : 

Four-ligbt cliaudelier, four 25-watt tungstens at 35 cents $1. 40 

Four I 25-lioloi)iiaue reflectors at 47 cents . 1. 88 

3.28 

Upkeep: Two lamp renewals, first year, eiglit at 35 cents 2.80 

Cost of equipment first year 6.08 

Unit : 

Unit pendent, one 100-watt tungsten . 55 

One I lOO-holophane reflector .70 

1,25 

Uplveep: Two lamp renewals, first year, two at 55 cents 1.10 

Cost of equipment first year 2.85 

In the third place, the efliciency of lighting will be increased and with it 
the efficiency of the people working with such lighting, so that they will be 
enabled to do more and better work in a given time than under the old system, 
and a saving in cost of production by the operators will be thus effected. 

DESK ILLUMINATION. 

With regard to the special illumination of the desks, tables, and other simi- 
lar furniture requiring individual lights, we have made careful investigation, 
and we are of the opinion that in nearly all of the cases the present Dale type 
or portable should be retained, and that, so far as possible, it should be substi- 
tuted for the other Universal type of fixture and that each should be equipped 
with an approved metal reflector and with a 25-watt tantalum lamp. We 
made some photometric measurements of the lighting effect at the desk level 
under some of these portable lights as at present equipped and found that in 
some instances there were as high as 16 or 18, and even 20, candlefeet of illu- 
mination directly under the lamp at the desk level, when 6 or 5 candlefeet 
on the working area would be ample. 

There is such a thing as having too much light, and when such is the case 
all of the excess of light over the amount really required physiologically is 
wasted and hurtful to the eyesight of the user and a detriment in every way. 

We equipped a Dale portable with a metal shade of a new and approved 
shape and with a 25-watt tantalum lamp, and found that it gave by photometric 
measurements about 5 candlefeet at the table level. This we substituted for 
the portable already mentioned as giving the intense lighting, and it was found 
to be satisfactory in every way to the user. 

It gave an even, diffused light over a large area of the desk or table and was 
of sufficient intensitj' to enable the user to see easily and comfortably all over 
his working area, 

WOEKROOMS. 

The general illumination of these rooms and also the basement will be satis- 
factory with the changes made as suggested in the schedule, except, as already 
stated, that these rooms are painted in dark colors, which are very light absorp- 



ELECTRIC LIGHTING OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 815 

tive, and the general illumination, with no increase in current consumed, would 
be largely augmented by painting them in white or much lighter colors and then 
washing them from time to time and keeping them clean. 

COOPER-HEWITT (MERCURY VAPOR) LAMPS. 

In a number of these rooms, especially the workrooms, there have been in- 
stalled quite a number of Cooper-Hewitt mercury vapor lamps; most have been 
removed and tungstens substituted, but there are about 65 of these lamps still 
remaining in service. >• , 

We find that it is the concensus of opinion almost everywhere that these lights 
ai'e unsatisfactory from many points of view, and that they are being removed 
and tungsten units are being substituted therefor, a better distribution of light 
being thus obtained, and more or less lamps can be turned on and off at will, 
a result which can not be obtained by the Cooper-Hewitt lamps, unless a very 
large number are used, especially when there are a large number of letter cases 
and bags to be illuminated, in which case the wattage consumption by the 
Cooper-Hewitt lamps is prohibitive; we therefore recommend, as regards the 
Chicago building, that the remaining Cooper-Hewitt lamps be removed. 

SERIES LIGHTING. 

As regards the special illumination in the workrooms there is a great deal, in 
our opinion, that can be done, looking to greater efliciency of operation and 
economy of current consumption. This applies especially to the cases and bags 
where letters, papers, and parcels are sorted and distributed. 

We annex hereto drawings Nos. 2 and 3 showing the general arrangement of 
these cases and bags. 

It is absolutely necessary that the lighting at these points shall be of high 
candlepower and of a character which enables colors to be readily distinguished 
so that the work of distribution can be readily and quickly accomplished. 

Mr. Richardson, chief electrician of the Chicago Federal Building, has devised 
a system of tungsten lighting for these cases and bags which, in our opinion, 
leaves little to be desired as regards efficiency of illumination and economy of 
operation. 

Heretofore each double-letter case has been equipped with four 25-watt carbon 
lamps, mounted on adjustable arms and provided with metal, spoon-shaped re- 
flectors; this consumed 100 watts of current and by photometric measurement 
was found to give about 2 candlefeet at the sorting level. 

Mr. Richardson has substituted for these four lamps a series of ten 5-watt, 
4-candlepower, lli-volt tungsten lamps, each provided with a D'Olier holo- 
phane bowl-shaped metal shade of special form, the series consuming a total of 
50 watts and giving by photometric measurement 6 candlefeet at the sorting 
level, thus increasing threefold the illumination and cutting down the current 
consumption ' one-half. 

The same general arrangement has also been tried on the bag-sorting frames 
with equally satisfactory results, and this series system of lighting has been 
found to be very satisfactory in several other locations, notably in a number 
of locker rooms and conveyer shafts, and can be made available for letter file 
and case lighting with equally satisfactory results. 

We suggest, therefore, that all of the letter-sorting cases and bag frames 
in the workrooms be equipped with this series tungsten system of lighting. 



816 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

it being, in our opinion, tlie most economical and efficient manner in wliich 
this lighting can be clone. 

ELECTRIC ENGINEERfNG FORCE. 

Mr. Richardson states that he has an inadequate force of help to enable him 
to properly take care of and carry on the necessary work in this building. 

Mr. Richardson's force of help at the present time consists of: Mr. Richard- 
son, at $1,600 per year ; one lamper, at $840 per year ; two assistant electricians, 
at $1,200 each, $2,400^ per year; one wireman, at $900 per year. 

This would appear to be too small a force to properly take care of so large 
a building with so many lamps and other apparatus to handle, and should, 
in our opinion, be sufficiently increased to enable Mr. Richardson to do the 
work required of him in an efficient manner. As- it is it is all he can do to 
take care of the actual necessaries, leaving other important matters, such as 
the cleaning of the reflectors, lamps, and panel boards, to be taken care of as 
the opportunity presents. 

He needs one laborer to clean glassware, etc., at $720 per year, and two wire- 
men, at $900 each, $1,800 per year; with which additional help he states he 
can keep all glassware and cut-out panels clean, keep up- all motors, dumb- 
waiters, conveyors, and other apparatus in shape, and make all alterations 
and repairs in addition to the other regular work required. 

RECOMMENDATIONS. 

Lighting of entrance loays, corridors, rotunda, stairs, etc. — As previously 
stated, the lighting of these portions of the building is primarily to furnish 
adequate illumination for public needs, and secondary, to bring out the archi- 
tectural features of these portions of the building, and we recommend that 
the lighting of these parts shall be kept up to the high standard now in opera- 
tion, and in some instances we have recommended certain changes and increase 
in this respect, all of which we have set forth in detail in this report and in 
Table No. 1, which see. 

Exterior lighting. — We recommend that a suitable bracket be provided with 
an approved shade and a 500-watt tungsten lamp, and installed on the outside 
and over the middle door of each main entrance, and that the two standards 
omitted at each outside corner of the building be installed. These to be 
similar in all respects to those already in place. 

Ceiling fixtures. — For general illumination in- the offices and workrooms, 
replace the present chandeliers with Unit fixtures as already described and in 
accordance with the detailed schedule hereto annexed. Table No. 1. This 
applies to nearly all rooms except where artistic considerations are paramount, 
such as court rooms, .judges' chambers, and rooms having fixtures with pendent 
spheres. In these cases the existing arrangements for lighting should be 
retained. 

Shades and lamps for ceiling fixtures. — All fixtures should be equipped with 
holophane intensive satin-finish reflectors, or with other makes of reflectors 
which give a similar light distribution. 

The lower edge of shades in all cases, unless otherwise noted, should be 
8 feet 6 inches above the floor. 

All lamp sockets on Unit fixtures should be provided with a chain pull. 

Lamps should be tungsten, bowl frosted, of a voltage to bui-n between medium 
and maximum efficiency. 



ELECTRIC LIGHTING OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 817 

Desk porta'bles. — For special ilkiruiiiation in the office and workrooms, all 
portables should be of the Dale type, or other equal, with arm bent so that 
the shade recommendetl shall be not less than 16 inches above the working 
level. This requires the bending of the arm of 597 Dale portables now in use, 
and the purchase of 512 additional Dale portables to take the place of the 
existing Universal type of portable, for which they should be substituted as far 
as possible. 

Shades and lamps for desk portafiles. — Tantalum lamps, 25-watt, clear, should 
be used in all portables. All the glass and metal shades now in use on portables 
should be removed and the new type of holophane metal shade No. 460, or equal, 
substituted therefor. Shades should be aluminum finish inside, with exterior 
finished as may be desii-ed. These shades should be beaded on their lower 
edge to insure rigidity against deformation. 

Rigid taMe standards and pendents over tables. — In general the present glass 
shades in use on these fixtures should be replaced with the shade recommended 
for desk portables, using either the 25-watt tantalum, or 25-watt tungsten 
lamps, depending on the height of suspension. If point of suspension is high, 
or if better artistic effect is desired, the wide mouth green enameled glass 
shades now in use may be retained with a 25-watt tungsten. 

Color of tvalls and ceilings. — The present color finish of the walls and ceil- 
ings is too dark to properly diffuse the general illumination. Refinishing with 
white or cream-colored ceilings and light neutral-tinted walls is recommended. 
Such refinishing materials should be used as will give a nonglaring matt surface 
and permit of the walls and ceilings being readily cleaned. 

Gleaning of reflectors, lamps, toalls, and ceilings. — ^All glass reflectors and 
shades, all lamps, all walls, and ceilings should be cleaned at regular and fre- 
quent intervals, so as to permit the full value of the illumination to be obtained. 

Overhead-cord connection to fans and portables. — All cord connections to fix- 
tures for fans and desk, lights should be removed and floor, base, or wall out- 
lets provided for the same. The unsightly appearance of a cobweb of hanging 
wires is apparent, and the danger from fire from short circuits is a menace. 

Series lighting for letler cases, hag racks, etc. — The installation of the series 
tungsten-lighting system begun by the chief electrician on sorting cases, sort- 
ing tables, bag racks, etc., in the Post Office Department should be continued and 
all sorting cases, tables, bag racks, etc., should be so equipped. When com- 
pleted this will greatly reduce the lamp wattage, while increasing the illumi- 
nation on the working plan from 1* to 2 feet candles to 5 or 6 feet candles, or 
about 300 per cent. 

Mercury-vapor lamps. — All the remaining mercury-vapor lamps should be 
removed and Unit lights, either pendents or fixtures, should be substituted 
therefor. 

Paper used for vequisiMons, statements, reports, etc. — The finish of a large 
portion of the paper used for these various purpose should receive consider- 
ation. The paper in use has a smooth reflective surface, reflecting the light 
glaringly to the eyes, especially so when wintten upon with the indelible lead 
pencils commonly used. 

In some oases it is almost impossible to distinguish the writing without shift- 
ing the paper about. Several of the operatives complained of their eyes aching 
constantly, and the continuation of such conditions can not but result in 
serious injury to eyesight and consequent impairment of the efficiency of the 
operator. 

It is recommended that paper with a dull-finish nonreflective surface be 
substituted. ' 

72734— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3- 52 



818 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

GeneraU'i/. — All lamps should be renewed as soon as they reach the " smash- 
ing point," thus obtaining fujl light return for the current consumed; all 
reflectors and lamps should be kept clean; the panel cabinets should be cleaned; 
care should be exercised to see that the lamps are turned off when not required 
for use, and that only as many lights are used during the daytime as are 
absolutely necessary. 

A notice should be sent by the custodian of the building to each oflace to 
the effect that " care should be exercised to see that lamps are turned off when 
not required for use, and that only as many lamps are used during the day 
as are absolutely necessary," and this should be insisted upon, and supervision 
used to see that it is carried out. 

Electrical engineering force. — This force should be sufficiently increased to 
enable the chief engineer to do all of the work required to keep this installation 
in good running order. 

CONCLUSION. 

It will be seen by the annexed table, No. 1, that the full lamp wattage of this 
building at the present time is about 346,500 watts, and that by making the 
changes suggested by us this will be reduced to about 304,000 watts, a decrease 
of 12.2 per cent in the wattage required for lighting. 

It is not likely or probable that all of the lamps in this building will ever be 
in operation at any one time, so that it is quite difficult, if not impossible, to say 
what the exact total wattage at any given time is, but the above per cent ratio 
will practically hold good in either event. 

In addition, a still further reduction in lighting wattage can be made by a 
careful supervision of the use of the lights, seeing that they are turned off when 
not required and only used in such numbers and positions as is necessary, so 
that we feel safe in saying that, in our opinion, a saving of at least 15 per cent 
of the lighting wattage, and consequently the cost of lighting current, in this 
building can be made, or about $2,800 per year, if the recommended suggestions 
are carried out, and at the same time the efficiency of lighting and operation 
very greatly increased, and this at a minimum of expense in making the required 
changes. 

Respectfully submitted. 

E. R. Knowles, Chief Engineer. 
A. L. Parsons. 

March 16, 1912. 



RECOMMENDATIONS IN DETAIL. 

It will doubtless be found that in some cases the present fixtures have not 
been listed correctly and that the recommendations may need some modifica- 
tions to suit siDecial conditions. It can be readily understood that the large 
expense involved has prevented preparing of exact plans showing the existing 
arrangement of rooms and outlets and the checking of each individual room 
after the report had been completed. 

In some cases small rooms containing one light have been listed as one 40-watt 
tungsten. In certain instances they may be 25 watts. If the smaller lamps are 
satisfactory they should be retained. 

The list of desk portables and other recommendations relating thereto have 
not been given under the various floors but under a separate heading. This 
also applies to " series lighting " for cases, bag racks, and sorting tables on the 
first and second floors. 



ELECTEIC LIGHTING OF FEDEEAL BUILDINGS. 
Table No. 1. 



819 



Wattage of laiJips. 



Present. 



Recom-, 
mended. 



StJMMARY OF 'WATTAGE. 1 



Exterior lights 

Entrances 

Rotunda 

Corridors 

Basement 

First floor 

Second floor 

Third floor 

Fourth floor 

Fifth floor 

Sixth floor 

Seventh floor 

Eighth floor 

Ninth, tenth, and eleventh floors. 

Thirteenth floor 

Fourteenth floor 

Series lighting 

Cases, racks, etc 

Desk portables 



8,000 
14,045 
26,345 
22,040 
25,025 
34,545 
21,130 
18,950 
20,900 
13,540 
34,775 
15,330 
12,500 
3,935 
3,395 
3,210 
.41,105 



27,725 



Total. 



346,495 
304,090 



Net reduction (12.2 per cent) . 



42,405 



EXTERIOR LIGHTS. 

Entrances (4): 

2 art standards with translucent ball, with 1 SOO-watt tungsten at each entrance. . 

Add 1 hanging art ball bracket over each entrance, with 1 500- watt tungsten each. 
Comers (4): 

2 art standards with translucent ball, and 1 SOO-watt tungsten at each corner 

Add 2 art standards at each corner like those now in place with 1 500- watt tungsten 
in each. (These standards were originally provided for but never installed.) . . 



4,000 



ENTRANCES. 



1,050 

1,600 
200 
420 
380 



14,000 
13,280 
25,990 
16,400 
22,500 
29, 405 
19, 130 
12, 010 « 
17,190 
12,060 
34,800 
15,620 
10,585 
3,935 
2,900 
2,810 
23,750 



27,725 



304,090 



4,000 
2,000 

4,000 

4,000 



Adams Street {north wing). 
First vestibule: 

4 1-light brackets, large ball, with 2 60-watt tungstens 480 

Change to 1 150-watt tungsten, each fixture 600 

Second vestibule: 

4 arches equipped with a total of 23 40-watt and 25 25-watt tungstens 1, 545 

Replace above arches with 2 semi-iadirect bowls equipped with 6 100-watt 
tungstens each 

6 alcove cornice lights with 7 25-watt tungstens each 

Third vestibule: 

2 alcoves with 32 25-watt tungstens each 

1 alcove with 8 25-watt tungstens each 

7 alcoves with 1 holophane hemisphere, each with 1 60-watt tungsten 

1 alcove with 4 60-watt tungstens, 1 40-watt tungsten, and 1 100-watt tungsten.. 

Change to 3 series of 10 5-watt tvmgstens each 

1 passage with 1 holophane hemisphere with 1 100-watt tungsten 100 

1 The wattage in various parts of the building was increased by a total of 12,825 watts and decreased b/ 
a total of 55,230 watts. 



1,200 
1,050 

1,600 
200 
420 



150 
100 



820 BEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Table No. 1 — Continued. 



Wattage of lamps. 



Present. 



ENTRANCES— continued. 

Clark Street (west wing). 
First vestibule: 

4 l-light brackets, large ball, equipped with 2 60- watt tungstens 

Change to 1 150-watt tungsten each 

Second vestibule: 

3 arches equipped with a total of 9 40-'watt and 25 25-watt tungstens 

Replace with 1 semi-indirect bowl equipped with 6 lOO-watt tungstens 

. 4 alcove cornice lights equipped with 6 25-watt tungstens 

Add over desks on the north side of entrance 2 2-light brackets with 1 100-watt 

tungsten 

Third vestibule: 

Three arches, equipped with a total of 17 40- watt and 26 25-watt tungsten lamps. 
Replace with 2 semi-indirect bowls equipped with 6 100-watt tungstens and 

4 60-watt tungstens 

2 alcove cornice lights equipped with 20 25-watt tungstens each 

1 alcove with 8 25-watt tungstens 

1 passage equipped with 1 holophane hemisphere with 1 100-watt tungsten 



Dearborn Street (east wing). 
First vestibule: 

4 1-light brackets with large ball equipped with 2 60-watt tungstens... 

Change to 1 150-watt tungsten each bracket , 

Second vestibule: 

2 arches with total of 27 25-watt tungstens , 

Replace with 1 semi-indirect bowl with 6 lOO-watt tungstens , 

2 alcove cornice lights with 12 25-watt tungstens each 

Third vestibule: 

1 arch with 9 40- watt tungstens 

Replace with 2 semi-indirect bowls with 4 €0-watt tungstens each . 

2 alcove cornices with 16 25-watt tungstens each 

1 cornice with 8 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 8 25-watt tungstens 

4 alcoves with 1 holophane hemisphere with 1 60-watt tungsten each. . 
1 passage with 1 holophane hemisphere with 1 lOO-watt tungsten 



ROTUNDA. 

First floor: 

8 pendant art-globe brackets with 12 40-watt tungstens, each 

Souvenir stand with 20 25-watt carbons 

Cigar stand with 2 40-watt tungstens, 7 25-watt carbon sign lamps 

Remove sign lamps 

Elevators, 6 25-watt carbons 

2 Newell standard art globes with 6 40-watt tungstens each 

Change to 25-watt tungstens 

16 hanging art-globe brackets on the back of columns with 6 40-watt tungstens 

each 

Third floor, 168 clear 25-watt tantalum lamps in cornice (no change except that the 

lamps shall be bowl frosted) 

Fifth floor, 168 clear 25-watt tantalum lamps in cornice (no change except that the 

lamps shall be bowl frosted) 

Seventh floor, 8 ast-pendant brackets, colored, with 6 25-watt clear tantalum lamps 
and 12 40-watt tungstens each ., 



480 



1,330 



1,000 
200 
100 



480 



675 
600 
360 



320 



240 
100 



3,840 
500 
255 



150 



3,840 
4,200 
4,200 
5,040 



ELECTRIC LIGHTING OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 
Table No. 1 — Continued. 



821 



Wattage of lamps 




2,560 



kotuNd A— continued . 

Eighth floor, 96 40- watt clear tungstens in lunettes (no change except that lamps 

shall be howl frosted) 

First floor. (See under Entrance and Rotunda.) 
Second floor: 

Corridor around rotunda. 16 4-Iight brackets equipped with 1 large upright 
holophane sphere and 3 small pendent stalactites with 4 40-watt tungstens each 

fixture 

Change to 1 25-watt tungsten, large ball, and 1 25-watt tantalum each, small 

balls 

Wings — No lights. 
Third floor: 

Corridor around rotunda — 16 4-light brackets same as second floor , 

Change to 1 25-watt tungsten, large ball, and 1 25-watt tantalum each, small 

balls 

North wing — 
All fixtures, 1 holophane pendent sphere, 1 large at entrance to north wing, with 

2 40-watt timgstens 

Change to 2 25-watt tungstens 

8 small, with 1 40-watt tungsten each 

Change to 1 25-watt tungsten each 

East wing — 

1 large, at entrance to wing, with 2 40-watt tungstens 

. Change to 2 25-watt tungstens 

7 small spheres with 1 40-watt tungsten each 

Change to 1 25-watt tungsten each 

South wing — 

1 large sphere at entrance to wing with 2 40-watt txmgstens 

Change to 2 25-watt timgstens 

5 large balls with 1 40-watt tungsten each 

Change to 2 25-watt tungstens each 



COEEIDOES. 

South v/ing — 

2 small spheres with 1 40-watt tungsten each 

Change to 1 25-watt tungsten each 

West wiag— 
1 large sphere at entrance to wing with 2 40-watt tungstens. 

Change to 2 2o-watt tungstens 

1 smaller sphere with 1 40-watt tungsten 

Change to 1 25-watt tungsten 

Fourth floor: 
Corridor around rotunda — 

16 4-light brackets, the same as second floor 

Change to 

North wing — 

1 large sphere at entrance to wing with 2 40-watt tungstens. 

Change to 2 25-watt tungstens 

2 large balls with 1 40-watt tungsten each 

Ch^Vige to 2 25-watt tungstens 

East wing — 

1 large sphere with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 25-watt tungstens 



320 



280 



200 



2, .560 



SO 



1,600 



50 
200 



SO 
175 



50 

250 



1,600 



50 
100 



50 



822 REPORTS OF COMMISSION" ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Table No. 1— Continued. 



Wattage of lamps. 



Present. 



Recom- 
mended. 



CORRIDORS — continued. 
Fourth floor— Continued. 
South wing — 

1 large sphere at entrance to wing with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 25-watt tungstens 

West wing - 

1 large ball at entrance to wing with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 25-watt tungstens 

4 small spheres with 1 40-watt tungsten 

Change to 1 25-watt tungsten each 

Fifth floor: 
Corridor around rotunda — 

16 wall brackets, the same as second floor 

Change to 

North wing — 

1 large sphere at entrance to wing with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 25-watt tungstens 

Fifth floor: 

10 small spheres with 1 40-watt tungsten each 

Change to 1 25-watt tungsten each 

East wing — 
1 large sphere at entrance to wing with 2 40-watt tungstens 

3 spheres with 1 40-watt tungsten each 

Change to 2 25-watt tungstens 

South wing — 

1 large sphere at entrance to wing with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 25-watt tungstens 

4 large spheres with 1 40-watt tungsten 

Change to 2 25-watt tungstens each 

5 small spheres with 1 40-watt tungsten each 

Change to 1 25-watt tungsten each 

West wing— 

1 large sphere at entrance to wing with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 25-watt tungstens 

2 large spheres with 1 40-watt tungstens each 

Change to 2 25-watt tungstens each 

Sixth floor: 
Corridor around rotunda — 
16 wall brackets, the same as the second floor, except that these fixtures have 1 

40-watt and 3 25-watt tungstens each 

Change to 

North wing — 

6 fixtures in this corridor with 1 large holophane sphere and 4 small stalactites 
each fixture. Fixtures have 1 40-watt tungsten ball (2 in first fixtures),! 25- 
watt carbon each stalactite 

Change to 1 25-watt tungsten each ball (2 in first fixture) and 5 wall-series 

lamps in stalactite 

East wing— 
1 fixture at entrance to wing has no stalactite; other fixtures same as north wing. . 
Change to 2 25-watt tungstens in the first sphere; 1 25-watt tungsten and 4 
series 5-watt lamps in other fixtures 



50 



SO 
160 



50 
100 



2,560 



1,600 



80 



50 



400 



120 



250 
80 
150 



80 
160 
200 



50 
200 
126 



80 



50 

100 



1,840 



740 



360 



1,600 



300 



150 



ELECTRIC LIGHTING OF EEDEEAL BUILDINGS. 823 

Table No. 1 — Continued. 



Wattage of lamps. 



Present. 



Reeom- 
mended. 



CORRIDORS— continued. 
Sixtli floor— Continued. 

South wing — 

Same as north wing 

Change to 

West wing- 
Same as east wing 

Change to 

Seventh floor: 
Corridor around rotunda — 
16 wall brackets with 4 pendent holophane stalactites each with 1 25-watt 

tantalum 

Use 25- .vatt tungsten lamps in place of the tantalum lamps 

North wing— 

1 fixture with 1 holophane hemisphere and 4 pendent stalactites with I 40-watt 
tungsten in hemisphere and no lamps in stalactites 

Change hemisphere and put 25-watt tantalum in each stalactite 

2 hemispheres, no stalactites, with 1 40-watt tungsten each 

3 wall brackets with holophane spheres with 1 40-watt tungsten each 

Change to 25-watt tungstens 

East wing — 

1 fixture at entrance, same as north wing 

Change to 

South wing — 

1 fixture at entrance, same as north Aving 

Change to 

3 hemispheres, no stalactites, with 1 40-watt tungsten each Sfe 

West wing — 

1 fixture at entrance, same as north wing 

Change to 

Kighth floor: 
Corridor around rotunda — 
16 1-Ught vertical brackets with holophane hemispheres with 2 40-watt tung- 
stens each 

North wing — 
' 1 holophane hemisphere at entrance with 2 40-watt tungstens 

3 spheres with 2 4C-watt tungstens each 

Change to 2 25-watt tungstens each 

East wing — 

1 sphere at entrance with 2 40-watt tungstens 

South wing — 

1 sphere at entrance \yith 2. 40-watt tungstens each 

5 smaller spheres with 2 40-watt tungstens each 

Change to 1 40-watt timgsten each 

2 smaller spheres vv ith 1 41-watt tungsten each 

West wing— 

1 holophane sphere at entrance with 2 40-watt tungsten lamps each 

4 spheres with 2 40-watt tungstens each 

Change to 2 25-watt tungstens each 

Add on stairways between each floor, beginning with second and third, 
pendent bracket with holophane ball and 1 40-watt tungsten; total brack- 
ets 12, with 40-watt tungstens 



360 



1,600 



80 
120 



40 



40 
120 
40 



1,280 



80 
240 



80 



400 



320 



300 



150 



1,600 



140 



75 



140 



140 
120 



140 

1,280 
80 
150 
80 
80 



200 
SO 



200 



480 



824 REPORTS OF COMMISSION OX ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Table No. 1 — Continued. 



Wattage of lamps. 



BASEMENT. 

Nearly all Units are single-cord pendents. The number of lamps of the various sizes 
are as follows: 

40-watt tungstens 358 

26-watt tantalums 151 

60-watt tantalums 3 

50-watt carbon 8 

Mercury vapor (estimated) 14 

oO-watt series 25 



In general the arrangement of the lights is satisfactory. Such changes as 
may be required should be made by the chief electrician to suit local conditions. 
Remove mercury vapor lamps and substitute tungsten pendents. Change 
carbon and tantalum lamps to tungsten lamps. 

Furnish holophane satin-flnish intensive or equivalent shades wherever old 
type shades are used. 
Estimated wattage 




25, 025 



FIRST FLOOR. 

Sub treasury: 

1 art ball with 4 40-watt tungsten; 1 art ball with 1 IOC-watt tungsten; 2 brackets 
with 4 stalactites each, 8 2o-watt tungstens; 8 brackets with 8 2E-watt tungstens; 
20 bracket pendents with 20 25-watt tungstens; 23 cord pendents with 23 25-watt 
tungstens; 4 art balls~with a total of 800 watts tungsten 

7 art brackets in lobby with *pendent stalactites and 1 upright ball each 35 40- 
watt tungstens 

Put 1 60-watt in each ball in place of 1 40-stalactite. 

No change 

Registry division: 
Lobby— 

3 fixtures with 5 pendent spheres each \vith 15 40-watt tungstens and 4 brackets 
with 1 pendent sphere each with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Offices — 

4 6-light fixtures with 21 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 4 1-light fixtures with 4 100-watt tungstens 

General workroom — 

8 60-watt tungsten pendent with focusing holophane shades 

Pendents over tables and cases with 55 40-watt tungstens and 100 25-watt carbons . 

Change carbon lamps to tungstens as contemplated by chief electrician 

10 mercurj' vapor, estimated wattage : 

Change to tungsten pendents, estimated wattage 

Cashier (post office): 
Lobby — 

6 6-light fixtures with 36 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 25-watt tungstens, keeping fixture as at present 

6 2-hght desk standards with 12 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 25-watt tungstens 

Offices— 
8 40-watt pendents 



2,535 



1,400 



760 



840 



480 
4,700 



3,700 



1,440 



480 



ELECTEIC LIGHTIiSrCT OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 825 

Table No. 1— Continued. 



"Wattage of lamps. 



Present. 



Recom- 
mended. 



FIRST FLOOR— continued. 
Cashier— C ontinued . 
Vault— 

1 3-liglit with 3 40-watt tungstens; 1 portable with 1 -10-watt tungsten 

General workroom — 

3 6-light fixtures with 18 40-watt tungstens 

Change to about 9 60-watt pendents 

8 60-watt pendents and 4 40-watt pendents 

Inquiry division and customs m.a;l: 
Lobby — 
8 fixtures with 5 pendent spheres each, and 25 40-watt tungstens; 5 brackets with 

1 sphere each and 5 40-watt tungstens : 

Private office: 

1 6-Ught fixture with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-hght fixture with 1 60-watt tungstens 

General workroom; 

6 6-light fixtures with 20 40-watt tungstens; 1 4-nght fixture with 3 40-watt tung- 
stens; 1 3-hght fixture with 3 40-watt tungstens 

Change to unit pendents suitably spaced, estimated wattage 

3 100-watt tungsten pendents 

Add about 200 watts for the area 

15 cord pendents with 15 40-watt tungstens, 5 shelf pendents with 5 40-watt tung- 
stens 

2 mercury vapor lamps over customs mail not used as series lighting gives suf- 
ficient general illum in ation 

Take out 

Open space next to customs mail (no Ughts) 

Add 2 250-watt tungsten units 

Examining tables, custom mail and cases. Inquiry Division. {See under Series 
Lighting.) 
Mail sorting and distributing rooms, Jackson Street side of building: 
Offices — 
1 6-light fixture with 6 40-watt tungstens; 1 4-light fixture with 4 40-watt tung- 
stens : . . 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

Letter distributing room — 

4 4-light fixtures with 16 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 4 1-light fixtures with 4 60-watt tungstens 

14 60-watt pendents with 14 60-watt tungstens 

Lamps about open space; 1 500- watt pendent; 10 60-watt brackets 

Change to 4 250-watt units about 20 feet suspension with clear lamps and 

holophane intensive satin finish or equivalent shade 

12 mercury vapor lamps, estimated wattage 

Take out and substitute tungsten units with an estimated wattage of 

Registry, postage, and directory section — 

14 pendents over desk with 14 25- watt tungstens 

City distributing section — 

3 4-light fixtures with 12 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 3 units with 3 60-watt tungstens 

3 60-watt pendents, 4 40-watt pendents with 3 60-watt tungstens and 4 40-watt 
tungstens 



160 
720 
640 



1,040 
300 



soo 






4,400 



160 



540 
640 



1,200 j 1,200 

I 

80 



60 



800 

500 
SOO 





500 



120 



640 ' 

! 240 

840 840 
1,100 , 

1,000 



: 4,000 

350 I 350 

480 I 

180 

340 340 



826 BEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Table No. 1— Continued. 



Wattage of lamps. 



Present. 



Recom- 
mended. 



FiEST FLOOR— continued. 

Mail sorting and distributing rooms, Jackson Street side of building— Continued. 
City distributing section— Continued. 
Around open space: 6 60-watt brackets and 2 mercury vapor lamps, estimated 



Omit mercury vapor lamps and brackets and substitute 4 250-watt tungsten 
units about 20 feet suspension with holopbane intensive satin flnish shades 

or equivalent 

9 mercury vapor lamps, estimated wattage 

Substitute tungsten units, estimated wattage 



SECOND-FLOOR ROOMS. 

This floor is used for the sortmg of mail, and the different sections have not 
been listed separately. The wattage of the lamps is as follows: 
General working space: 

.353 40-watt tungstens, cord pendents, old-type glass shades, suspended 9 feet 6 
inches above the floor 

14 miscellaneous 40-watt timgsten pendent fijctures 

15 60-watt tungsten pendents with L. holophane shades, satin finish, suspended 
at various heights for trial 

26 cord pendents, with 25-watt carbon lamps 

8 pendents with 25-watt tantalum lamps , 



Total 

The above pendents are fairly well located for general illumination. Such 
changes as are now being made by the chief electrician are in the right direc- 
tion and should be proceeded with as experience may indicate. 

Substitute modem type, holophane satm finish, intensive shades, or equiva- 
lent for type now in use. 
Change lights in macMne shop for tungstens, same wattage, total wattage. . . 
11 mercury- vapor lamps estimated to have a wattage of about 370 watts per lamp. 
Take out all mercury-vapor lamps and change to pendents with 40 or 60 watt 
tungstens; holophane or intensive or equivalent shades. Estimated wattage 

for general illumination to rephuje al)o^■e 

Corridor: 

9 1-light fixtures with 9 40-watt; 4 1-light fixtures with 4 25-watt tungstens 

Offices: 

2 3-light fixtures with 3 40-watt; 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tmigstens 

Change to 4 1-Mght fixtures with 4 60-watt tungstens 



Total wattage for second floor, except as noted below. 



Lighting of cases, bag racks, sorting tables: 

The above figures do not include local lighting for cases, bag racks, and tables. 
See under separate heading for these items for the first and second floors. 

THIRD-FLOOR ROOMS. 

North wing: 
Nos. 308 and 309— 
1 5-light fixture with 5 40-watt tungstens; 1 4-light fixture with 4 40-watt tung- 
stens 

Change to 4 1-light fixtures with 4 6()-watt tungstens 

No. 307— 

6 60-watt tungstens in 1 1-light pendents 

Change to 4 1-light fixtures with 4 60-walt tungstens 



1,100 



3,300 



1,000 
2,500 



14, 120 
560 

900 
050 
200 



16, 430 



,000 



460 
240 



21,130 



360 



2,000 
460 



240 



19, 130 



240 



240 



ELEOTEIC LIGHTING OF FEDBKAL BUILDINGS. 
Table No. 1 — Continued. 



827 



Wattage of lamps. 



Present. 



Recom- 
mended. 



THiED-FLOOR BOOMS— Continued. 
North , wing— Continued. 
No. 307-A- 

1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

No. 30&— 

2 4-light fixtures with 8 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-Iight fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

Nos. 304 and 305— 
4 5-light fixtures with 20 40-watt tungstens; 6 4-light fixtures with 24 40-watt 

tungstens 

Change to 10 1-light fixtures with 10 60-watt tungstens 

No. 310- 
4 4-light fixtures with 16 40-watt tungstens; 1 1-light pendent sphere with 1 

40-watt tungsten 

Change to 5 l-light fixtures with !> 60-wa(t tungstens 

No. 311— 

2 l-light cord pendents with 2 100-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungslens 

No. 312— 

2 l-Ught cord pendents with 2 100-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 GO-'w att tungstens 

No. 303— 

1 5-light fixture with 4 40-watt tungstens: 3 4-light fixtures with 12 40-watt 

tungstens 

Change to 4 1-light fixtures with 4 60-watt tungstens 

No. 313— 

2 4-light fixtures with 8 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

No. 302— 

1 5-light fixture with 5 40-watt tungstens; 2 3-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tung- 
stens; 2 4-light fixtures with 6 40-watt tungstens 

■ Change to 4 1-light fijctures with 4 60-watt tungstens 

Remove the 2 3-light fij!;tures and replace with 1 unit. 
No. 314— 

2 5-hght fixtures with 10 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-hght fixtui'es with 2 100-watt tungstens 

No. 315— 

2 4-light fixtures with 8 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-Ught fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

No. 301— 

3 series of 50 watts each 

No. 30a-A— 

13 pendents with 13 40-watt tungsten lamps 

No change except install shades 

It is possihle that series can be installed for part of the Ughting 

No. 300— 

6 3-light fixtures with 8 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 6 1-light fixtures with 6 40-watt tungstens 

Men's toilet— 

' 3 3-light fixtures with 3 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 40-watt tungstens 

1 Estimated. 



320 



1,760 



200 



200 



640 



320 



600 



320 



150 
720 



320 



120 



828 KEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 
Table No. 1 — Continued. 



Wattage of lamps. 



Present. 



East wing' thikd-flook eooms— continued. 

No. 325— 

3 1-light fixtures with 3 40- watt tungstens 

1 6-light fixture with 5 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-Ught fixture with 1 100- watt tungsten 

1 3-light-flxture with 3 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 l-light fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

No. 326— 

1 4-light fixture with 3 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

No. 327— 

1 5-light fixture with 5 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 100-watt tungsten 

No .328— 

1 5-light fixture with 5 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 100-watt tungsten 

No. 329— 

1 5-light fixture with 5 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 100-watt tungsten 

No. 330- 

2 5-light fixtures with 10 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 100-watt tungstens 

No. 331— 

1 4-light fixture with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

No. 332— 

1 5-light fixture with 5 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 100-watt tungsten 

No. 333— 

1 4-light fixture with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten , 

No. 334— 

2 5-light fixtures with 10 40-watt tungstens , 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 100-watt tungstens , 

No. 335— 

2 4-light fixtures with S 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

4 1-ligljt fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

No. 336— 

1 3-light fixture with 3 40-watt tungstens; 2 4-light fixtures with 8 40-watt tung- 
stens 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 100-watt tungstens 

2 1-light fixtures with 2 40-watt timgstens 

Change to 2 1-Ught fixtures with 2 00-watt tungstens 

3 cord pendents with 3 40-watt tungstens 

No. 338— 

1 3-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten; 2 4-Ught fixtures with 8 40-watt timg- 
stens; 1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

Change to 4 l-light fixtures with 4 60-watt tungstens 

5 cord pendents over cases with 8 40-watt tungstens 

No. 330— 

1 1-liglit fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 00-watt tungsten 



120 
200 



120 



120 



200 



200 



200 



400 



160 



160 



400 



320 
160 

"440 

80 

120 

400 
320 
40 



ELECTEIC LIGHTING OP FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 829 

Table No. 1 — Continued. 



Wattage of lamps. 



Present. 



Recom- 
mended. 



THIRD-FLOOR ROOMS— continued . 
West wing: 
Toilet— 
5 3-liglit fixtures with 15 40- watt tungstens; 3 2-light fixtures with 6 40-watt tung- 
stens 

Change to 6 1-light fixtures with 1 40-watt tungsten; 2 2-light fixtures with 

4 40-watt tungstens 

No. 376— 

1 o-light fixture with 3 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 100- wat t tungsten 

No. 377— 

1 S-light fixture with 3 40-watt tungstens , 

Change to 1 l-light fixture With 1 100-watt tungsten 

No. 377a— 

1 4-light fixture with 3 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 100-watt tungsten 

No. 379— 

2 l-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens; 3 fixtures, 1 pendent sphere each with 
3 40-watt tungstens; 5 3-light fixtures with 11 40-watt tungstens and 1 5-light 
fixture with S 40-watt tungstens and 1 4-nght fixture with 4 40-watt tungstens. 

Change as foUows: 3 pendent spheres O. K.; change 1 1-hght fixture and 1 
3-light fixture in file room to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens. 

Install 60-watt units in other 7 outlets 

No. 380— 
1 1-Ught fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten; 13 cord pendents with 13 40-watt tung- 
stens 

Change to 13 1-Ught fixtures with 13 60-watt tungstens, 1 1-llght fixture with 

1 40-watt tungsten 

South wing: 
No. 350— 

1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten '. 

Change to 1-hght fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

No. 351— 

1 6-light fixture with 6 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-Ught fixture with 1 100-watt timgsten 

No. 352— 

1 4-Ught fixtiu-e with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-Ught fixture with 1 100-watt tungsten 

No. 353— 

1 3-Ught fixture with 3 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-Ught fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

No. 354— 

2 4-Ught fixtures with 8 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-Ught fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

No. 354A— 

1 1-Ught fixture with 1-40 watt tungsten 

Change to 1 1-Ught fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

No. 355— 

2 3-Ught fixtm-es with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-Ught fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 



120 



120 



1,000 



560 



40 



240 



160 



120 



320 



40 



830 REPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 
Table No. 1 — Continued. 



Wattage of lamps. 



Present. 



Recom- 
mended. 



THiRD-FLOOE EOOMS— Continued. 
South wing— Continued. 
No. 356— 

1 S-light fixture with 5 40- watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

No. 357— 

1 5-light fixture with 6 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 100-watt tungsten 

No. 357A— 

2 fixtures with 5 pendent spheres, each with 9 40-watt timgstens 

No. 358— 

3 fixtures with 1 pendent sphere with 6 40-watt timgstens; 3 fixtures with hemi- 
spheres with 6 40-watt timgstens; 1 2-light fijcture with 2 40-watt tungstens 

No. 358 A— 

4 fixtures with 4 pendent spheres with 8 40-watt tungstens 

No. 359— 

1 fixture with 5 pendent spheres with 5 40-watt tungstens 

No. 360— 

1 4-light fixture with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

No. 361— 

1 3-light fijcture with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

No. 362— 

2 5-light fixtures with 9 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 100-watt tungstens 

2 1-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

No. 362 A— 

1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

No. 363— 

2 6-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 100-watt tungstens 

1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt timgsten 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

1 3-light fixture with 3 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

No. 363A— 

3 3-light fixtures with 9 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 60-watt tungstens 



FOUBTH-FLOOK ROOMS. 

No. 401— 
1 1-light fixture with 1 100-watt tungsten lamp 

1 3-light fixtm-e with 3 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 100-watt tungsten 

No. 402— 

3 3-light fixtures with 7 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 60-watt tungstens 

No. 402A— 

2 3-light fixtures with 6 40-watt tungstens; 2 1-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tung- 
stens 

Change to 4 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt and 2 40-watt tungstens 



200 
40 
240 



360 

560 
320 
200 
160 





60 


80 






60 


360 






200 


80 
40 


80 




60 


160 






200 


40 






60 


120 






60 


360 






180 



100 
120 



280 



320 



ELECTEIO LIGHTING OP FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 
Table No. 1 — Continued. 



831 



Wattage of lamps. 



Present. 



Recom- 
mended. 



FOURTH-FLOOR ROOMS— Continued. 
South wing— Continued. 
No. 403— 
13 brackets with 13 25-watt carbon lamps; 8 brackets with 8 10-watt carbon lamps. 

Change to 25-watt tantalum lamps 

34 4rlight fixtures with 74 40-watt tungstens; 2 1-light fixtures with 2 40-watt 

timgstens 

Change to 25 1-light fixtures with 25 100- watt tungstens 

No. 403 (main room) — 

Omit the four existing fixtures and change the location of the four others as 
indicated on the plans: 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60- watt tungstens in small 
room No. 403-A; 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens in vault; 3 1- 

light fixtures with 3 100- watt tungstens in lobby 

16 2-light desk standards with 32 25-watt lamps; 14 1-light cord pendents with 

14 25-watt lamps; 20 adjustable standards over cases with 20 25-watt lamps 

No change with the possible exception of substitution of series lamps for ad- 

justables over cases 

No. 404— 

1 3-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

Change to 1 1-light fixtm'e with 1 60-watt tungsten 

No. 404A— 

4 3-light fixtures with 8 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 4 1-light fixtures with 4 60-watt tungstens 

No. 405— 

1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

Change to 60-watt tungsten 

No. 406— 

4 1-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens ; 

Change to 3 60-watt and 1 40-watt tungsten 

Toilet— 
1 3-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten; 3 2-light fixtures with 3 40-watt tung- 
stens 

Change to 4 1-light fixtures with 4 60-watt timgstens 

East wing: 
No. 246 (lobby)— 

2 fixtures with 1 pendent sphere and 1 40-watt tungsten each; 5 fixtures with 3 
pendent spheres and 3 40-watt tungstens each 

No. 426A— 

2 fixtures with 4 pendent spheres with 4 40-watt tungstens each; 1 fixture with 3 
pendent spheres with 3 40-watt tungstens each; 1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt 
tungsten 

No. 426 (vault)— 

1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

No. 426 (file room)— 
1 4-light fixture with 2 40-watt tungstens; 1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten. 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens ■. . . 

No. 426 (main room) — 

25 4-light fixtures with 43 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 25 1-light fixtures with 25 60-watt timgstens 

No. 426 (corridor)— 

3 1-light desk standards and 4 2-light desk standards with 11 40-watt tungstens. . 

Change to 25-watt tungstens 



405 



3,040 



1,650 



320 



40 



160 



160 



680 

480 
49 
120 



1,720 



440 



2,500 



3,040 



1,650 



60 



240 



60 



220 



240 



680 



40 



120 



1,500 



275 



832 KEI'OETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Table No. 1 — Continued. 



FOURTH-FLOOR ROOMS— Continued. 
East wing— Continued. 
Toilet— 

4 2-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 4 1-Ught fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

West wing: 
No. 475— 

1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten i 

9 4-llght fixtures with 27 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 9 1-hght fixtures with 9 60-watt tungstens 

40 cord adjustables over cases with 1 25 wall lamp each 

Change to 8 series of 50 watts each 

Change 3 cord pendents to portable lamps 

No. 475— 

2 4-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 100-watt tungstens 

No. 477— 

2 4-light fixtures with 8 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

1 fixture, 4 pendent spheres with 4 40-watt tungstens 

No. 478— 

4 4-Iight fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

No. 479— 

3 4rlight fixtures with 12 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 60-watt tungstens 

No. 480— 

2 4-light fixtures with 6 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

1 fixture, 4 pendent spheres with 4 40-watt tungstens 

1 1-light flLxture with 1 40-watt tungsten ; 

No. 481— 

2 4-light fixtures with 6 40-watt tungstens; 1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungs- 
ten 



Change to 3 1-light fixtures, with 3 60-watt tmigstens 

No. 482— 
This room has case file and the present lights are cord pendants in rows between 
the cases. The present arrangement is satisfactory; it may, however, be ad- 
vantageous to substitute series lights in place of the 21 40-watt pendants. (This 

should be worked out by the chief electrician on the ground) 

South wing: 
No. 450 (corridor) — 

8 fixtures with 1 pendant sphere each with S 40-watt tungstens 

13 1-light brackets with 13 25-watt tantalum lamps 

No. 450 (main room) — 

3 cord pendants with 3 40-watt tungstens 

29 4-light fixtures with 68 40-watt tiuigstens ." 

Change to 29 1-light fixtures with 29 CO-watt tiuigstens 

2 2-light desk standards with 4 40-watt timgstens 

No. 450 (cage)— 

4 pendent spheres with 4 40-watt tungstens 



Wattage of lamps. 



Present. 



160 



40 
1,080 



1,000 



160 



320 



160 
160 



240 



160 
40 



280 



840 



320 
325 



120 
2,720 



160 
ICO 



ELECTRIC LIGHTING OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 833 

Table No. 1 — Continued. 



Wattage of lamps. 



Present. 



Recom- 
mended. 



FOURTH-FLOOR ROOMS— Continued. 
South wing — Continued. 
No. 450 (vaults and toilets) — 
2 Might fixtures and 1 2-light fixture with 4 40- watt tungstens . 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 40-watt tungstens 

No. 451— 

4 4-light fixtures with 8 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 4 1-light fixtures with 4 60-watt tungstens 

No. 451- A— 

2 3-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

No. 452 - 

1 4-Iight fixture with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-Jight fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

No. 454— 

1 l-)ight bracket with 1 40-watt tungsten 

1 1-light bracket with 1 60-watt tungsten 

1 3-Iight fixture with 3 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

2 4-light fixtures with 8 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 l-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

1 5-light fixture with 3 40-watt tungstens _. 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 100-watt tungsten 

2 fixtures, 1 pendent sphere each, with 2 40-watt tungstens 

2 fixtures, 5 pendent spheres each, with 10 40-watt tungstens. . 



FIFTH-FLOOR ROOMS. 

North wing: 
No. 500— 

2 1-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

4 4-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 4 1-light fixtures with 4 60-watt tungstens 

No. 501— 

2 4-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

No. 502— 

2 4-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

No. 503— 

2 4-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

No. 504— 

1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

1 6-light fixture with 4 40-watt timgstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 100-watt timgsten 

No. 505— 

' 1 5-light fixture with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

No. 506— 
1 5-light fixture with 3 40-watt tungstens; 1 4-light fixture with 3 40-watt tung- 
stens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 100-watt tungstens 

72734— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 53 



160 



320 



160 



SO 



40 
60 
120 



320 
120 



80 
400 



160 



160 



160 



40 
160 



834 REPORTS OF COMMISSIOISr ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Table No. I — Continued. 



Wattage of lamps. 



Present. 



Recom- 
mended. 



FIFTH-FLOOK ROOMS— Continued. 
North wing— Continued. 
Nos. 507 and 508— 

4 4-llght fixtures with 8 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 4 1-light fixtures with 4 60-watt tungstens 

No. 50^— 

4 5-llght fixtures with 8 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 4 1-light fixtures with 4 60-watt tungstens 

No. 510— 

1 5-light fixture with 3 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 100-watt tungsten 

1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

No. 510a— 

6 4-light fixtures with 12 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 6 1-light fixtures with 6 60-watt tungstens 

No. 511— 

1 1-light fixture with 1 pendent cord with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

No. 512— 

3 1-light fixtures with 3 40-watt tungstens 

• Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 60-watt tungstens 

No. 513— 

12 4-light fixtures with 24 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 12 1-light fixtures with 12 60-watt tungstens 

6 pendents with 6 40-watt tungstens 

East wing: 
No. 525— 

3 1-light fixtures with 3 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 60-watt tungstens 

No. 520— 

3 4-light fixtures with 6 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 60-watt tungstens 

No. 526a— 

1 5-light fixture with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

No. 526b— 

1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

No. 527— 
1 5-light fixture with 2 40-watt tungstens; 2 4-light fixtures with t 40-watt tungs- 
tens 



Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 60-watt tungstens 

No. 628- 

4 5-light fixtures W'th 10 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 4 1-light fixtures with 4 lOO-wtitt tungstens 

1 4-light fixture with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 100-watt tungsten 

3 l-light fixtures with 3 40-watt tungstens 

No. .529- 

1 1-light fixture with I 40-wntt tungsten 

3 3-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens, ixivl 3 4-light fixtures with 6 40-watt 

tungstens 

Change to 6 1-light fixtures with (i 60-watt tungstens 



320 



120 
40 



80 



120 



960 
240 

120 



240 



40 



240 



400 



120 

40 

400 



ELECTKIG LIGHTING OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 835 

Table No, 1 — Continued. 



Wattage of lamps. 



Present. 



Recom- 
mended, 



East wing-Continued, fifth-floor ROOMs-continued. 
No. 529— Continued. 

2 5-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 Uight fixtures with 2 100-watt tungstens 

No, 530— 
1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten; 3 4-light fixtures with 6 40-watt tung- 
stens 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 60-watt tungstens 

No. 531— 

3 4-light fixtures with 6 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 60-watt tungstens 

Toilet— 

4 3-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 4 1-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

West wing: 
No. 57.5— 
3 4-light fixtures with 8 40-watt tungstens; 1 3-light fixture with 1 40-watt tung- 
sten 



Change to 4 l-light fixtures with 4 60-watt tungstens 

1 2-light fixture with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixtiu'e with 1 40-watt tungsten 

No. 575a— 

2 4-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens and 1 60-watt tungsten 

Change to 2 1-Ught fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

No. 576— 
1 4-light fixture with no lamps 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

No. 577— 

1 3-Ught fixture with no lamps 

2 4-light fixtures with 3 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 3 1-Ught fixtures with 3 60-watt tungstens 

No. 579— 

1 1-Ught fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten , 

1 2-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt ttmgsten 

1 3-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

Change to 1 1-light fixtvire with 1 60-watt timgsten 

1 5-light fljcture with 3 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 100-watt timgsten 

No. 580- 

2 fixtures with 5 pendent spheres each with 10 40-watt tungstens 

No. 581— 

1 3-Ught fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

No. 582— 

2 4-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens , 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

No. 583— 
1 2-light fixture with 2 40-watt tungstens; 4 4-Ught fixtures with 8 40-watt timg- 

stens; 1 1-Ught fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

Change to 6 1-Ught fixtures with 6 60-watt tungstens 



280 



240 



360 



220 



120 



40 
120 



400 
40 



160 



440 



200 



180 



180 



160 



240 
40 



120 



60 



180 
40 
40 
60 
100 
400 



60 



120 



360 



836 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Table No. 1 — Continued. 



Wattage of lamps. 



Present. 



West wiDg-Continued. ™th-floor ROOMS-continued. 
No. 584- 

1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

No. 584— 

1 6-light fixture with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 100-watt tungsten 

No. 585— 

2 3-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

No. 586— 

2 3-Ught fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-Ught fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

No. 587— 

3 4-light fixtures with 6 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 3 1-Ught fixtures with 3 60-watt tungstens 

Storeroom— 

2 3-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

South wing: 
No. 550— 

1 2-light fixture with 2 40-watt tungstens; 1 3-light fixture with 1 40-watt tung- 
sten; 4 4-Ught fixtures with 9 40-watt tungstens; 1 5-light fixture with 3 40-watt 
tungstens 

Change to 7 1-light fixtures with 6 60-watt tungstens and 1 100-watt tungsten 

for the 5 1-light fixtures 

Nos. 551-552— 

2 l-Ught fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

2 3-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens; 4 4-light fixtures with 8 40-watt tung- 
stens 

Change to 6 1-Hght fixtures with 6 60-watt tungstens 

No. 553— 

2 3-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens , 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens , 

1 l-Ught fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

No. 553A— 

1 1-Ught fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

No. 554— 

2 1-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 60-watt and 1 40-watt tungsten 

2 4-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

No. 555— 

1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

2 4-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

No. 556— 
2 4-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tuugstens 

No. 557— 
1 4-light fixture with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 l-light fixture with 1 60-watt tungstrti 

1 1-light fixture with no lamps 

Install 1 40-watt tungsten 



240 



600 



80 
400 



40 
160 



ELECTRIC LIGHTING OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 
Table No. 1 — Continued. 



837 



FIFTH-FLOOR ROOMS— continued. 
South wing— Continued. 
No. 558— 

1 B-light fixture with 3 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 100-watt tungsten 

1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

No. 559— 

1 3-light fixture with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

No. 560— 

2 4-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens '. 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 100-watt tungstens 

•No. 561— 

1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

2 4-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

No. 562— 

1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

1 3-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten: 2 5-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tung- 
stens 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 60-watt tungstens 

No. 563— 

1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

1 3-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten; 2 4-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tung- 
stens 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 60-watt tungstens 

No. 564— 

1 1-Ught fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

1 3-Iight fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten: 2 1-light fixtures with 1 40-watt tung- 
sten 



Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 60-watt tungstens 

No. 565— 
2 1-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

1 3-light fixture with 2 40-watt ttingstens; 2 4-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tung- 
stens 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 60-watt tungstens •. 

No. 566— 

2 1-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

2 4-light fixtures with 8 40-watt tungstens: 1 3-light fixture with 3 40-watt tung- 
stens 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 1 60-watt and 2 100-watt tungstens 

No 567— 
1 3-light fixture with 3 40-watt tungstens; i 4-light fixtures with 9 40-watt tung- 
stens 

Change to 4 1-light fixtures with 1 50-watt and 3 100-watt tungstens 

North wing: 
No. COO— 
1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten; 8 4-light fixtures with 1 6-40- watt tungs- 
tens 



Change to 9 1-light fixtures with 9 60-watt tungstens.. 
No. 601— 

3 5-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 100-watt tungstens. 



Wattage of lamps. 



Present. 



120 
40 
80 



160 



40 
160 



40 
200 



40 

200 



440 



480 



160 



Recom- 
mended. 



100 
40 



60 



200 
40 

120 
40 



180 
40 



180 
40 



180 



180 

80 



260 



350 



540 



300 



838 EEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON" ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Table No. 1 — Continued, 



Wattage of lamps. 



Present. 



Recom- 
mended. 



FIFTH-FLOOR ROOMS — continued. 
North wing— Continued. 
No. 602— 

2 2-light fixtures with 3 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-llght fixtures with 1 60- watt tungsten and 2 40-watt tungstens. 

2 S-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 lOG-watt tungstens 

No. 604— 
2 fixtures, 3 pendent spheres; 1 fixture, 5 pendcno spheres; a table standard with 

a total of 12 40-watt tungstens 

No. 602a— 

2 4-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 100-watt tungstens 

1 2-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

2 1-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

No. 605— 

2 4rlight fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens, 1 6-light fixture with 2 40-watt tung- 
stens 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 100-watt tungsten lamps 

No. 606— 

3 4-light fixtures with 6 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 100-watt tungstens 

1 2-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

No. 606— 

2 l-hght fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

East wing: 

No. 625— 

2 4-light fixtures with 6 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 100-watt tungstens 

1 2-hght fixture with no lamps. Remove. 
No. 625A— 

2 1-light fixtures with 2 25-watt carbon lamps , 

Change to 2 2S-watt tungstens , 

2 4-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 60-watt tungstens, adding 1 fixture 

No. 626— 

2 fixtures, 4 pendent spheres; 1 fixture, 6 pendent spheres; with a total of 14 40- 
watt tungstens 

3 1-light fixtures with 3 40-watt timgstens 

No. 628— 

3 4-light fixtures with 6 40-watt tungstens , 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 100-watt tungstens 

1 1-Ught fixture with 1 40-watt tvmgsten , 

No. 629— 

2 4-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens and 1 40-watt tungsten, 

adding 1 fixture 

1 1-light fixture with no lamps 

No change except install 1 25-watt timgsten 



120 
80 



480 
160 

40 
80 



240 



240 
40 



240 



50 
160 



560 
120 

240 

40 

160 



ELECTEIC LIGHTIXG OF FEDEEAL BUILDINGS. 839 

Table No. 1 — Continued. 



Wattage of lamps. 



Recom- 
mended. 



FIFTH-FLOOR KOOMS— Continued. 
East wing — Continued. 

Toilet— 

1 3-light fixture; 2 4-llght fixtures with 2 40- watt tungstens 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 40-watt tungstens 

West wing: 
No. 675— 

2 4-Iight-flxtures with 8 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-ligbt fixtures with 2 100-watt tungstens 

No. 67.5- A— 

2 1-light fixtures with 2 25-watt carbon lamps 

Change to 2 1-hght fixtui-es with 2o-watt tungstens 

3 4-light fixtures with 7 40-watt tungstens ^ 

Change to 3 1 -light fixtures with 3 100-watt tungstens 

No. 676 - 
6 fixtures with 3 pendent spheres each with 18 40-watt tungstens 

4 1-light fixtures with 3 40-watt tungstens 

Remove one fixture in toilet; others O. K 

1 table standard with 1 40-watt tungsten 

No. 678- 

2 1-light fixtures with 2 25-watt carbon lamps 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 25-watt tungstens 

4 3-light fixtures with S 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 4 1-light fixtures with 4 60-watt tungstens 

No. 679— 

6 3-light fixtures with 12 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 6 1-light fixtures with 6 60-watt tungstens 

South wing: 
No. 650— 
1 3-light fixture with 2 40-watt tungstens: 7 4-light fixtures with 14 40-watt tung- 
tens 



Change to 9 1-light fixtures with 9 60-watt tungstens; add one fixture 

4 2-l;ght desk standards with 8 40-watt tungstens 

Change to S 25-watt tantalum lam33S 

No. 651— 
1 3-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten and 2 5-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tung- 
stens 



Change to 3 1-Ught fixtures mth 3 100-watt tungstens 

No. 652— 

2 2-light fixtures with 3 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-hght fixtures with 1 40-watt and 1 60-watt tungsten lamp 

2 S-hght fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 100-watt tungstens 

No. 654— 
2 fixtures with 3 pendent spheres, 1 fixture with 5 pendent spheres, 1 table lamp, 

making a total of 12 40-watt tungstens 

No. 654a— 

2 l-hght fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Remove 1 fixture and leave 1 40-watt tungsten 

1 2-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

Change to 1 1-Ught fixture -with 1 40-watt tungsten 

2 4-fight fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-hght fixtures with 2 100-watt tungstens 



320 



720 
120 



40 
50 
320 



480 



640 



320 



120 



160 



40 



160 



840 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. ' 

Table No. 1 — Continued. 



Wattage of lamps. 



Present. 



FIFTH-FLOOR ROOMS— Continued. 
South wing — Continued. 
No. 655— 
2 4-light fixtures \vithi 4 40-watt tungstens and 6 1-light fixtures with 2 40-watt 

tungstens 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 100-watt tungstens 

No. 656— 

1 2-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

Change to 1 1-Ught fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

1 1-light fixture with 1 25-watt carbon lamp 

Change to 1 25-watt tungsten 

Court rooms — 

20 6-light wall brackete with 5 25-watt carbon lamps and 1 60-watt tungsten; 

center fights, 36 40-watt tungstens in ceiling; side lights, 22 60-watt tungstens 

in ceiling; total for each court room, 6,460, or for the 4 court rooms (these 

rooms are e.xcellently lighted and no change should be made) 



240 



North wing: seventh-floor rooms. 

Nos. 700 to 702— 

Not seen 

Nols. 703 to 706— 

1 2-light fixture with 2 40-watt tungstens .• 

3 3-hght fixtures with 3 40-watt tungstens; 21 4-light fixtures with 35 40-watt tung- 
stens 

Change to 24 1-Ught fixtures with 24 60-watt tungstens 

2 fixtures, hemispheres, with 2 40-watt tungstens 

3 fixtures with 3 spheres each with 9 40-watt tungstens 

3 1-light fixtures in vault with 3 40-watt tungstens 

No . 705. Rigid shelf pendent with no lamps 

East wing: 
No. 725— 

6 4-light fixtures with 12 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 10 l-Ught fixtures with 10 60-watt tungstens, adding 4 fixtures 

1 3-light fixture with 1 40-watt ttingsten 

Change to 1 1-Ught fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

1 l-hght fixture with 1 40-watt timgsten 

No. 725A— 

1 2-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

Change to 2 25-watt tungstens 

2 fixtures, 5 spheres with 10 40-watt tungstens 

No. 726— 

2 3-Ught fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens; 1 2-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten. 

Change to 3 l-hght fixtures with 3 60-watt tungstens 

No. 727— 
1 4-light fixture, with 1 40-watt tungston 

Change to 1 1-light fl.xture with 1 6T-watt tungsten 

4 cord pendants, with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 4 1-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

No. 728— 

1 4-light fixture with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 l-light fixture with 1 (lO-watt tungsten 

8 cord pendants with 8 40-watt tungstens - 

Change to 8 1-light fixtures with 8 40-watt tungstens 

• Estimated. 



25,840 

' 400 

80 

1,520 



80 
360 
120 



480 

40 

40 

40 

400 

120 



40 
160 



160 
320 



ELECTRIC LIGHTING OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 
Table No. 1 — Continued. 



841 



Wattage of lamps. 



Present. 



Recom- 
mended. 



South win"- seventh-floor rooms— continued. 
No. 750— 
2 Wight fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

1 3-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 60- watt tungsten 

No. 751— 

2 1-light fixtures with 2 25-watt tungstens 

2 fixtm'es, 3 spheres each, with 6 40-watt tungstens 

No. 752— 

2 1-light fixtures with 2 25-watt tungstens 

2 fixtures, 3 spheres each, with 6 40-watt tungstens , 

No. 763— 

2 1-light fixtures with 2 25-watt tungstens , 

2 fixtures, 3 spheres each, with 6 40-watt tungstens 

No. 755— 

2 1-light fixtures with 2 25-watt tungstens 

No. 755— 

2 fixtures, 3 spheres each with 6 40-watt tungstens 

No. 756— 

1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten , 

1 2-light fixture with 2 25-watt tungstens , 

1 3-light fixture with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 100- watt tungsten 

No. 754— 

4 3-light fixtures with 8 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 4 1-light fixtures with 4 60- watt tungstens 

8 4-light fixtures with 16 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 8 1-ligh t fixtures with 8 100- watt tungstens 

1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

West wing: 
No. 775— 

4 fixtures with 4 spheres each with 16 40-watt tungstens 

1 desk portable with 1 40-watt tungsten 

No. 776— 

2 fixtures, 1 hemisphere each, with 2 40-watt tungstens 

No. 777— 

6 fixtures, 3 spheres each, with 10 40-watt tungstens 

Change by installing spheres and lights now left after making change 18 

40-watt tungstens 

No. 778— 

2 4-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens '. 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60- watt tungstens 

2 1-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

No. 779— 

2 4-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 100-watt tungstens 

No. 780— 
4 3-light fixtures with 11 40-watt tungstens; 1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tung- 
sten 



Change to 5 1-light fixtures with 5 60-watt tungstens 

1 court room: 

This room is estimated to contain the same wattage of lamps as the court room on 
the sixth floor. (This room is excellently lighted and no change should be made.) 



40 



50 
240 



50 
240 



50 
240 



50 
240 



320 

640 

40 



640 
40 



400 



160 
80 
160 



0,460 



842 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY, 

Table No. 1 — Continued. 



EIGHTH-FLOOR ROOMS. 

North wing: 
No. 805— 

2 4-liglit fixtures with 4 40- watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60- watt tungstens 

2 1-light fixtures with 2 40- watt tungstens , 

No. 804a— 

4 4-light fixtures with 16 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 4 1-light fixtures with 4 100- watt tungstens 

2 1-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

. No. 804b— 

1 3-light fixture with 3 40-watt tungstens; 1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tung- 
sten 



Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

No. 804c— 

1 3-light fixture with 3 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

5 1-light fixtures with 5 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 4 25- watt tungstens and 1 40-watt tungsten 

No. 804d (machinery room)— 

4 portables 

No. 804— 
4 4-light fixtures with 8 40-watt tungstens; 3 3-light fixtures with 9 40-watt tung- 
stens; 1 5-light fixture with 4 40-watt tungstens , 

Change to 8 i -light fixtures with 8 100-watt tungstens 

3 1-light pendents 

No. 806— 

3 fixtures with 4 spheres each with 12 40-watt tungstens 

No. 807— 

4 1-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 40-watt tungstens and 2 60-watt tungstens 

No. 901— 

5 l-light fixtures with 5 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 3 40-watt tungstens and 2 00-watt tungstens 

No. 801a— 
2 1-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens; 1 4-light fixture with 4 25-watt carbons . 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt and 1 40-watt tungstens 

No. 804— 

1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

No. 802— 

This room is fixed for indirect lighting, total watts 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 100-watt tungstens 

10 glass transparencies illuminated with 4 40-watt tungstens at the bottom of 

each picture 

Change to 2 series of 50 watts each at bottom of each picture, or 1 at bottom 
and 1 at top, preferably the latter. Place lamps in continuous trough 

reflectors 

No. 803— 
4 4-Iight fixtures with 8 40-watt tungstens; 2 1-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tung- 
stens 



Change to 4 1-light fixtures with 4 100-watt tungstens and place 2 25-watt 
tungstens in the 1-light fixtures 



Wattage of lamps. 



Present. 



160 
80 
640 



200 



100 



840 



480 
160 



200 



ISO 



40 
720 



1.600 



400 



Recom- 
mended. 



ELECTEIC LIGHTING OP FEDEEAL BUILDINGS. 
Table No. 1 — Continued. 



843 



Wattage of lamps. 



Present. 



Recom- 
mended. 



EiQHTH-FLOOK EOOMS— Continued. 
South wing: 
No. 850— 

Not seen; estimated to contain 8 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 4 1-Iight fixtures with 4 100-watt tungstens 

No. 851— 

2 3-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens ^ 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

No. 852— 

2 3-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

No. 853— 

2 3-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

■ No. 854r- 

1 4-light fixture with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

No. 855— 

1 4-Ught fixture with3 40-watt tungstens ■- 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 100-watt tungsten 

No. 856— 

1 4^Ught fixture with 3 40-watt timgstens 

Change to 1 l-light fixture with 1 100-watt tungstens 

No. 857— 

2 4-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens and 1 CO- watt tungsten 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 2 100-watt tungstens 

2 3-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

No. 858— 
2 2-Ught fixtures with 1 40-watt tungsten; 1 3-Ught fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten; 

2 4-hght fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 5 1-light fixtures with 5 60-watt tungstens 

Machinery room — 

4 portables 

No. 859— 

2 4-light fixtures with 6 40-watt tungstens; 1 3-light fixture with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 60-watt tungstens 

East wiag: 
No. 875— 

5 5-light fixtures with 9 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 5 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt and 3 iO watt tungsten lamps 

1 2-Iight and 1 1-light fixture with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Fill all outlets with 25-watt tungsten lamps 

No. 876— 

2 4-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 100-watt tungstens 

No. 877— 

1 1-light fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

No. 878— 

2 1-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

5 3-light fixtures with 15 40-watt tungstens; 2 3-light fixtures with 6 40-watt tung- 
stens 

Change to 7 1-light fixtures with 2 100-watt and 6 60-watt lamps 



320 



120 



120 



220 
80 



240 



100 
320 



360 



80 



60 



840 



844 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 
Table No. 1 — Continued. 



Wattage of lamps. 



Present. 



EIGHTH-FLOOR ROOMS— Continued. 
East wing— Continued. 

No. 880— 

1 4-Iight fixture with 2 40- watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 60- watt tungsten 

1 1-light fixture with 1 40- watt tungsten 

Machinery room — 

4 cord portables 

No. 881— 

3 3-light fixtures with 3 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 60- watt tungstens 

Toilet— 

2 3-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60- watt tungstens 

1 2-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

West wing: 
No. 825— 

3 4-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 3 1-light fixtures with 3 60- watt tungstens 

No. 826— 

5 4-light fixtures with 10 40-watt tungstens; 2 3-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tung. 
stens 

Change to 7 1-light fixtures with 7 60-watt tungstens 

6 1-light fixtures with 40-watt tungstens 

No 827— 

1 4-light fixture with 3 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 100- watt tungsten 

No. 828— 

1 3-light fixture with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 60-watt tungsten 

No. 829— 

1 4-light fixture with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 100-watt tungsten 

No. 830— 

1 5-light fixture with 3 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 1 1-light fixture with 1 100-watt tungsten 

No. 831— 

1 fixture with 4 spheres with 4 40-watt tungstens 

No. 832- ■ 

1 fixture with 4 spheres with 4 40-watt tungstens 

1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

No. 833— 

2 5-light fixtures with 3 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

1 1-light fixture with 1 25- watt tungsten 

No. 826b— 

2 3-light fixtures with 2 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures with 2 GO-watt tungstens '. 

1 1-light fixture with 1 40-watt tungsten 

No. 826c— 

2 3-light fixtures with 4 40-vvatt tungstens 

Change to 2 l-light fixtures with 2 60-watt tungstens 

No. 826d— 

2 4-light fixtures with 4 40-watt tungstens 

Change to 2 1-light fixtures 2 60-watt timgstens 




160 



560 
240 
120 



80 



80 



120 



160 



160 
40 



200 
25 



40 
160 



160 



ELECTRIC LIGHTING OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 845 

Table No. 1 — Continued. 



Wattage of lamps. 



Present. 



Recom- 
mended. 



NINTH-FLOOR ROOMS. 



This floor includes gallery around rotunda, machinery rooms, and storage 
places. 
2 3-light fixtures; 3 2-light fixtures; 16 2-light brackets and 12 cord drops; these 
fixtures contain 1 40- watt tungsten and 47 25-watt carbons 



TENTH-FLOOR ROOMS. 



This floor contains gallery aroimd dome only. 
10 2-light fixtures with 32 2.5-watt carbons (there are approximately 200 outlets around 
the open space for illuminating the sky around the rotunda; these lights havfi been 
omitted and should not be replaced) 



ELEVENTH-FLOOR ROOMS. 



Railway Mail Service: 

6 2-light fixtures; 3 6-light fixtures; 2 3-light fixtures; 5 1-light fixtures; 27 cord 
pendents, total wattage 



THIRTEENTH-FLOOR ROOMS. 

Civil Service Commission: 

3 2-light fixtureSjWith 3 25-watt carbons; 19 3-light fixtures,with 67 40-watt tung- 
stens; 2 4-light fixtures, with 8 40-watt tungstens; 4 1-light fixtures, with 4 40- 
watt tungstens; 1 5-light fixture, with 5 40-watt timgstens; 2 2-light brackets, 

with 4 40-watt tungstens; 5 cord pendents, with 5 40-watt tungstens 

Change as follows: Lay out examination rooms with 1-light fixtures, with 1 
40-watt tungsten, bowl frosted with holophane or equivalent I shades, 
satin finish. Pendents to be arranged so that the distances between them 
each way will be 6 to 7 feet; suspension above floor, 8 feet 6 inches. The 
arrangement of the fixtures in the other rooms is satisfactory. Estimated 
that the above arrangement will decrease the wattage of lamps on this fioor 
about 400 to 500 



FOURTEENTH-FLOOR ROOMS. 

Weather Bureau: 

23 3-light fixtures, with 38 40-watt tungstens: 6 4-light fixtures, with 18 40-watt 
timgstens; 1 5-Ught fixture, with 5 40-watt tungstens; 10 1-light fixtures, with 

10 25-watt lamps; 13 cord pendents, with 13 40-watt tungstens 

Change as follows: Instrument in exhibit room, install 11 1-light fixtures in 
place of the present 3 and 4 light fixtures; equip each fixture with 1 100-watt 
tungsten, bowl frosted, and 1 holophane or equivalent I shade, satin finish. 
Suspension 8 feet 6 inches above the floor. 
Exhibit office: 

Use 3 l-light fixtures, with 60-watt tungstens 

General oflice: 

Use 4 1-light fixtures, with 4 60-watt tungstens 

Private office: 

Use 3 l-light fixtures, with 60-watt tungstens 

Research room: 

Use 1 1-light fixture, with 1 100-watt tungsten 

Mailing room: 

Use 2 1-light fixtures, with 2 60-watt tungstens 

Composing room: • 

Use 2 1-light fixtures, with 2 60-watt tungstens 

The 1-light fixtures recommended for the above rooms are to take the place ol 
the present 3 5-light fixtures. The existing 1-light fixture pendents and 
fixtures in the hallway should remain as at present 



1,215 



800 



1,920 



1,215 



1,920 



3,395 



2,900 



3,210 



2,810^ 



846 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Table No. 1 — Continued. 



Wattage of lamps. 



Present. 



Recom- 
mended. 



FIFTEENTH AND SIXTEENTH FLOOR ROOMS. 

These two floors are used for storage purposes and have but few fixtures 
were not examined and have not been listed. 



They 



SERIES UGHTING FOR BAG RACKS, LETTER-SORTING CASES, MAIL-SORTING TABLES, AND 
EXAMINING TABLES, ETC. 

First and second floors. 
Letter cases, secoud floor: 

22 sets of cases on which series lighting has been installed; original wattage, esti- 
mated 

Present wattage with series 

46 sets of cases wired, but not in use- 
Present wattage 

When in use with series 

109 on which work has not been started — 

Present wattage 

Estimated wattage when in use with series 

Of the above 109, about 39 are equipped at present with two 25-watt carbon 
lights each. A large number of these can not be changed over advantageously, 
as the cases are not adjacent to each other. This has been allowed for in the 
estimated wattage. Equip such cases with fixed brackets and 25-watt tung- 
sten lamps. 
Letter cases: 

21 sets of cases on which series lighting has been installed — 

Original wattage, estimated 

Present wattage with series 

143 sets of cases on which series can be installed, but on which work has not been 
started — 

Present wattage, 511 25-watt carbon lamps 

Estimated wattage when in use with series, 143 50-watt tungstens 

Special cases, inquiry division, first floor: 

Present wattage, 14 25-watt carbons 

Install 4 series of 50 watts 

Bag racks, second floor: 

2 racks on which series have been installed; original wattage, estimated 

Present wattage with series 

61 racks on which series can be installed, but on which work has not been started . . 
Estimated wattage with series (some racks will probably require more than 

50 watts each) , 

Bag racks, first floor: 

13 racks on which series can be installed but on which work has not been started — 

Present wattage 

Wattage when in use with series 

Sorting tables, second floor: 

1 table on which series has been installed — 

Estimated wattage 

Present wattage with series 

14 tables on which series can be installed but on which work has not been started — 

Present wattage *. 

Estimated wattage with series 

Tables under carrier, second floor: 

7 tables on which series can be installed but on which work has not been started — 

Present wattage 

Wattage with series 



2,000 



3,700 



9,725 



12, 275 



350 



200 
5,600 



1,550 



950 



700 



ELECTKIC LIGHTING OF FEDEEAL BUILDINGS. 
Table No. 1 — Continued. 



847 



Wattage of lamps 



SERIES LIGHTING FOE BAG RACKS, LETTER-SORTING CASES, MAIL-SORTING TABLES, 
AND EXAMINING TABLES, ETC.— Continued 

First and second ^oors— Continued . 
Tables, customs examining, first floor: 

3 single tables and 6 double tables are in process of having series installed (3 of 
these tables are now in use) — 

Original wattage 

Wattage with series 




1,000 



DESK PORTABLES. 

Rigid standards on counters and desks and pendents over desks are included under 
the rooms in question. This applies also to such portables as have been fastened to letter 
distributing cases, etc. These have been considered under "Series lighting." Two 
types of desk portables are used: The Dale with green enameled glass shades, with two 
sizes of shades, and the Universal with small metal shades, aluminum finish inside. 

The fixtures in use by floors are as follows: 

[Where connected to fixture by cords they are preceded by the word " Cord." When connected to floor, 
wall, or baseboard outlets, they are preceded by the word "Base."] 





Cord Dale. 


Base Dale. 


Cord Uni- 
versal. 


Base Uni- 
versal. 




3 

4 

5 

44 
82 
36 
12 
16 
33 

4 
None. 

2 




1 
7 
5 

25 
77 
29 
6 
15 
18 
37 


1 


First floor 


81 


41 




2 


Thi^'d floor 


74 
106 

57 
2 
1 

31 


86 


Fourth floor 


74 


Fifth floor 


25 


Sixth floor 


8 


Seventh floor 


24 


Eighth floor 


20 


Ninth floor 




Tenth floor 






Eleventh floor 






6 


Twelfth floor 




1 


1 


Thirteenth floor 


1 








3 




3 










Total 


242 


355 


221 


291 







Total number of Dale portables 

Total number of Universal portables. 



Total number of portables with cord connection to fixture. 
Total number of portables with connection to base outlet.. 



Change o^ described in body of report. 



597 
512 



1,109 



463 
646 



Present wattage: 109 25-watt carbon or tantalum lamps . 
Wattage as recommended: 109 25-watt tantalum lamps . 



1,109 



27,725 
27,725 



848 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY, 
Table No. 2. — Motors on jpoicer meter. 



Num- 
ber of 
motors. 



Capacity. 



Class of service. 



Hours 
used 
daily. 



?il horsepower i Mail lift 

3 horsepower | Economizer... 

do I Mail conveyor. 

do I do 

do ' do 

do ' Mail lift 

do ■ Mail carrier... 

do do 

2 horsepower Pump 



.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 



....do 

1^ horsepower. 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

1 horsepower. - 

do-. 

....do 

J- horsepower.. 
....do 



....do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

....do 

do 

....do 

\ horsepower . 

....do 

3o horsepower 

....do 

....do 

30 horsepower 

....do 

20 horsepower 

1 Used occasionally. 



Mail conveyor. 

do 

do 

Pump 

Paper cutter . . 

do 

Mail carrier. . . 

do 

Mail lilt 

Printing 

....do 

Pump 

do 

Mail carrier. .. 



In storage 

Ventilation 

....do 

....do 

....do 

Paper cutter 

Printing 

Mail carrier 

Machine work 

Printing 

Ventilation 

....do 

....do 

Floor lift 

....do 

....do 

Machine work 

Printing 

....do 

Canceling machine . 

Printing 

Motor generator 

Air compressor 

....do 

Blower 

Air washer 

Ventilation 

....do 



Hours. 
24 
24 
13 
13 
13 
10 
10 
10 
Is 
13 
13 
13 



(0 



8 
16 

8 

4 

^ 
1 

2 

8 
8 
8 



1 
8 
2 
5 
1 

2 9.1 






s In 2 days. 



Second floor. 
Boiler room. 
Under sidewalk. 

Do. 

Do. 
Second floor. 

Do. 

Do. 
Boiler room 
Under sidewalk. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 
Room No. 300. 
Subtreasury. 
Second flooi-. 

Do. 

Do. 
Post-office subway divisioti. 
Weather bureau. 
Ninth floor. 

Do. 
Fourth floor, j)ost-oftice money- 
order division. 
Ninth floor. 
Custom office. 

Registry division, basement. 
First floor, city division. 
Post-office supply division. 

Do. 
Room No. 300. 
Second floor. 
Basement. 
AVeather bureau. 
Subtreasury. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 
Carpenter shop. 
Post-office supply division. 
Weather bureau. 
Subtreasury. 
Room No. 300. 
Pneumatic tubes. 
Pump room. 

Do. 
Bagroom. 
Pump room. 
Ninth floor. 

Do. 

3 Per week. 



ELECTEIC LIGHTING OF FEDEEAL BUILDINGS. 849 

Table No. 2. — Motors on power meter — Continued. 



Capacity. 



Class of service. 



Hours 
used 
daily. 


Location. 


Hours. 




12 


Ninth floor. 


24 


Pump room. 


21 


Do. 


24 


Do. 


24 


Do. 


24 


Do. 


24 


Do. 


12 


Do. 


12 


Do. 


H 


Do. 


8J 


Do. 


8 


Ninth floor. 


8 


Do. 


8 


Do. 


8 


Do. 


8 


Do. 


8 


Do. 


8 


Do. 


16 


Second floor. 


16 


Do. 


16 


Do. 


16 


Do. 


n 


Bag room. 


IJ 


Pump room. 


12 


Do. 


12 


Do. 


8 


Boiler room. 


0) 


Do. 


4 


Pump room. 


0) 


Do. 


2 24 


Boiler room. 


4 


Carpenter shop. 


14 


Second floor. 


14 


Do. 


0) 


Do. 


24 


First floor, city division. 


1 


Boiler room. 


61 


Basement, machine shop. 


10 


Second floor, machine shop. 


10 


Do. 


6 


Second floor. 


6 


Do. 


10 


Ninth floor. 


9^ 


Second floor. 


18 


First floor. 


18 


Ninth floor. 


7 


Cashier's oflice. 


1 


Subtreasury. 


8 


Second floor. 


8 


Do. 


8 


Do. 


4 


In oflaces. 


2 


For 3 months. 



19 horsepower. 
17 horsepower. 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

13 horsepower. 

do 

do 

do... 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

11 horsepower. 
10 horsepower. 
....do 



....do 

do 

do 

do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

7i horsepower. 

....do 

....do 

....do 

do 

do 

do 



Ventilation . 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Mail lifts 

do 

do 

do 

Blower 

Pump 

do 

do 

Ventilation.. 

.....do 

Pump 

do 

Ventilation . . 
Circular saw. 
Mail carrier. 

do 

do 



... .do ' Mail lift 

5 horsepower | Ash hoist 

do j Machine work 

do [ do 

do I do 

do ' Mail carrier 

do j Pneumatic tubes 

do j Ventilation 

1 horsepower Mail carrier 

do do 

f horsepower i Elevator signals 

do Printing 

J horsepower ' Canceling machine . . . 

do ; Pump 

do ' Mail conveyors 

do j Mall carrier 

do ', Envelope openers 

1 Used occasionally. 

72734— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 54 



.J 



850 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 
Table No. 2. — Motors on power meter — Continued. 



Num- 
ber of 
motors. 



25 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 

24 
2 
2 
3 
105 

38 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
2 
2 
2 

73 

1 
1 
1 
1 
1 



Capacity. 



§ horsepower. . 
J horsepower.. 

do 

do 

i horsepower. - 
J horsepower.. 
A horsepower. 
J horsepower.. 

do 

J horsepower., 
fff horsepower. 

do 

do 

do 



4 ampere.. 
2§ ampere. 
14 ampere. 
2 ampere.. 

11 cell 

3ceU 

2 cell 

J ampere.. 



50 watt 

do 

do 

3 horsepower. 
1 horsepower. 



Class of service. 



Canceling machine 

Breast drill 

Machine work 

Port buffer 

Shade washer 

Printing 

Breast drill 

Addressograph 

Telegraph motor generator . 

Addressographs 

Adding machine 

Envelope sealer 

Folding machine 

Electric phonographs 

16-inch fans 

12-inch fans 

8-inch fan 

SteriUzer 

Stereopticon machtae . . 

Electric heater 

do 

Storage batteries 

do 

do 

Magnet coils for elevator 
signals. 

Triple register 

Single register 

Telegraph termoscope 

Floor groover 



Hours 
used 
daily. 



Hours. 



First and second floors. 
Electrician's shop. 
Pneumatic tube room. 
Electrician's shop. 

Do. 
Post-office supply depot. 
Mail box repair shop. 
Weather bureau. 
Second floor. 
Room No. 70t). 
In offices. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 
Room No. 575. 
Reclamation Service. 
Basement. 
Registry Division. 
Second floor. 
Fourteenth floor. 

Do. 
Ninth and sixteenth floors. 

Fourteenth floor. 
Do. 
Do. 

Electrician's shop. 



ELECTEIC LIGHTING OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 



851 



Table No. 3. — Light and power. 
[Consumption kilowatts.] 



Months. 



July 

August 

September . 

October 

November. 
December.. 
January . . . 
February . . 

March 

April 

May 

June 



Total. 



Value. 



1912 



98,840 
100,340 
105, 860 
117, 240 
115,590 
127,080 
123,970 



$15, 533. 19 



Fiscal years — 



1911 



88, 690 
93,535 
98,830 
106,040 
112,360 
121,590 
111,980 
111,510 
109,960 
102,980 
110, 480 
106, 250 



1,274,205 



$25,810.79 



1910 



94,620 
88, 150 
97,000 
100,270 
108, 140 
124,720 
120,730 
106,290 
103, 110 
97, 850 
96,520 
92, 580 



1,229,980 



$25,377.34 



1909 



103,250 
97,910 
98,300 
111, 790 
116,830 
129,890 
131, 580 
120,070 
131,200 
127,630 
106,510 
101,060 



1,376,020 



2,8&5.32 



86, 280 
87,460 
86, 110 
99,650 
104,870 
112,940 
129, 190 
124,840 
123,650 
123,670 
112, 250 
139,560 



1,330,470 



$40,000.20 



1907 



130, 130 
118,580 
108,840 
98,500 
86,010 
83,320 



625,380 



3, 728. 20 



1906 wattage not kept, $44,102.69. 



FISCAL YEAR 1907 



1906. 



July 

August 

September. 

October 

November. 
December.. 



Kilowatt 
hours. 



124,250 
136, 290 



Amount. 



$2,783.30 
2,876.40 
3, 012. 00 
3,480.00 
3,727.50 
4,088.70 



1907. 



January. . 
February . 

March 

April 

May 

June 



Total. 



Kilowatt 
hours. 



Amount. 



130,130 


$3,903.90 


118,580 


3,657.40 


108,840 


3,265.20 


98,500 


2,955.00 


86,010 


2,580.30 


83,320 


2,499.60 



38, 728. 20 



FISCAL YEAR 1908. 



1907. 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 



86,280 
87,460 
86,110 
99,650 
104,870 
112,940 



$2,588.40 
2, 623. 80 
2,683.30 
2,989.50 
3, 146. 10 
3, 388. 20 



1908. 



January . . 
February. 

March 

April 

May 

June 



Total. 



129,190 


$3,875.70 


124,840 


3,745.20 


123,650 


3,795.60 


123,670 


3,710.10 


112,250 


3,367.50 


139,560 


4,186.80 



40, 000. 20 



Minimum bill $40,000 to be paid whether used or not; current, 3 cents net. 



852 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY, 



Table No. 3. — Light cmd poner — Continued. 
FISCAL YEAR 1909. 



1908, 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 



Kilowatt 
hours. 



103, 250 
97,910 
98,300 
111,790 
116, 830 
129, 890 



Amount. 



83,097.50 
2, 497. 95 
2.502.51 
2, 660. 30 
2,719.31 
2, 872. 12 



1909. 



January . . 
February. 

March 

April 

May 

June 



Total. 



Kilowatt 
hours. 



131,580 
120,070 
131,200 
127, 630 
106,510 
101,060 



$2,891.89 
2, 757. 23 
2, 887. 44 
2,845.67 
2,598.57 
2,634.80 



32,865.32 



Minimum bill the same as 1908; 3 cents straight per kilowatt hour. 

FISCAL YEAR 1910. 



1909. 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 



94, 620 


88, 150 


97,000 


100,270 


108,140 


124,720 



32, 016. 01 
1,934.49 
2, 040. 00 
2, 087. 20 
2, 186. 36 
2,395.27 



1910. 



January.. 
February. 

March 

April 

May 

June 



Total. 



120,730 


82,345.00 


106,290 


2,163.05 


103,110 


2,122.99 


97,850 


2,056.71 


96,520 


2,039.95 


92,580 


1,990.31 



25,377.34 



Commonwealth Edison Co., 

Chicago, III.: 

For electric current for lighting and power purposes at the following rates: 

Primary charges. — Up to and including 20 kilowatts of the monthly maximum 
demand, $3.20 per month per kilowatt; next 30 kilowatts of the monthly maximum 
demand, $2.50 per month per kilowatt; excess over 50 kilowatts of the monthly maxi- 
mum demand, $2.20 per month per kilowatt. 

Secondary charges. — Up to and including 2,000 kilowatt hours consumption in any 
month, 6 cents per kilowatt hour; next 3,000 kilowatt hours consumption per month, 
3 cents per kilowatt hour; excess over 5,000 kilowatt hours per month, 1.4 cents per 
kilowatt hour; 10 per cent discount on secondary charge for payment of bill within 
10 days. 

Consumption to be measured by meters owned and installed by the company. 
Monthly maximum demand to be ascertained by a maximum recording meter or 
meters owned and installed by the company. 

The department reserves the right of four annual renewals at the above rates. 



ELECTRIC LIGHTING OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 



853 



Table No. 3. — Light and power — Continued. 
FISCAL YEAR 1911. 



1910 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 



Kilowatt 
hours. 



88, 690 
93, 535 
98,830 
106, 040 
112, 360 
121,690 



Amount. 



$1,941.29 
2, 002. 34 
1,967.86 
2, 058. 70 
2,296.74 
2, 386. 63 



1911. 



January . . 
February . 

March 

April 

May 

June 



Total. 



Kilowatt 
hours. 



111,980 
111,510 
109,960 
102,980 
110,480 
106,250 



Amount. 



$2,298.55 
2,220.03 
2,211.50 
2,152.15 
2, 125. 65 
2,149.35 



25,810.79 



Commonwealth Edison Co., 

Chicago, III.: 

For electric current for lighting and power purposes at the following rates: 

Primary charges. — Up to and including 20 kilowatts of the monthly maximum 
demand, 13.20 per month per kilowatt. Next 30 kilowatts of the monthly maximum 
demand, |2.50 per month per kilowatt; excess over 50 watts (kilo) of the monthly 
maximum demand, |2.20 per month per kilowatt. 

Secondary charges. — Up to and including 2,000 kilowatts hours consumption in any 
month, 6 cents per kilowatt. Next 3,000 kilowatt hours consumption per month, 3 
cents per kilowatt hour; excess over 5,000 kilowatt hours per month, 1.4 cents per 
kilowatt hour. 

Ten per cent discount on secondary charge for payment of bill within 10 days. 

As per proposal: Being the first annual renewal of contracts dated June 19, 1909, 
in which the department reserved the right of four annual renewals. 

FISCAL YEAR 1912. 





Kilowatt 
hours. 


Amount. 


July 


1911. 


98,840 
100,340 
105, 860 
117,240 
115,590 
127, 080 

123,970 


$1, 895. 38 


August - 


1,953.88 


September 


2,078.44 


October 


2,358.22 


November 


2,359.44 


December 


2, 499. 81 


Januarv 


1912. 


2,388.02 





Commonwealth Edison Co., 

Chicago, III.: 

For electric current for lighting purposes and for power services at the following 
rates: 

Primary charges. — Three dollars and twenty cents per kilowatt of maximum demand 
per month up to and including 20 kilowatts, 12.50 per kilowatt over 20 and up to and 
including 50 kilowatts of maximum demand, 12.20 per kilowatt for excess of maximum 
demand over 50 kilowatts. 

Secondary charges at following rates. — First 2,000 kilowatt hours per month, at 6 cents 
per kilowatt hour; next 3,000 kilowatt hour, at 3 cents; over 5,000 kilowatt hours, 
at 1.4 cents. 

Discount of 10 per cent on secondary chaises for payment within 10 days. 



854 KEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Washington, February 10, 1911, 

The Custodian, Post Office, 

Chicago, III. 

Sir: In view of the statement contained in your letter of January 30, 1911, so much 

of department letter dated May 6, 1911, as authorized electric current for the building 

in your custody during the present fiscal year, as per the proposal of the Commonwealth 

Edison Co. , is hereby amended to read as follows in lieu of the former secondary schedule 

of rates. 

Cents per 
kilowatt hour. 

First 2,000 kilowatt hours per month 6. 

Next 3,000 kilowatt hours per month 3. 

Next 25,000 kilowatt hours per month 1. 4 

Nexr 70,000 kilowatt hours per month 1, 2 

Excess over 100,000 kilowatt hours per month 1. 

Respectfully, 

R. 0. Bailey. 



REPORT ON ELECTRIC LIGHT AND POWER INSTALLATIONS 

IN THE UNITED STATES POST OFFICES, COURT AND CUSTOM HOUSES AT CLEVELAND, OHIO, 
CINCINNATI, OHIO, CHATTANOOGA, TENN., KNOXVILLE, TENN., BIRMINGHAM, ALA., MACON, GA. 

New York. 
The President's Commission on Economy and Efficiency, 

Washington, D. C. 

Gentlemen: I have the honor to submit the following report on electric light and 
power installations in the Cleveland, Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio, Chattanooga, Tenn., 
Knoxville, Tenn., Birmingham, Ala., and Macon, Ga., post offices, custom and 
court houses. 

This report gives the results of an investigation of the electric light and power instal- 
lations in each of these buildings. The purpose of these investigations was to deter- 
mine the present condition of these installations and whether any changes could be 
made in these installations that would result in an increase in the economy and 
efficiency of these installations. 

As a result of these investigations I recommend as follows: 

First. That detailed plans be made and specifications be drawn showing and cov- 
ering the changes which should be made to bring the electric light and power systems 
in these buildings up to date and to the present recognized standard of efficiency 
and economy. 

Second. That such changes and modifications in the pre.sent electric light and 
power systems in these buildings as are found by the Commission on Economy and 
Efficiency to be necessary to obtain the required efficiency and economy be made. 

Third. That detailed plans of the workrooms in these buildings, the location of 
their furniture, letter-distributing racks, bag and paper racks, distributing, sorting, 
and canceling machines, lights, etc.. be made by an actual survey at each building, 
and that a working scheme and plan be worked out for each workroom after careful 
discussion with the postmaster and other officials interested, looking to such changes 
and arrangements of these workrooms as will eliminate waste motion and time and 
progress the work in the most direct manner, resulting in an increase in economy 
and efficiency. 

Fourth. That such changes, modifications, and working plans shall be made under 
the supervision of, and as directed by, the Supervising Architect. 

Fifth. That a consulting engineer to the Supervising Architect shall be appointed 
at a compensation sufficient to obtain the services of a high-grade engineer, who 
shall have charge of the making of such investigations, plans, specifications, changes, 
reATsions. or modifications of existing electric lighting systems, subject to the super- 
vision and direction of the Supervising Architect. 

Sixth. That the commission take up the suggestion of an information bureau and 
see if such or a similar scheme can not be worked out, looking to the betterment of 
the service and increase in economy and efficiency. 

855 



856 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

I am of the opinion that the adoption of these recommendations will result in 
economy, at least as given in the following schedule: 





Per cent 
of sav- 
ings. 


Cost of light. 


Saving. 




Year. 


Amount. 


Cleveland 


29 

25 

30 

29.6 

38 

49 

36 


1911 
1910-11 
1911 
1911 
1910-11 
1911 
1911 


$8,481.28 
12,419.65 
2, 448. 00 
1,891.00 
3,333.56 
2,009.33 


$2, 459. 57 


Cincinnati 


3, 106. 91 


Chattanooga 


734. 40 


Knoxville 


560.00 




1,266.75 




984. 57 


Norfolk 


770. 76 










9, 882. 96 



or a total cost of $9,882.96 annuallj'. 

BUILDINGS AND THEIR CONDITION. 

These buildings are all fine specimens of architecture, particularly the Cleveland, 
Cincinnati, Chattanooga, and Macon buildings, the oldest in point of date of construc- 
tion being the Knoxville building, which is about 40 years old; the Cincinnati build- 
ing is about 26 years old; the Chattanooga building is about 20 years old; the Birming- 
ham building about 14 years old, and the Macon building about 3^ years old. I was 
unable to obtain the date of construction of the Cle^'eland building. 

The Cleveland building has a basement and five stories. 

The Cincinnati building has two basements and fiA^e stories. 

The Knoxville building has a basement and four stories. 

The Chattanooga building has a basement and five stories. 

The Birmingham building has a basement and four storie?. 

The Macon building has a basement and four stories. 

Generally speaking, they are all well designed and arranged, well heated and Aenti- 
lated, and well lighted by daylight and artificial light. 

POSTMASTERS AND THEIR LIMITATIONS. 

In no instance did I find one which was not kept clean and in good order and in 
which officials from the postmaster down were not desirous of doing all that lay in 
his power to maintain his building at the highest permissiMe point of economy and 
eflSciency, and so far as their limitations permit all of these liuildings are in such a 
condition, but the postmasters are limited and in a measure handicapped by the Gov- 
ernment red tape and routine through which everything has to pass at Washington 
before they are permitted to do anything, and in many cases their suggestions for bet- 
terment are unheeded and their re(piest« are turned down, or part of what they ask for 
is eliminated with the result that very little is done, no matter how desirous they may 
be for accomplishment. 

It would also seem as though the various postmasters should have greater freedom 
of action in making changes and repairs looking to the betterment of their buildings 
and should have such moneys sppropriated for their use as would enable them to do 
these things as their judgment might dictate, and without the necessity of submitting 
every simple matter to 'Washington for approval or disapproval. 

GOVERNME.NTT DEPARTMENTS AND CONTROL. 

There appears to be too many departments or divisions and too many different 
inspectors controlling these matters for rapid and efficient work. 



ELECTRIC LIGHTING OF FEDEEAL BUILDINGS. 857 

CROWDED CONDITIONS OF BUILDINGS. 

Some of these buildings are more or less crowded particularly in the workrooms; this 
is due largely to gradual growth of business during the period of years, and as regards 
the workrooms which are the vital parts of the post offices, it is largely due to an absence 
of any initial, well-worked-out scheme of arrangement which would permit of future 
growth and enlargement without changing or interfering with the routine of operation. 
They should be remodeled and put into the best possible working condition. 

WIRING SYSTEMS. 

The electric wiring system in all of these buildings, with the exception of the Cin- 
cinnati post office which is in very bad shape, are in good shape and up to modern con- 
ditions, having been in the older buildings more or less remodeled at recent times, and 
in the ncAver buildings installed in an up-to-date manner. 



Tungsten lamps are in general use in all of these buildings, although many of the 
original carbon lamps that were in use before the advent of the tungsten lamp are 
continued in operation until they break or give out from old age, when tungsten 
lamps are substituted therefor. 

This is not good practice for reasons already stated in my report on the Chicago 
Federal building, dated March 16, 1912, and should be discontinued and all carbon 
lamps replaced by tungsten lamps of proper capacities. 

FIXTURES. 

The fixtures in use in the various buildings are Governn^ent standard combination 
gas and electric fixtures in all but a very few instances, and are generally in good 
order. They are old style, however, and should have modern fixtmes substituted. 

SOURCE OF ELECTRIC CURRENT. • 

All of these buildings excepting the Cincinnati building purchase their electric 
current from the local electric light and power company, the Cincinnati building 
being equipped with its own current-generating plant. (See subreport on the Cin- 
cinnati building regarding this plant.) 

SOURCE OF HEAT FOR BUILDINGS. 

Two of these buildings, the Cleveland and the Birmingham, are heated by steam 
purchased from the local electric light and power company, the others having their 
own independent heating plant. 

HEATING SYSTEMS. 

All are heated by steam with the exception of the Cincinnati building, which has a 
hot-water heating system; all of the heating sj'stem^s are generally in good order and 
the buildings are satisfactorily heated. 

CRITICISMS. 

Notwithstanding the generally favorable conditions in which I found these build- 
ings and their light and power installations, there are certain conditions which obtain 
in all of them which are subject to criticism and which can be changed to great 
advantage with an appreciable betterment in both ecomony and efficiency of operation, 
viz: Fii'st, general lighting of buildings; second, lighting and working conditions of 
workrooms; third, working scheme and plan of workrooms; fourth, information 
bureau. 



858 EEPOKTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

GENERAL LIGHTING. 

The buildings are geaerally overlighted by artificial light, due largely to the use of 
cluster fixtures, such as 3, 4, 5, and 6 light chandeliers, and such as the Government 
still continue to install. 

"unit" system of lighting. 

The modern system of "unit" lightiug — that is, the use of. a single lamp of a candle 
power or wattage varying according to its position or surroimding conditions in the 
place of a cluster of lamps — ^is less expensive to install, less costly for lamp renewals 
and upkeep, and more eflicient in the use of electric current, so that generally by sub- 
stituting the "unit" light in the place of the cluster of lights in these buildings a cur- 
rent saving of from 25 to 40 per cent can usually be effected with a better placement and 
distribution of the lights and a better and more effective illuminating effect. (See 
my report on the Chicago Federal building, dated March 16, 1912, for mo)-e detailed 
information on this subject.) 

The "unit" system of lighting is certain to be adopted in nearly all cases,- and appro- 
priate designs for pendent fixtures should be prepared and all future buildings should 
have their lighting systems installed on this plan and all present buildings should be 
so remodeled. 

Such changes to "Unit" lighting I have recommended and have shown in the 
schedules of the subreports on these buildings forming part of this report. 

SECOND, working CONDITIONS AND LIGHTING OF WORKROOMS. 

Probably the most important part of any post office is the workrooms or place where 
the mail is received and distributed, and it is here in all of the post offices which I 
have examined that the lighting and working conditions are the least economical 
and efficient and where improvements can be made to the very great betterment of 
the service. 

At present the workrooms and especially the racks and other apparatus are lighted 
in all manner of ways, good, bad, and indifferent, mostly bad, and there is not a 
single present post office that could not be greatly benefited and whose workrooms 
would not be rendered more economical and efficient in operation by such a procedure. 

PRESENT ARRANGEMENT OF WORKROOMS. 

Generally the arrangement of the furniture and working mechanisms of the work- 
rooms is a growth by additions made here and there as convenience or necessity dic- 
tates and not as a part of any well-studied and worked-out plan, with the result, in 
many cases, that the work of receiving and distributing the mail does not proceed 
in a regular manner and by the most direct route, but requires considerable more 
handling and takes considerable more time than it should or would if the working 
layout was studied for each particular building and made in accordance with condi- 
tions existing at that particular point and workroom. 

PURPOSES OF WORKROOMS. 

Everything in the workroom, the furniture, letter-distributing racks, Isag and 
paper racks, distributing, sorting, and canceling machines, and the lighting of the 
same should be of the most practical form, and all with one sole object in view, viz, 
the reception, sorting, canceling, and distributing of the mail in the most direct and 
efficient manner. 

WORKING SCHEME AND PLAN OF WORKROOMS. 

This can be accomplished to the very best advantage by an actual study at the post- 
office buildings by a special independent expert familiar with the subject and its re- 
quirements, and one not a regular department employee of the Government. 



ELECTEIC LIGHTING OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 859 

The whole scheme should be carefully discussed with the postmaster and other 
officials interested, whose opinions and desires as to their particular building and 
workroom are entitled to and should receive ample consideration. 

WORKING PLAN AND SCHEME MADE AT THE BUILDING. 

A complete working scheme and plan should then be made at the building under 
consideration if possible, and not a distance in Washington, unseen by the one making 
the layout and plans, for the working conditions are different in different places, and 
no one scheme can or will fit them all; a complete local study is the best and only 
way to insure the most efficient and economical results. 

This also applies to the general lighting of the workrooms, and particularly to the 
special lighting of the letter, paper, and bag racks, and other apparatus which should 
receive the most careful consideration, and standard methods of lighting the racks 
and other apparatus should be thoroughly worked out and then adopted in all work- 
rooms, for what is best in this respect in one place is best in all. 

RESULT OF SUCH PRACTICAL STUDY OF CONDITIONS. 

Such a method of study of post-office conditions would also ultimately result in its 
being possible to lay out a post office for a given locality so that its operation would 
be up to the limit of efficiency and economy and so the future additions and changes 
could be made without interfering with the regular routine of the work. This can not 
be done by present methods. 

FOURTH. INFORMATION BUREAU. 

Another matter which it seems to me would be a great help and would facilitate 
progress would be to have what might be called an information bureau; a place to 
which all postmasters and other officials could freely make known their own indi- 
vidual ideas and opiaions regarding their buildings and work, and where they could 
make suggestions as to the furtherance and betterment of their work. A place where 
such statements would be received, carefully considered, and discussed with the 
postmaster and other officials and from which, as a finality, could be issued to the 
various departments a statement of the conditions and a notification of procedure. 

I have appended hereto a subreport on each of the post offices which I have ex- 
amined, together with schedules of the various fixtures and lamps now in these 
buildings and suggestions as to changes; also statements of the current consumed 
and the cost of the same, which see for detailed information. 

Respectfully submitted. 

E. R. Knowles. C. E., 

Coi'-!-dlinq Engineer. 

UNITED STATES POST OFFICE, CUSTOM AND COURT HOUSE, CLEVELAND, OHIO. 

The Cleveland (Ohio) post office, custom and court house is a large five-story and 
basement, granite structiure, designed by Arbold Brunner. The building is of recent 
construction and of imposing appearance, is well arranged as to waste spaces and 
accessibility and all of the rooms are well lighted by daylight. 

The interior finish and furnishing of the building are very fine, especially in the 
main corridor on the first floor, and the rooms occupied by the postmaster, district 
attorney, judges, and coiu-t. 

The building is in good order, clean and well kept, every possible effort in this 
direction, as well as for efficiency and economy, being made by the postmaster and 
hia afisistants. 

The principal officers are: Postmaster, Mr. R. G. FJovd; assistant postmaster, Mr. 
W. E. Schutt; chief engineer, Mr. J. T. Doyle. 



860 REPORTS OF COMMISSION OIST ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The building is heated by steam purchased from the C'leveland Electric Illuminating 
Co., under a yearly contract, although the building has a complete heating plant for 
use in case of emergency. 

The heating system is in good condition and the building is satisfactorily heated. 

The electric lighting and power is operated by current purchased from the Cleveland 
Electric Illuminating Co., who also furnish the steam for heating, and is direct in 
character for both lights and motors. 

There is no local plant in the building, although space has been provided for one 
and the main switchboard has been installed in such a manner that a plant can be 
connected thereto should this ever be necessary. 

The electric lighting system, which was installed about a year and a half ago, is 
modern and up to date and in good condition; the wiring is installed in metal conduit 
with base and floor plug outlets and control switches in the various rooms. 

The floor plug outlets are in bad shape, the conductors from them being unprotected, 
and in many instances the insulation of these conductors has been worn off near the 
floor by abrasion from the feet of people sitting on the desks where they are located. 
A relocation of floor plug outlets should be made where possible and all exposed under 
desks, tables, etc., should be fitted with a vertical pipe 15 to 18 inches long, through 
which the conductors can be passed, thus preventing the abrasive action mentioned. 

The cut-out boxes are up to date, with inclosed fuses and knife switches, and are in 
•good order. 

The fixtures are "Government" standard in design and modern in character. The 
fixtures in the main corridor and in the postmaster, court, and other rooms before men- 
tioned are very elaborate and ornamental, but very poor in arrangement so far aa 
effective lighting is concerned. The fixtures in these rooms can not well be changed 
without interfering with the artistic effect, although modem type direct or indirect 
alabaster bowls of ornamental design and suspension conld be substituted for them 
without marring the artistic appearance of these rooms and with a great betterment 
of the lighting effect. Nearly all reflectors and glassware are of the holophane type. 

Unit type fixtures could be substituted for the chandeliers in the various rooms, 
•or the present chandeliers altered to "unit" fixtures, which can readily be done, and 
provided with lamps of the capacities indicated in the schedule; the holophane re- 
flectors should be of the intensive type, and be satin finish, and the lamps' bowl frosted, 
•care being taken to get the lights suspended at such heights as will give the maximum' 
illuminating effect. All "unit" fixtures should be equipped with chain pull sockets 
:and Economy type pulls, so that each can be operated separately. 

Dale type portables equipped with holophane No. 457 metal reflectors should be 
substituted for the Almond portables now in use. 

The workroom is commodious and well day lighted, and while the general arrange- 
ment of distributing and canceling apparatus, letter, and bag racks is good, it could 
he greatly improved by a systematic study, at the building, of all the working con- 
•ditions involved and a careful rearrangement of the rooms in conformity thereto. 

The general illumination of the workroom is badly arranged, and it and the illumi- 
nation of the letter and bag racks could be much improved. 

The present rigid pendants of 6 lights each should be removed or altered, and ' ' unit " 
pendants substituted at points indicated, and provided with General Electric Co. 
mill-type metal reflectors and bowl-frosted tungsten lamps of capacities indicated in 
the schedule, and suspended at proper heights to give the maximum illumination 
■effect. 

The bag racks should be concentrated and so located that they will come imder the 
"Unit" pendents, thus obviating the necessity for special lighting for the same. 

The letter distributing racks are, as usual, very poorly lighted and should receive 
careful consideration and be relighted in the most approved manner. 



ELECTKIC LIGHTING OF FEDEKAL BUILDINGS. 861 

The building is mostly equipped with tungsten lamps, but the old carbon lamps are 
kept running until they give out before tungsten lamps are substituted. This is bad 
practice and uneconomical of current and should be stopped and the building properly 
lamped with tungsten lamps throughout. 

If the suggested changes in the lights and fixtures throughout the building are made, 
there will result a reduction in current consumption of about 29 per cent at full load, 
and the efficiency of operation will be largely increased. I attach hereto a schedule of 
the various fixtures and Lights throughout the building with the suggested changes, also 
a statement of the electric current consumed for light and power dining the year and 
the rate at which current is sold by the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co. 



862 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AXD EFFICIENCY. 






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ELECTEIC LIGHTING OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 



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ELEOTEIC LIGHTING OF FEDEEAL BUILDINGS. 

CLEVELAND ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING CO., CLEVELAND, OHIO. 



873 





Lights. 


Power. 




Units. 


Value 


Units. 


Value. 


1911. 


34, 703 
32,541 
33, 871 
29, 306 
27,650 
23,320 
20, 900 
22, 770 
25,250 
25,080 
28,510 
35, 260 

31, 150 
25,560 
25,025 
22,440 


«869. 82 
813.53 
846. 78 
732. 65 
691.25 
583.00 
522. 50 
569.25 
631. 25 
627.00 
712. 75 
881. 50 

778. 75 
637.00 
626. 25 
561.00 


5,504 
4,793 
6, 865 
6,398 
9,510 


$137. 60 


February 


119. 82 


March 


171.62 


April 


159. 95 


May 


237. 75 




8,660 ' 216.50 


July 


8,170 204.25 




7,270 ! 181.75 




7, 140 178. 50 




6,970 
7,470 
8,210 

9,850 
8,320 


174. 25 




186.76 


December 


205.25 


1912. 


246.25 


February 


208. 00 


March 


7,900 197.50 


April 


7, 900 j 197. 50 









The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co., 

Cleveland, Ohio. 
Gentlemen: You are informed that the department accepts your proposal dated 
October 11, 1909, as amended by your letter of November 22, 1909, for supplying a 
combined service for heating the United States custom house building, Cleveland, 
Ohio, and for furnishing electric current for light and power purposes during the cur- 
rent fiscal year ending June 30, 1911, the cost of the same to be paid from the appro- 
priation, "Fuel, lights, and water for public buildings, 1911," such service to begin 
when the building is permanently occupied, and not earlier than September 15, 
1910, and to be furnished under the following terms and conditions: 

steam heat. 

For heating the above-named building between the dates of September 15, 1910, 
and June 15, 1911, upon the basis of a fiat rate charge of $6,500 — assuming that the 
service will begin not later than September 15, 1910 — to be paid in eight equal and suc- 
cessive instalments of 1812.50, with a proportionate reduction, however, in the amount 
of the first payment which may be due for the current fiscal year, owing to the inabil- 
ity to complete and permanently occupy the building by September 15, 1910, and with 
the understanding that if the service does actually begin on September 15, 1910, the 
first payment will be made in October, 1910, and in the month of October each year 
thereafter during the continuance of the contract, it being further understood that 
you will furnish and install without expense to the Government, the steam heating 
service, including a main valve, located on the service supply pipe, together with an 
oil separator, which it is your intention to install to prevent any oil from passing said 
separator and entering the pipes and radiators of the building. The steam furnished 
will be free from any substance whatever which will in any way corrode or injure the 
pipes, radiators, or any other apparatus in the building, and that, with a normal radia- 
tion installed in the buQding, you further guarantee that the steam to be supplied will 
be sufficient at all times to heat the building in all its parts to a temperature of not 



874 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

less than 70° F., it bemg further understood and agreed that the Government will be 
permitted to exercise the privilege of renewing the authorization yearly at the end 
of the first fiscal year for a period of five successive years thereafter, at the same rate 
or any lower rate which may be hereafter agreed upon. 

ELECTRIC CURRENT. 

For supplying electric current for light and power purposes at the uniform rate of 
2^ cents per kilowatt hour, it being understood and agreed that the Government will 
furnish and renew all electric lamps repaired and that it will be permitted to exercise 
the privilege of renewing the authorization yearly for supplying electric current for 
light and power purposes (including the combined service for heating and lighting) 
at the end of the first fiscal year for a period of five successive years thereafter, at the 
same rate or any lower rate which may hereafter be agreed upon, based upon actual 
consumption and other commercial considerations, and with the further understanding 
that the Government will receive the benefit of any reduction in rates which may be 
offered to the public. 

There is inclosed herewith a blank bond which you are requested to execute in the 
penal sum of |3,000 as a guarantee for the faithful performance of the provisions of 
your contract. Your attention is specially invited to the rules attached to the bond, 
which must be carefully followed in its execution. 

You are requested to promptly acknowledge the receipt of this communication, 
and to take the necessary steps for providing the service authorized should it be 
required by September 15, 1910. 

Respectfully, , 

Assistant Secretary. 

"UNITED STATES POST OFFICE AND CUSTOMHOUSE, CINCINNATI, OHIO. 

The Cincinnati (Ohio) post office and customhouse is a five-story and two-basement 
granite structure occupying the block bounded by Walnut, Main, and Fifth Streets 
and Government Place, and is one of the older Government buildings, about 26 years. 

The principal ofiicers and assistants are: Postmaster, Col. E. R. Montford; custo- 
dian, Mr. P. Lincoln Mitchell; assistant custodian, Mr. Leslie Struble; electrician, 
Mr. A. L. Petrie. 

The building was originally lighted by gas only, and the present electric-light and 
power plants were installed about 10 years ago. 

The building is of fine appearance but somewhat unfortunate it its interior arrange- 
ment, considerable valuable space having been lost by placing the comdors on each 
floor next the inner court, thus having only one row of rooms on the outside of the 
building, whereas by a suitable placing of the corridors there could have been an 
inner row of rooms provided and the capacity of the building greatly increased. 

The building is heated by a hot-water system, which is in good order, and the build- 
ing is satisfactorily heated in the coldest weather. 

The electric lighting of this building is by means of its own current-generating 
plant located in the basement. 

The current used is direct, 115-230 volts in character. 

The electric-lighting system is in very bad shape and bad in every way. The 
conductors are run in wooden molding where concealed and in porcelain knobs where 
not concealed. A large portion of the branch wiring is twisted, cotton-covered twin- 
wire conductors run on small insulators on the ceilings and walls of the corridors and 
rooms, and in general the wiring system is of such a character as would not be allowed 
to be in operation if the installation was under the supervision of the insurance or 
other governing authorities. 



ELECTRIC LIGHTING OF FEDEEAL BUILDINGS. 875 

There are very few floor outlet boxes, and nearly all of the portable lights on the 
desks and tables are operated by loose conductors connected by plugs to the various 
chandeliers and fixtures, so that the rooms are a maze of these conductors running in 
all directions. 

The fixtures are combination gas and electric, of an old type, and not at all modern 
or up to date. This is particularly ti'ue of the corridor fixtures, especially those on 
the first floor. 

There are very few, if any, room-control switches for the lights in each room, with 
the result that many more lights are burning at times than are necessary, resulting in 
an undue use or waste of current. 

The whole lighting system should be carefully replanned, remodeled, and reinstalled 
and brought up to date in every particular, all conductors to be of the highest grade 
of wire and insulation, all to be concealed in conduit or metal molding, floor and base 
outlet boxes introduced, individual room control switches properly placed, the 
"unit" system of lighting introduced, and the building properly relamped, removing 
all carbon lamps at once and substituting tungstens therefor, as it is poor practice to 
bum a carbon lamp just because it is alive, giving a poor light for a large consumption 
of current. 

The way in which it is required to obtain lamps from the Government, however, 
makes the operation of relamping a very glow process and materially interferes 
with the prompt substitution of tungsten for carbon lamps. 

The Almond type of portable fixture largely in use with the small metal reflectors 
are very inefficient, and Dale Universal fixtures should be substituted therefor, using 
the Holophane No. 457 metal reflector, thereby securing a maximum of efficiency 
with a minimum of current expenditure. 

The electric current generating plant is in fair condition. It has been in use some 
10 years and has materially depreciated in that time, besides consisting of apparatus 
which is not as economical as the more modem machinery is. Some of the engines 
and generators are not as economical as they should be, and I understand that the 
Government has just contracted for two new engines to take the place of some of 
these now in use. 

After a comparison of the estimated cost of generating the current by the isolated 
plant in the building as against the estimated cost of operation if the current was 
purchased from the local Union Gas & Electric Co., it was found, all things being 
considered, that it was about as economical to operate the lights and motors by the 
isolated plant in the building and heat the building as by the purchase of electric 
current from an external source, total cost for 1910 and 1911 by the use of the isolated 
plant being (estimated) 124,163 per year, and the total cost of current by use from an 
external source being estimated at $23,615 per year. 

These figures are estimated and approximately correct and might be modified 
somewhat by closer investigation, but they are sufficiently accurate to show that the 
total cost of operating the lighting and heating plant in this building, either by means 
of the local isolated plant or by means of electric current purchased from the Union 
Gas & Electric Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, are practically the same, the balance being 
slightly in favor of the Union Gas & Electric Co.; but the isolated plant is safer in 
that there is no chance for it to completely break down and leave the building en- 
tirely without current as there might be by the use of the external source of current; 
however, this difficulty can be overcome by the Union Gas & Electric Co. bringing 
more than one feeder into the building. It is not likely that more than one feeder 
would be down at a time. 

The layout of the workroom in this post office, while not all that could be desired, 
is still very much better than in most post offices which I have examined . This should 
be carefully looked into and especially so as regards the lighting of the various racks, 



876 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

tables, and other furniture, the latter and bag racks being poorly and inadequately 
lighted at present. 

I append hereto a table showing the current consumption for the fiscal year 1910-11, 
a comparative statement of the costs per kilowatt hoiu" for electric current generated 
by the building plant, and current obtained from an external source, and also a tabu- 
lation of the lamps and wattage of the same now in use and of the lamps and wattage 
if changed to "unit" lighting as suggested by me. 

From this it will be seen that a possible saving of 25 per cent of the total current can 
be effected if the suggested changes in the lighting are made. 



1910. 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 



Light. 



24,700 
23,460 
25,300 
28,280 
29,000 
34,790 



Power. 



3,110 
3,390 
2,970 
2,940 
2,670 
2,830 



1911 

January , 

February , 

March , 

April , 

May , 

June , 

Total , 



Light. 



33, 400 
28, 790 
31,010 
28, 170 
26,290 
25, 130 



338,410 



Power. 



2,640 
2,630 
2,990 
2,760 
2,760 
3,030 



34,720 



Total, 373,130 kilowatt hours. 



ELECTEIG LIGHTING OF FEDEEAL BUILDINGS. 



877 





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881 



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72734— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3- 



-56 



882 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 



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ELECTEIC LIGHTHsTG OF FEDEEAL BUILDIIsrGS. 



885 



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886 REPORTS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EPPICIBNCY. 



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ELECTKIC LIGHTING OF FEDEEAL BUILDINGS. 



887 



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P5 O:; 02 



888 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 
UNITED STATES POST OFFICE AND COURTHOtTSE, KNOXVILLE, TENN. 

This is a white stone building with four stories and basement and was built about 
1872, and remodeled in 1909, at which time new fixtures were installed and the wiring 
system remodeled. 

The principal officers are: Postmaster, Mr. Cary F. Spence; assistant postmaster, 
Mr. W. L. Clapp; custodian, Mr. James G. Crumbliss; electrician, Mr. W. R. Samuel. 

The building is in good order, clean and well kept up and every possible effort in 
this direction as well as for efficiency and economy being made l)y the postmaster and 
Ms assistants. 

The fourth or attic floor is unfinished and unoccupied, and this space could be made 
available if properly finished off and lighted. 

The building is heated by steam from its own local heating plant, the heating system 
is in good order and the heating of the building is satisfactory. 

Electric current is purchased from the Knoxville Railway & Lighting Co., and alter- 
nating for the lights and direct for the elevator motor. 

The electric-lighting system has been brought up to date ; the wiring is installed in 
metal conduits, with base and floor plugs and control switches in the various rooms. 
These control switches, all of the "snap" type, are unsatisfactory and should be 
changed for the more modern type of "push" switch. 

The wiring in the basement is poor and in wooden molding, and all lamp pendents 
are of twisted circuit wire. The basement wiring should be remodeled and proper 
"code" cord pendents installed. 

The cut-out boxes are up to date, with inclosed fuses and knife switches, and are 
in good order. 

The fixtures are "Government" standard in design and of modern type. 

The building has too much light as at present constituted; "unit" type fixtures 
should be substituted for the chandeliers in the various rooms with lamps of the 
capacities in the schedule; holophane reflectors should be of the intensive type and 
be satin finish, and the lamp's bowl frosted, care being taken to get the lights sus- 
pended at such heights as will give the maximum illuminating effect. 

All "unit" fixtiu-es should be equipped with chain-pull sockets and "Economy" 
type pull, so that each can be operated separately. 

"Sale" type portables equipped with holophane No. 457 metal shades should be 
substituted for the Almond portables now in use. 

The workroom is large and roomy and fairly well arranged, but could be considerably 
bettered by a careful local study of the working conditions. 

The general illumination of this room is too great and badly placed; all chandeliers 
should be removed and "unit" pendents substituted and provided with General 
Electric Co. mill- type metal reflectors and bowl- frosted lamps of capacities indicated in 
the schedule and suspended at proper heights to give the maximum illuminating effect. 

The letter-distributing racks are, as usual, very poorly lighted and should receive 
careful consideration and be relighted in the most approved manner. 

The bag racks should be so located that they will come under the "unit" pendents, 
thus obviating the necessity for special lighting for the same. 

The building is only partly equipped with tungsten lamps, the old carbon lamps 
being kept running until they give out before tungsten lamps are substituted. This 
as bad practice, uneconomical of current and inefficient as to lighting, and should be 
stopped and the building properly lamped with tungsten lamps throughout. 

If the suggested changes in the lights and fixtures throughout the building ai'e made, 
there will result a reduction in current consumption of about 29.6 per cent at full load, 
and the efficiency of operation will be largely increased. 

I attach hereto a schedule of the various fixtures and lights tlu'oughout the building, 
with suggested changes, also a statement of the electric current consumed for light and 
power diuing the year 1912, and the rate at which current is sold by the Knoxville 
Railway & Lighting Co. 



ELECTRIC LIGHTING OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 



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892 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Hon. J. G. Crumbliss, 

Custodian, etc., City. 
Dear Sir: Herewith I hand you proposal for electric current for United States 
post office and customhouse building at this place. 

1. (a) Incandescent electric lighting, not including free renewals of lamps, 6 cents 
net per kilowatt hour; 2 postal canceling machine service, 6 cents net per kilowatt 
hour; and 3-pump ventilating fan and elevator motor service, 6 cents net per kilo- 
watt hour. 

Yours, very truly, G. H. Harvey, President. 

Lights and electrical power. 

June quarter, 1911, 7,878 kilowatt hours $472. 68 

September quarter, 1911, 7,065 kilowatt hours 423. 90 

December quarter, 1911, 8,618 kilowatt hours 517. 08 

March quarter, 1911, 11,449 kilowatt hours 686.94 

2, 100. 60 

UNITED STATES POST OFFICE AND CUSTOMHOUSE, CHATTANOOGA, TENN. 

This is a very fine white stone building with five stories and a basement and is ia 
two connecting parts, the first part being finished in 1892 and the extension in 1910. 
It is finely finished and appointed interiorly and is quite up to date in every way. 

It is in good order, clean and well kept up, every possible effort in this direction as 
Well as for efficiency and economy being made by the postmaster and his assistants. 

The principal officers are: Postmaster and custodian, Mr. W. Scott Raulston; engi-- 
neer, Mr. W. G. Jones. 

The building is heated by steam from its own local heating plant, and is not as. 
satisfactory in operation as it should be, the old section being installed on a two-pipe 
system and the new building on a one-pipe system, the two being coupled together 
causing trouble at times. The building is sufficiently heated. 

Electric current is purchased from the Chattanooga Light & Power Co., and is 
alternating for the lights and direct for the motors. 

The electric-lighting system is up to date; the wiring is installed in metal conduit 
with base plugs and control switches in the various rooms; there are no floor boxes. 
The control switches are of the snap type and are not what they should be. 

The cut-out boxes are up to date with inclosed fuses and knife switches, and are in 
good order. 

The wiring system is in good shape, except in the basement where there is a good 
deal of loose work, the connections to the service boards and motors being very poor, 
and should be properly reinstalled, and the main service board should be properly 
inclosed. 

The fixtures are "Government" standard in design and modern in character, the 
chain pendent fixtures for "unit" lights in the lobby being particularlj' fine and a 
good type for use wherever "unit" pendent fixtures are required. 

All reflectors and glassware are of the Holophane type. 

"Unit" type fixtures should be substituted for the chandeliers in the various rooms, 
with lamps of the capacities indicated in the schedule; the Holophane reflectors should 
be satin finish and the lamp's bowl frosted; care being taken to get the lights sus- 
pended at such heights as will give the maximum illuminating effect. 

All "unit" fixtures should be equipped with chain-pull socket and "Economy" 
type pulls, so that each can be operated separately. 

"Dale" type portables, equipped with Holophane No. 457 metal shades, should be 
substituted for the "Almond" portables now in use. 



ELECTRIC LIGHTING OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 893 

The workroom is not well laid out, but is in a mixed condition, due to growth of 
business and additions being made from time to time without any definite initial plan; 
a general rearrangement of the letter racks and other furniture is required. 

The general illumination of the workroom is faulty and should be changed. All 
chandeliers should be removed and "unit" pendents substituted at points indicated, 
and provided with General Electric Co. mill type metal reflectors and bowl frosted 
tungsten lamps of capacities indicated in the schedule, and suspended at proper 
heights to give the maximum illuminating effect. 

The letter-distributing racks are, as usual, very poorly lighted and should receive 
careful consideration and be relighted in the most approved manner. 

The bag racks should be so located that they will come under the "unit" pendents, 
thus obviating the necessity for special lighting for the same. 

The building is almost entirely equipped with tungsten lamps, but the practice, 
which obtains here, of keeping the old carbon lamps burning until they give out 
before tungstens are substituted is uneconomical and should be stopped and the build- 
ing properly lamped with tungsten lamps throughout. 

If the suggested changes in the lights and fixtures throughout the building are made, 
there will result a reduction in current consumption at full load of about 38 per cent 
and the efficiency of operation will be largely increased. 

I attach hereto a schedule of the various fixtures and lamps throughout the building 
with suggested changes, also a statement of the electric current consumed for light 
and power during the year 1911, and the rate at which current is sold by the Chatta- 
nooga Light & Power Co. 



894 KEPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 



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ELECTEIC LIGHTING OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 



897 



Electric current, January, 1911, to January, 1912. 
[Chattanooga light and power.] 



Date. 



1911. 

Jan. 31 

Feb. 28 

Mar. 31 

Apr. 30 

May 31 

June 30 

July 31 

Aug. 31 



Light. 


Power. 


Amount. 


Kw. hr. 


Kw. hr. 




437 


131 


S270.06 


398 


137 


247.02 


311 


152 


195. 96 


320 


202 


204. 12 


271 


133 


170.58 


249 


173 


159. 78 


240 


137 


152. 22 


257 


44 


156. 84 



Date. 



1911. 

Sept. 30 

Oot. 30 

Nov. 30 

Dec. 31 

1912. 
Jan. 31 



Light. 


Power. 


Kw. hr. 


Kw. hr. 


244 


22 


276 


240 


323 


62 


345 


180 


409 


286 



Amount. 



$147. 72 
180.00 
197.52 
217.80 



262. 5S 



April 4, 1912. 



PROPOSAL FOR ELECTRIC CURRENT. 



The undersigned hereby agrees to furnish to the United States customs building at 
Chattanooga, Tenn., electric current for light and power purposes under the following 
conditions, and at the prices named, for the fiscal year ending Jime 30, 1913: 

1. Lighting. — (a) Incandescent electric lighting, not including free renewal of 
lamps, 6 cents per kilowatt hour. (6) Incandescent electric lighting, including free 
renewal of 40-watt Gem lamps, 12 cents for first, 5 per cent of possible maximum 
kilowatt hours if used continuously for 30 days; 6 cents for all in excess during this- 
same period. 

2. Postal canceling machine, 6 cents per kilowatt hour. 

3. Pump, ventilating fans, and elevator motor service, 6 cents per kilowatt hour. 

4. Statement relative to waiving discount period offered for prompt payments. 
All rates given above are net as per paragraph 3 on opposite page. 

5. We propose to furnish alternating current for electric lamps, but not less than 

direct volts and not more than volts at the building. 

(Signed) W. E. Boilian, 

(Oflacial title) General Manager, 

Chattanooga Light & Power Co. 

UNITED STATES CUSTOMHOUSE AND POST OFFICE, BIRMINGHAM, ALA. 

This building is a brick structure, with stone trimmings and clock tower, has four 
stories and a basement, and was built in 1898. 

The principal officers are: Postmaster and custodian, Mr. T. H. Aldrich; assistant 
postmaster, Mr. A. D. Smith; electrician, Mr. M. G. Lewis. 

It is in good order, clean, and well kept up, but somewhat crowded. The fourth 
story, or attic, is practically empty and could be utilized if put in proper shape. 
Every possible effort is being made by the postmaster and his assistants to keep the 
building up to a high grade of economy and efficiency. 

The building is heated by steam, which is at present supplied by the Birmingham 
Railway, Light & Power Co., who also supply the electric current for the building. 
The heating system is in good order, and the building is heated satisfactorily. 

The electric current is direct in character for both lights and power. 

The electric-lighting system is in good order, the building having been revised in 
1910; the wiring is in metal conduit, with the exception of a portion in the basement, 
which has been left in wooden molding, as originally installed. There are floor and 
base plugs and control switches of the push-button type in the various rooms. 
72734— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 57 



898 REPOKTS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The cut-out boxes are up to date, with inclosed fuses and knife switches, and are 
in good order. 

The fixtures are "Government" standard in design and of modem type. 

All reflectors and glassware are Holophane type. 

"Unit" type fixtures should be substituted for the chandeliers in the various rooms 
with lamps of the capacities indicated in the schedule; the Holophane reflectors 
should be satin finish and the lamp bowls frosted, care being taken to get the lights sus- 
pended at such heights as will give the maxium illuminating effect. 

All "Unit" fixtures should be equipped with chain pull and "Economy" tjrpe 
pull socket so that each can be operated separately. 

"Dale" type portables, equipped with Holophane No. 457 metal shades, should be 
substituted for the "Almond " portables now in use. 

The workroom is fairly well laid out and with the changes which the postmaster 
is introducing will be in good shape for the rapid progression of the work. 

The general illumination of the workroom should be remodeled, all chandeliers 
should be removed, and "Unit" pendants substituted at points indicated, and provided 
with a General Electric Go. mill type metal reflector and bowl-frosted lamps of capaci- 
ties indicated in the schedule, and suspended at proper heights to give the maximum 
illuminating effect. 

The letter racks, as usual, are very poorly lighted and should receive careful con- 
sideration and be relighted in the most approved manner. 

The bag racks should be so located that they will come under the "Unit" pendants 
as nearly as possible, thus obviating the necessity for special lighting for the same. 

The building is almost entirely equipped with timgsten lamps, but the practice 
which obtains of keeping the old carbon lamps burning until they give out before 
tungstens are substituted is uneconomical and should be stopped, and the building 
properly lamped with tungsten lamps throughout. 

If the suggested changes in the lights and fixtures throughout the building are made 
there will result a reduction of about 30 per cent in current consumption at full load, 
and the efficiency of operation will be largely increased. 

I attach hereto a schedule of the various fixtures and lamps throughout the building 
with suggested changes, also a statement of the current consumed for light and power 
during the year 1910-11 and a copy of the contract for the supply of electric current 
by the Railway Light & Power Co. 



ELECTEIO LIGHTING OF FEDEBAL BUILDINGS. 



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ELECTEIC LIGHTING OF FEDEKAL BUILDINGS. 903 

birmingham railway, light & power co. 

March 14, 1911. 
Electric current for lighting service at the following-named rates, with discounts 
if paid by the 10th of the month following service: 

Twelve cents per kilowatt, to be changed in 1912 to 10 cents. Under 25 kilowatts, 
10 per cent; over 1,000 kilowatts, 37^ per cent; over 25 kilowatts, 15 per cent; over 
1,500 kilowatts, 40 per cent; over 150 kilowatts, 20 per cent; over 2,000 kilowatts, 42^ 
per cent; over 250 kilowatts, 25 per cent; over 2,500 kilowatts, 45 per cent; over 400 
kilowatts, 30 per cent; over 3,000 kilowatts, 47§ per cent; over 500 kilowatts, 35 per 
cent; over 3,500 kilowatts, 50 per cent. 

Electric cvirrent for operating canceling machine and elevator at 7 cents per kilo- 
watt hour, with discounts as follows if bills are paid by the 10th of the month following 
service: Up to 450 kilowatts, 10 per cent; over 450 kilowatts, 15 per cent. 

Heating, 1910-1911. — Three hundred dollars for season, flat rate. Two-pipe gravity 
system heating, part direct, part indirect, all used. All in good order. 

Building warm in winter. Ventilating fan put in workroom by postmaster; 36- 
inch electric exhaust. Works O. K. 
Steam heat : 

1910— Oct. 31 150. 85 

Nov. 30 180. 71 

Dec. 30 248. 99 

1911— Jan. 31 158.56 

Feb. 28 127. 96 

March : 111.40 

AprU 72. 08 

May 23.49 

Liglit and power. 



1910. 

July 1287.64 

August 285.95 

September 299. 10 

October 328.55 

November 325. 52 

December 296. 56 



1911. 

January $335. 15 

February 306. 89 

March 290. 65 

April 347.97 

May 276.16 

June 244. 10 



3,623.44 
UNITED STATES CXJSTOMHOTJSE AND POST OFFICE, MACON, GA. 

This is a very beautiful white-marble building, with three stories and a basement, 
and was built in 1908. 

The principal officers are: Postmaster and custodian, Mr. H. S. Edwards; assistant 
postmaster, Mr. H. Rudisill. 

The building is in good order, clean, and well kept up, every possible effort in this 
direction, as well as for efficiency and economy, being made by the postmaster and his 
assistants. 

The building is heated by a hot-water system which is in good order and satisfactory 
in every way. 

Electric current is purchased from the Macon Railway & Light Co., and is alternat- 
ing for the lights and canceling machines and direct for the elevator motor. 

The electric -lighting system is up to date, the wiring is installed in metal conduit, 
with base and floor plugs and control switches in the various rooms. 

Chain-pull sockets and chandelier pendent switches are provided. 



904 KEPORTS OF COMMISSIOK^ ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The cut-out boxes are up to date with inclosed fuses and knife switches and are in 
good order. 

Key-lock switches control the various corridor lights. 

The fixtures are "Government" standard in design and of modern type. 

All reflectors and .glassware are of the Holophane type. 

Only criticism is that the building has too much light. 

"Unit" type fixtures should be substituted for the chandeliers in the various rooms 
with lamps of the capacities indicated in the schedule; the holophane reflectors should 
be satin finish and the lamps bowl frosted, care being taken to get the lights sus- 
pended at such heights as will give the maximum illuminating effect. 

All "Unit" fixtures should be equipped with chain pull sockets and "Economy" 
type pulls so that each can be operated separately. 

"Dale" type portables, equipped with holophane No. 457 metal shades, should be 
substituted for the "Almond" portables now in use. 

The workroom is well laid out as to rapid progression of work, but the letter racks 
require careful relighting in the most approved manner. 

The general illumination is too great and all chandeliers should be removed and 
"Unit" pendants substituted at points indicated, and provided with G. E. Co. 
mill type metal reflectors and bowl frosted lamps of capacities indicated in the 
schedule,. and suspended at proper heights to give the maximum illuminating effect. 

The bag racks should be so located that they will come under the "Unit" pendants 
thus obviating the necessity for special lighting on the same. 

The letter-distributing racks are, as usual, very poorly lighted and should receive 
careful consideration and be relighted in the most approved manner. 

The building is alrriost entirely equipped with tungsten lamps, but the practice 
which obtains here of keeping the old carbon lamps burning until they give out is 
bad and should be stopped and the building properly lamped with tungsten lamps. 

If the suggested changes in the lights and fixtures throughout the building are made, 
there will result a reduction in current consumption at full load of about 49 per cent 
and the efiiciency of operation will be largely increased. 

I attach hereto a schedule of the various fixtures and lamps throughout the building 
with suggested changes, and a statement of the electric current consumed for light and 
power during the year 1911, and the rate at which current is sold by the Macon Railway 
& Light Co. 



ELECTKIC LIGHTING OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 



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908 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

Macon Railway & Light Co., Macon, Ga. 

post office, mtjlberry street. 

Power. 
1911. 

January, 273 k. w., at 7J cents flat |20. 47 

February, 218 k. w., at 7^ cents flat. 16.35 

March, 180 k. w., at 7^ cents flat 13. 50 

April, 202 k. w., at 7^ cents flat 15.15 

May, 272 k. w., at 7^ cents flat • 20. 40 

June, 170 k. w., at ^\ cents flat • 12. 75 

July, 186 k. w., at 7| cents flat 13.95 

August, 184 k. w., at7^cent3flat 13.80 

September, 178 k. w., at 7^ cents flat 13. 35 

October, 215 k. w., at 7^ cents flat 16.12 

November, 240 k. w., at 7^ cents flat 18.00 

December, 262 k. w., at 7i cents flat 19.65 

Total (2, 580 k. w. ) 193. 49 

Lights. 
1911. 

January, 3,585 k. w., at 7i cents flat $268.87 

February, 2,956 k. w., at 7^ cents flat .\ 221.82 

March, 2,706 k. w., at 7^ cents flat 202.95 

April, 2,441k. w., at 7^ cents flat : 183.07 

May, 2,233 k. w., at 7^ cents flat 167.47 

June, 1,620 k. w., at 7^ cents flat 121.50 

July, 1,662 k. w., at 7^ cents flat 124. 65 

August, 1,830 k. w., at 1\ cents flat , 137. 25 

September, 1,687 k. w., at 7 1 cents flat 129.52 

October, 1,700 k. w., at 7^ cents flat 127.50 

November, 2,068 k. w., at 7^ cents flat 155.10 

December, 2,308 k. w., at 7^ cents flat 172.72 

Total (26,791 k. w.) 2,009.32 

Power 193.49 

2, 202. 81 



ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INDEPEND- 
ENT PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE 



909 



INTERIM REPORT ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INDEPENDENT 
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE. 



May 6, 1912. 

The President : At your request the Commission on Economy and 
Efficiency has undertaken to investigate the various Government 
services having to do with matters pertaining to public health and 
submits the following preliminary report on the advisability of 
establishing a Government service, independent of existing executive 
departments, to have charge of those activities that pertain to the 
public health. 

The interim recommendations of the commission on this subject 
are : 

(1) That provision be made by law for the establishment of an 
independent public-health service. 

(2) That provision be made in the law creating that service for the 
transfer to it of bureaus or divisions in the executive departments 
concerning which there is no doubt as to their distinct public-health 
purpose, and among those the following: 

{a) The Bureau of Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service, 
now under the Department of the Treasury. 

(&) The Bureau of Chemistry, or that part of it charged with the 
investigation of the adulteration of foods, drugs, and liquors, and 
with the execution and enforcement of the act of Congress entitled, 
''An act for preventing the manufacture, sale, or transportation of 
adulterated or misbranded or poisonous or deleterious foods, drugs, 
medicines, and liquors and for regulating traffic therein, and for other 
purposes," approved June 30, 1906, now in the Department of 
Agriculture. 

(c) The Division of Vital Statistics, Bureau of the Census, now in 
the Department of Commerce and Labor. 

(3) That provision be made in the law for the grant of authority 
to the President to transfer to said Public Health Service the whole 
or any part of any bureau, division, or other branch of the Govern- 
ment engaged in work pertaining to the public health, except the 
Medical Department of the Army, and the Bureau of Medicine and 
Surgery of the Navy, when upon investigation he is of the opinion 
that it wUl be for the best interests of the public to make the transfer. 

911 



912 KEPORTS OP COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

(4) That provision be made also for certain new bureaus under 
said Public Health Service, to take charge of lines of work not cov- 
ered by other subdivisions of said service or other bureaus, divisions^ 
or branches of the Government. 

(5) That the Director of the Public Health Service be authorized, 
with the approval of the President, to rearrange the organization 
and work of the several bureaus and divisions covered by his service 
in such manner as will bring about a better coordination of said 
subdivisions. 

(6) That provision be made by the law for the transfer of funds 
appropriated with each service transferred, and for the apportion- 
ment of funds for each bureau or division rearranged by the director 
of the service. 

The foregoing recommendations represent the conclusions which 
have been reached by the commission as the result of its study of the 
work now being done in the several executive departments in the 
protection and promotion of the public health. In other reports the 
commission has emphasized the economy and efficiency to be at- 
tained through the bringing together, under the same general direc- 
tion, of those services whose activities f aU within the same field. 

The commission has studied in detail the work of the several serv- 
ices aaid branches of the Government having to do with matters of 
public health, and has reached the conclusion that until the several 
bureaus and divisions are brought together under a common direc- 
tion it will be impossible for the Government to have a definite 
health program which is adapted to the needs of the people or for 
public-health matters to receive the attention their importance 
deserves; nor can the existmg services accomplish the results that 
should be obtained from the money expended in their maintenance 
and operation. 

The creation of an independent Public Health Service is recom- 
mended by the commission in order to accomplish three purposes: 
(1) To insure that a work of such commanding importance to the 
people wiU receive the special attention that it deserves; (2) to pro- 
vide an organization best adapted to doing health work; and (3) to 
relieve existing departments of duties in no way germane to their 
chief functions and which, therefore, detract from rather than add 
to their efficiency. 

In respect to the first of these points the commission is mfluenced 
not only by the importance and variety of the work now being done 
by the Government in this field but by the certamty that public 
opinion will demand that the Government do much more each year. 
It may be said that only within recent years has the country been 
aroused to the importance from the national standpoint of the sub- 
ject of public health. That this awakened interest must lead to the 
assumption by the National Government of new duties and responsi- 



INDEPENDENT PUBLIC HEALTH SEEVICE. 913 

bilities in this field is almost certain. It is not necessary, however, 
to base a recommendation for an independent Public Health Service 
upon future needs. At the present time the operations of the Gov- 
ernment in this field are sufficient to warrant the creation of an inde- 
pendent service to care for them. In the Marine-Hospital quarantine 
and immigrant-inspection work of the Bureau of Pubhc Health and 
Marine-Hospital Service of the Treasury Department; in the scientific 
research work done in that bureau; in the enforcement of the pure- 
food, drug, and liquor act, through the Bureau of Chemistry of the 
Department of Agriculture; in the comprehensive efforts being made 
by the Division of Vital Statistics of the Bureau of the Census, De- 
partment of Commerce and Labor; and in the special work being 
done by various Other subdivisions the Government is now doing 
work pertaining directly to pubhc health and sanitation, and that 
work requires the maintenance of elaborate services and the expendi- 
ture of milhons of dollars annually. 

The commission has considered the question as to whether the 
advantages to be derived from the correlation of these several services 
could not be secured by assembling them under some one of the 
existing executive departments. Such examination, however, has 
convinced the commission that this would not reach the end desired 
unless all the activities which are not directly related to health work be 
first transferred from such department. It believes that the attempt 
to group these several services under a department whose major 
interest would be in other fields would result in little, if any, improve- 
ment over existing conditions. At the same time the commission 
recognizes the inadvisability of adding to the number of executive 
departments if such action can be avoided. It is for this reason that 
it recommends the creation of a service which, while independent of 
other departments, will not itself have the status of a department 
unless after such a service has been developed and a better basis 
exists for judgment it is found that an additional department is 
needed. It may be that by redistribution of activities the same en(^ 
may be reached without increasing the number of departments. 

The services which the commission believes should be transferred 
by law as subdivisions of the proposed Public Health Service do not 
represent all of the bureaus, divisions, and subdivisions performing 
work in connection with the public health and sanitation. There are 
a number of other services whose activities in whole or in part fall in 
this field. These other services have grown up, however, as parts of 
organizations created for the performance of work in fields other thaii 
that of public health and sanitation. Only a painstaking investi- 
gation of the exact nature of the work now being performed by such 
services, and its relation to other activities performed by the bureaus 
and departments in which such services are located, will make it pos- 
72734— H. Doc. 1252, 62-3 58 



914 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON" ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

sible to determine whether or not it will be in the interest of economy 
and efficiency to have such work performed as at present, or trans- 
ferred to and made a part of the Public Health Service. The commis- 
sion has undertaken detailed studies of the history, organization, 
and activities of these services. Until the results of such studies are 
available the commission believes that it would be a mistake to trans- 
fer the work of such services. 

It is for this reason that the commission has restricted its recom- 
mendations concerning the services to be immediately made parts 
of the Public Health Service to those few services concerning the 
propriety of whose incorporation in the Public Health Service there 
can be but little difference of opinion. It is satisfied that such 
further investigation of other services having to do with public 
health matters will establish clearly that some of these services, or 
certain parts of their activities, should be transferred to the pro- 
posed Public Health Service. The commission accordingly recom- 
mends that the act providing for the creation of such Public Health 
Service should authorize the President hereafter to transfer such 
other services or parts of services to the independent Public Health 
Service to be created as, in his opinion, is for the best interests of 
the public. In making this recommendation the commission has 
followed the precedent established by the act creating the Depart- 
ment of Commerce and Labor. That act provided as follows : 

The President be, and he is hereby, authorized, by order in writing, to transfer at 
any time the whole or any part of any office, bureau, division, or other branch of the 
public service engaged in statistical or scientific work from the Department of State, 
the Department of the Treasury, the Department of War, the Department of Justice, 
the Post Office Department, the Department of the Navy, or the Department of the 
Interior to the Department of Commerce and Labor; and in every such case the duties 
and authority performed by and conferred by law upon such office, bureau, division, 
or other branch of the public service, or the part thereof so transferred, shall be thereby 
transferred with such office, biueau, division, or other branch of the public service, 
or the part thereof which is so transferred. And all power and authority conferred 
by law, both supervisory and appellate, upon the department from which such trans- 
fer is made, or the Secretary thereof, in relation to the said office, bureau, division, 
or other branch of the public service, or the part thereof so transferred, shall imme- 
diately, when such transfer is so ordered by the President, be fully conferred upon 
and vested in the Department of Commerce and Labor, or the Secretary thereof, as 
the case may be, as to the whole or part of such office, bureau, division, or other 
branch of the public service so transferred . 

The commission believes that similar provision should be made in 
the act providing for the establishment of an independent Public 
Health Service. 

It believes also that the Director of the ..Public Health Service, 
subject to the approval of the President, should have the same power 
to rearrange and consolidate the subdivisions of his service that was 
conferred upon the Secretary of Commerce and Labor to rearrange 



IISrDEPENDENT PUBLIC HEALTH SEEVICE. 



915 



and consolidate the statistical work of the bureaus and offices confided 
to said department. The section of the act conferring that authority 
reads as follows: 

And the Secretary of Commerce and Labor is hereby given the power and author- 
ity to rearrange the statistical work of the bureaus and offices confided to said depart- 
ment and to consolidate any of the statistical bureaus and offices transferred to said 
department. 



Respectfully submitted. 



Frederick A, Cleveland, 

CTiavrman. 

W. F. WiLLOUGHBY, 

Walter W. Warwick. 
Frank J. Goodnow. 
Merritt O. Chance, 

Secretary. 



THE RECOVERY OF FIBER STOCK OF 
CANCELED PAPER MONEY 



917 



THE RECOVERY OF FIBER STOCK OF CANCELED PAPER MONEY. 



September 21, 1912. 

The President : The Commission on Economy and Efficiency has 
under investigation the disposal of the waste paper of the Government 
and expects to make a full report to you on the subject by the 1st of 
December. 

Among other studies being made are the different processes of 
deinking and defibering canceled paper money. In connection with 
the latter we beg to submit at this time a preliminary report prepared 
by Mr, F. C. Clark of the Bureau of Standards, and a member of our 
subcommittee on waste paper, relative to the results obtained by a 
new process of reclaiming waste paper, known as the Winestock 
process. 

As will be noted from this report, Mr. Clark estimates that an 
annual saving of $100,000 wUl result by the use of this new process, 
instead of the present process of macerating and disposing of this 
stock. 

A former investigation was made of this process of defibering and 
deinking waste paper, by members of this joint committee, at which 
time, however, studying its application to waste paper generally, of 
which there are between 5,000 ana 6,000 tons accumulated annually 
by the various services of the Government at Washington. 

There is submitted with the report referred to herewith samples of 
canceled paper money after maceration by the present process, and 
samples of the macerated paper after being put through the Wine- 
stock process. 

In order that an idea may be had as to what the Winestock process 
is, the foUowing brief statement may be of interest: 

The machine is of the nature of an open centrifugal pump, so 
designed and constructed as to produce a remarkably rapid defibering 
action upon a sheet of paper without injury to the fibers in any way. 
The rapid and complete defibering of the paper tends to produce a 
much more rapid chemical action between the ink and those chemicals 
used to produce saponification. The time required to produce com- 
plete saponification and defiber the paper varies from 2 to 10 minutes 
ia a small machine and would not exceed 30 minutes in a large com- 
mercial machine. At the end of this time the pulp is ready for 
washing, and then it is available for remanuf acture into paper without 
the use of any bleaching agents. 



920 REPORTS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

The present methods for the recovery of old paper all require cook- 
ing from 8 to 16 hours at high pressure and temperature, with a large 
amount of chemicals, after which time the pulp requires a prolonged 
washing operation and a high percentage of bleach to produce the 
desired white color. 

The advantages of this new process over the present methods are: 
Great saving in time, power, labor, chemicals, and a very much higher 
percentage of yield. 

In order that we may further investigate the possible application of 
this plan and study out other plans which we have under considera- 
tion in connection with the subject of inaking distinctive paper, we 
find that it will be advisable to have a representative of the Bureau 
of Standards and a representative of this commission, both members 
of the joint committee on the subject of paper, visit the mills at 
Dalton, Mass., where this money paper is manufactured, in order that 
they may become acquainted wdth the processes which are now 
employed. With this in view we would thank you to authorize the 
Secretary of the Treasury to grant two members of this committee 
permission to study the processes employed at present in the manu- 
facture of this paper. 

Respectfully submitted. 

F. A. Cleveland, 
W. W. Waewick, 
M. O. Chance, 

Commissioners. 



CANCELED PAPER MONEY. 



Department op Commerce and Labor, 

Bureau of Standards, 

Washington. 
Mr. M. O. Chance, 

Secretary the President's Commission on Economy and Efficiency, 

White House, Washington, D. C. 

Sir: Relative to my recent trip from Newmarket, N. H., to Perkinsville, Vt., and 
return, I have tlie honor to report to you through Dr. S. W. Stratton, Director of the 
Bureau of Standards. 

As the railroad connections across New Hampshire are very poor, it was necessary 
to leave Newmarket, N. H., Monday, August 12, at 7,10 a. m., over the Boston & 
Maine in order to make the best connections, arriving at Charlestown, N. H., at 12.50 
p. m., by way of Manchester, Concord, and Claremont Junction. The ride to Spring- 
field, Vt., was by trolley from Charlestown, N. H., arriving there at 1.30 p. m. 

At Springfield I met Mr. G. W. Craigie, who was there to examine the Winestock 
process in the interests of the S. D. Warren Co., of Cumberland Mills, Me. 

Tuesday we were called for by Mr. Winestock, who took us to his experimental 
plant at Perkinsville. Later in the morning several New York men arrived. They 
were Mr. Armstrong, Mr. Auchincloss, and a Mr. Hartman, who represented the firm of 
George F. Hardy, the well-known consulting engineer and paper-mill architect. 

The first test was made on a 10-pound mixture of Saturday Evening Posts, Literary 
Digests, and the Watchman. The time required to defiber the paper and prepare it 
for the washing engine was three minutes. 

The second test was on macerated United States currency stock, and about 10 min- 
utes were required to completely defiber the small particles of paper contained therein. 

For the third rim some high-grade machine-finished writing paper, contaiuing 90 
per cent of rag, was used. The time required to completely defiber was four minutes. 

The last run was made on old printed newspapers and requu'ed three and one-half 
minutes to reduce the paper to pulp. 

It was impossible in the short space of time available to thoroughly wash any of these 
four lots of pulp, so only enough was washed by hand to provide the necessary size 
samples for those interested . As my previous report covers the work done on all these 
papers, except the macerated United States currency, this report will deal with the 
observations made while handling that particular stock. 

All of these tests were very much handicapped by water conditions. River water 
was used, and owing to there being some pink coloring matter in the water fiom the 
cotton mills above, also a large amount of decayed vegetable matter due to low water, 
we were not able to get as good a white color on the pulp as we otherwise would have 
done. 

On Wednesday a second run was made on the United States cm'rency stock. The 
chemicals used in the rim were slightly different from those used in the first nm on 
this kind of stock, and results were more nearly what was requii'ed. The color was 

921 



922 EEPOETS OF COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY. 

of a brighter and clearer white than ia the previous run. The following table gives 
the time required to defiber the United States money: 





Began 

flllmg 

machine. 


Finished 

filling 
machine. 


Chemicals 
in. 


End of 
run. 


Total 
time in 
minutes. 


Time in 

minutes 

required'to 

defiber and 

loosen ink. 


First run 


E. m. 8. 

1 31 25 

10 36 50 


H. TO. s. 
1 32 10 
10 37 50 


H. m. s. 

1 32 10 
10 38 00 


H. TO. 
1 41 
10 44 


9§ 
7i 


g 


Second run 


7 







The difference between the two runs was due to running a little longer than was 
thought necessary on the fiLrst run in order that the pulp would be thoroughly defibered. 

All of Wednesday afternoon and Thursday was spent in washing the pulp and pre- 
paring samples for shipment to the Bureau of Standards. 

I left Springfield at 5.50 Friday morning, arriving in Newmarket, N. H., at 3 p. m., 
over the same route as used in going to Springfield. 

The results of these nms show very conclusively that the Winestock process will 
defiber United States currency stock, and also that it will loosen up the ink so that it 
may be readily removed in the ordinary washing engine. In order to get the best 
results this process should be substituted for the present method of macerating United 
States currency in use at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. The method of the 
bureau consists in cooking the paper money in a very strong solution of soda ash at 
about the boihng temperature of water. The vat or kettle in which this is done is 
provided with a series of revolving knives, which has a more or less grinding action on 
the pulp. The effect of the grinding action is to shorten the fibers and also to rub the 
ink or coloring matter into the pores of the fibers, making it more difficult to remove 
the ink without bleaching. The Winestock process would entirely overcome this 
defect as well as being a much cheaper method, and the pulp obtained would have a 
very much higher market value. 

It will always be necessary to use some caustic alkali ia treating old money paper, 
as by so doiag the silk fiber is destroyed; but were the paper money first put through 
the Winestock process, then washed, and treated to a weak solution of caustic alkali, 
the silk would be dissolved and yet the alkali would not be strong enough to weaken 
the rag fibers. Any weakening of the rag fibers means not only a loss due to deteri- 
oration, but an actual loss in weight. 

At the present time the Government buys about 500 tons of money paper per year, 
at a cost of almost |800 per ton. The sale price of macerated money paper is about 
131.50 per dry ton, which, together with the loss due to present methods of macerat- 
ing and cooking, cost of handling, etc., makes the net return practically a negligible 
quantity. The advantages to be gained by the use of the Winestock process would 
be as follows: 

The recovered pulp would be of a good white color obtained without the use of 
bleach and could be put upon the market in such shape that an estimated price of 
about $200 per air-dry ton could be obtained. 

This estimated price per ton is based upon the fact that new rags used in making 
this grade of paper cost about $200 per ton, not adding the cost of reducing the raga 
to a pulp, which amounts to about $50 per ton. 

The pulp produced by the Winestock process is practically ready for use on paper 
machine. Mills purchasing this pulp would be saving the faotory costs in producing 
pulp from the rags plus the loss in destruction of fibers while so doing. 

The stock produced by the Winestock process would be available for making into 
the highest grade of paper. The cost of handling by this new method would be less 



CANCELED PAPEE MONEY. 923 

than that of the method in use at the present time; also, time required, cost of chem- 
icals and fiber loss would be materially decreased. 

The net returns to the Government by the use of the new method would be very 
large as compared with the returns from the present method. The proposed method 
woidd have the following advantages over the present method: 

First. Speed in production (saving cost of power and reduction in number of 
employees). 

Second. Decreased loss of fibers, thereby increasing the yield of pulp. 

Third. Better grade of fiber, thoroughly removing all ink and dirt, increasing the 
sale value of pulp over 600 per cent. 

The estimated saving over the present method amoimts to about $100,000. The 
first and second items shown under advantages would offset the amount at present 
received for the pulp. 

Respectfully, F, C. Clark. 

o 



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